🙋🏻♀️ Hey Kelly: "How long is it okay to work in a cafe for?"
Is there such a thing as cafe etiquette? Yes.
A few weeks ago I asked people to send in their questions for an upcoming newsletter series—welcome to that exact thing. I’ll be going through all the great questions you guys send in to bring some helpful—as well as unhelpful—advice to your inbox. Sometimes it’ll be useful, sometimes it’ll be funny, and on a really good day, it’ll be a bit of both. Balance is key. Or so I keep hearing. So for this Sunday, I’d like to share the first one of these Hey Kellys. Enjoy!
Q: I’ve started working out of cafes a couple of times a month but I feel a bit self-conscious about how long I stay there versus how many coffees or snacks I should buy. Help!
A: First, welcome to the wonderful world of working out of a cute cafe. Delicious coffees with little latte art hearts, and freshly baked brownies sitting in a display. A gentle hum of background noise to help you focus. Perfect. So perfect you’ll probably snap a photo for IG before you get started.
But there is the question of how long is too long, or rather how long you can respectably sit and work in the cafe without overstaying your welcome. Here are my top tips to help you feel more comfortable on your remote work excursions:
Sip and support
It's a no-brainer, but it's worth mentioning: buy something! A coffee, a muffin, whatever floats your boat. If you’re there for a few hours, you might order a few drinks and something more substantial to eat—as long as you show some love for the cafe and don’t occupy a seat for 4 hours on a £2.70 latte.
Don’t forget your headphones
Don’t be that person blasting their video meeting to the whole cafe. Avoid having too many calls booked in on your cafe-working days, for your sake as much as everyone else’s. Keep your work sounds in your headphones—phone calls, video chats, and all that jazz. Your neighbours will thank you.
Be mindful
If the cafe is busy, you don’t want to be that person taking up half the room with your laptop, papers, and coffee cups. Keep your stuff contained to your area, and please, don’t take a big table for 4 entirely to yourself if you can help it.
Watch the clock
Time flies when you're working hard, but be aware of how long you've been holding down that prime table. If the cafe is getting busier, it might be time to pack up and make space for others, unless you’re in the mood for another drink or snack.
Surf responsibly
Respect the Wi-Fi. By which I mean, don’t ruin the remote work fantasy for everyone by killing the bandwidth with a YouTube or Netflix binge. Anyway, shouldn’t you be working?
Keep it confidential
Your work is your business, but not everyone needs to know the deets. They also do not want to hear said deets being discussed loudly on your Very Important Work Call™.
For bonus points, and if it applies to your work: keep your workspace secure (i.e. lock your laptop), avoid peeping at others' screens, and keep sensitive convos for a more private space.
In conclusion…
A cafe owner friend of mine reckons 2 hours or so is the default amount of acceptable work time for a standard coffee-and-cake situation, so if in doubt take that as the rule of thumb the next time you pack up and head out.
Working from a cafe is awesome when everyone is kind and considerate, so just be kind and considerate and you’re good to go. Tipping your barista can’t hurt, either. Wink. 👀
What are your remote work no-nos? Have you ever felt awkward working in a cafe? What’s your advice for the reader who sent this question in? Share your views/experiences in the comments!
Yes! I feel like 2 hours is spot on before you start to feel you're hogging a spot for other potential customers... I also feel like that only means one thing; café crawl, anyone!?