House sitting UK: 6 lessons learnt (and ‘must dos’ for YOU)

House sitting UK: 6 lessons learnt (and ‘must dos’ for YOU)

It’s been over six months since we set off on our house sitting UK adventure. We’ve explored terrific destinations in the UK through house sitting, including London, Northampton, the Cotswolds, Bedfordshire and soon Devon and the Sussex coast.

We’ve loved house sitting in the UK, and we’ve also been to Malta, France and Ireland.
 

House sitting UK: 6 lessons learnt

Leave the toilet seat down!

You hear stories about dogs drinking out of the toilet, right? One night we were sound asleep but awoken at 1am.

“Can you hear a noise, is that an intruder?” I asked panicked (but still tucked into bed)

“I’m not sure… do you think I should check?” asks Cooper, as we hear again… what is that?

“Slurp, slurp, slurp…”

Our beautiful shepherd, Luna, couldn’t be bothered going downstairs to her bowl. Our lesson? Close the toilet lid! It’s true – dogs DO drink from the toilet.

Luna in Northampton on our dog sit where we learnt a house and pet sitting lesson...
 

Never forget poo bags

We find poo bags in all or pockets now. It’s pretty funny. The bags always come in handy, of course. But what about the one occasion you forget to take them?

In Northampton we had simply popped out to the corner store. When I was inside gathering supplies, Cooper was walking Luna (pictured above) around the block and having a little play with her. You guessed it – she chose this very time to do her business.

And it was no small matter!

Cooper scrounged around to find cardboard and resources to clean up after Luna, but it wasn’t pretty, oh no.

Hence, poo bags in every pocket since that time.

 

 

Watch what your dog eats

I’m sorry, this seems to have turned into a post about toilets and dogs’ business. You see, we took care of another gorgeous pup, Teal. A Springer Spaniel – about the best behaved and most affectionate creature you’d ever meet. But Teal has a secret.

Teal eats poo. In the depths of fields around the Cotswolds, this innocent pooch will grab a ‘snack’ the second you turn away. At first I thought Cooper was exaggerating because he spotted this, er, behaviour first. I didn’t believe him. Not our lovely Teal.

However, when I turned around after being engaged in conversation with a fellow dog walker, I saw it. Oh Teal. Perhaps he needed some nutrients that are in there?

Whatever the case, we were reminded that dogs are like kids. Keep an eye on them at all times

 

Find out how we got started pet sitting in London

 

Be mindful of how you’re using treats

We took care of a precious little old man called Monty. He was such a beautiful old soul. A 15 year old Jack Russell, for the most part he was super easy to look after. Except he suffered major senior separation anxiety.

When we arrived he seemed ok, but once his parents left he wouldn’t leave his bed or hid under theirs. It broke our hearts. We kept an eye on him over the 12 hours to come, and we even called TrustedHousesitters pet line for guidance to make sure we were doing all the right things, which we were.

For anxiety, we’ve discovered we need to give dogs in this scenario their space. It’s beneficial for them to be in their own home. If they are not sleeping or eating, then you should contact a vet. One thing we had going for us was that Monty liked his food. We used this to try and coax him to love us We even got him downstairs by laying out a cheese trail – his favourite treat.

After a while though, we realised we were using treats in the wrong way – we were reinforcing his behaviour to stay in his bed or hide from us. We’d give him treats for it! Instead, we switched it around – gave him treats for coming to us and we got him outside on walks which cheered him right up. Our lesson: consider what kind of behaviour you’re rewarding with treats, or are you giving them to make you feel better?

We’ve shared more on this in our video guides

 

Close doors and check where your pets can go

House sitting in the UK brought many lessons our way. When we took care of Blue, a senior Lurcher doggie in London, we’d been told where in the house he could go. It was pretty much everywhere except the bedrooms. What we didn’t realise is that’s exactly where he’d try to go. Some of the door handles weren’t shut properly and we discovered this after he went missing twice. Blue managed to break into the rooms, have a nap on his siblings’ beds but then got locked in, bless him!

 


Our Luna in Northampton was known to break into the fridge and eat all the meat, so we had to lock the door to the kitchen if we went out. Luna’s also actually unlocked the front door to go in search of her family So, we needed to deadbolt it for her own safety from the busy street outside.

A special mention must go to Harley in Dublin who knew how to follow you into the toilet, jump up on the sink and drink water while you wash your hands. His mum said that is entirely his father’s fault for teaching him

 

Learn to share your personal space

Polly and Darcy our first little Westies we pet sat for haven’t been the only babies to want in on our private space. Pretty much all dogs and cats, once they get to know you, will want to be with you – or on top of you, in bed with you…

But you know what – that’s the bit we love the most. If you don’t, then this gig probably isn’t for you.

 

 

Find out more practical tips about house and pet sitting as you travel the world: subscribe to our newsletter for a FREE guide on how you can travel the world house and pet sitting. 

And of course – questions/comments are appreciated below

 

 

Nomad lifestyle: 7 tips for an effective work/life travel routine

Nomad lifestyle: 7 tips for an effective work/life travel routine

‘Digital nomad lifestyle’, for most of us who resonate with the term, means travelling + working. It sounds fun, and yeah, it is. But it’s easy to fall into ‘holiday mode’, which means no income! Cooper and I have discovered that a routine is critical when trying to maintain a healthy nomad lifestyle. Falling out of a routine means you can quite easily become demotivated. Hence, ‘holiday mode’, doesn’t pay for this way of life consistently.

A few weeks back we realised our routine (or lack thereof) was letting us down. Over the past few months, we’ve been refining a digital nomad routine that fits with our lifestyle, so we re-implemented the plan.

this content has been updated in 2022 and published on our podcast Freedom and Four Paws. Listen here

Maybe some of these tips will resonate with you too.

 

Nomad lifestyle: 7 tips for an effective work/life travel routine

Plan daily, keep a diary

When you’re travelling and working on the road you need to be super organised. Use a diary! We plan our days in advance and share a Google calendar which tracks the work Cooper and I do together as well as individual workloads. We plan it all in, can see when it’s coming up, and try to stick to the times we’ve set. Quite often we will also plan time in for daily exercise or getting out and about.

Depending on where you are, your daily routines can fluctuate. A group of full time digital nomads have shared insight into how they manage their routine, on the Becoming a Digital Nomad blog.

Project plan within your week

We don’t just plan our days in advance, but our weeks too. Blocks of time are planned into our diary for project work. For example, we might have a three hour period marked as ‘website development’. We break that down into sections, so within that time frame we might want to achieve finding a new theme for the website and editing the copy on the home page. If we get those tasks completed in that time frame, we’ve achieved our goal for that day.

It’s very easy to plan a chunk of time for ‘a project’ but get distracted and overwhelmed on where to start, then not to anything of any real substance! But, if you plan smaller tasks into a larger section of time, you’re more likely to complete the priorities you’ve set for yourself.

Cooper and I catch up each morning to see where we’re up to and to reschedule anything that didn’t get done the day before. There’s obviously the need to be flexible if something more urgent needs to be prioritised.

 

 

Nomad lifestyle requires planning around disruption

Travelling between house sits or new locations means we lose work time. That’s totally fine, but we have come to accept that we need to give time to cleaning, packing, moving.

We used to plan work into our travel time (e.g. work on the train or plane), but it never gets done between being tired or having no space/internet/power. We now look ahead at what’s coming up and don’t schedule real chunks of work into that time.

Consequently, if Wednesday becomes our Saturday for the week, or we need to work on the weekend because we had some ‘days off’ during the week, so be it. But it’s in our diary. See points one and two.

Be accountable to someone else

We’ve made a deal to keep each other accountable. Diary alerts, alarms, nagging each other works. I’m pretty good at organising things, but Cooper’s better and making us stick to time. So, we work as a team to make our routine work to time.

If you don’t have a partner to do this, find other ways. You can appoint an accountability buddy who also runs their own business or freelances; connect on social media to prompt and encourage each other. Find meetups with other intrepid solo travellers, work at a coworking space or visit coworking cafes so there’s others with the same mindset around you.

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day

To stay out of holiday mode, stick to a sleep routine too. Science says that it’s far better for our health and wellbeing to go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even if it’s your ‘day off’.

Find out more in this piece I wrote for Get it Magazine in October 2019.

Take breaks and make time for play

It’s important to step away from work. Maintain your work/life balance. We hear about this in the corporate world, but it’s just as important when you’re working for yourself. And don’t mistake ‘travel’ for ‘holidays’.

There is a huge difference between being on a holiday, and travelling while we’re working.

Don’t get me wrong – we love that our office landscape changes frequently, and that we can explore new cultures and make new friends along the way. That’s fantastic! But we are trying to run a business and as anyone who works for themselves knows, that’s a seven days a week gig, and rarely 9am to 5pm.

It’s for this reason we do have to make sure we exercise, do Yoga, meditation. House and pet sitting keeps us in check though, because there’s always a dog who needs attention, walks, ball time and love.

Keep in mind too, that if your body is telling you to take a break – re-prioritise – and do so! You’ve got the control over your time. The Morning Maryjolaine blog makes some nice points on this. See FOMO vs. JOMO.

Switch off each night

For your mental health and wellbeing – switch your devices off at least an hour before bed. No social, no emails – step away from the machine, my digital nomad friends!

 

Got any other tips or questions? Let us know in the comments.

 

Secrets of working nomads: a digital nomad’s life?

Secrets of working nomads: a digital nomad’s life?

The lifestyle of working nomads seems enviable, especially if you answer ‘yes’ to these questions:

  • Do you have a good job, but being stuck in the same office space every day makes you feel suffocated?
  • Are you keen to see the world without worrying about how many vacation days you have left?

Thought so.

In this case, have you thought seriously about how to join other working nomads, travelling and making money? ‘Digital nomad’ is probably the most recognised term for this, and it’s not so far out of your reach!

This way of living not only gives you the chance to travel a lot, but saves the money, time and hassle of regular work commutes, not to mention the stress of office politics. Working nomads enjoy the flexibility of location independence.

Is it the dream we think it may be though?

There are some things you have to think of before you make such a decision. If you are not sure about it, continue reading this article and find out a few secrets of working nomads.

 

 

How do working nomads survive?

How do working nomads really survive? Img: PixaBay

 

You probably already know that digital nomads survive thanks to technology and the internet. The online world offers a great number of freelance jobs and opportunities, and all you need is to be proficient in a skill that allows you to work completely remotely.

If you’re an engineer in construction for example, you might consider changing your career and becoming a web designer, or even a blogger if you feel you’re a creative person. But of course, these are just two of the options available out there.

You don’t necessarily need to become a freelancer, because there are more and more companies that offer remote jobs. All you need to do is begin searching and apply for the ones that are suitable.

After this, you need a laptop, a handle on time management and you’re on your way.

 

Choosing where to work from as a digital nomad

How do working nomads really survive? Img: Pexels.com

 

All people who dream about becoming digital nomads wonder if they can make money while they travel. Yes, of course, you can. And there are so many people who are doing it right now. However, it depends on where you travel and on your abilities to plan your budget, find affordable accommodation, and search for cheap plane tickets. 

For instance, if you travel and live in places like Indonesia, Chiang Mai, or Bali, you will end up paying less on rent, transportation and groceries because these places are less expensive than in many European countries.

Or, you can choose to house and pet sit and secure free accommodation in return for taking good care of someone else’s place and beloved animal friends.

This doesn’t mean you can’t find other good deals in Europe. If you don’t want to live too far from your home country, you can always choose smaller cities and even villages that are cheaper than the busy European capitals.

Some of our favourite working nomads hot spots include Lisbon and Amsterdam. Click the links for a taste of these excellent cities. 

 

Examples for consideration

Let’s say you want to live in Scotland and explore its beauty for a while. Edinburgh and Glasgow are amazing cities, but you might want to settle in a smaller, less touristy place where prices are friendlier. This way, you can you live well and have enough money to travel around. You don’t want to stay in such a beautiful place without learning about its history and seeing its natural wonders, especially since Scotland is full of beautiful hiking paths that blow every visitor’s mind. 

The Ayrshire Coastal Path, declared one of Scotland’s Great Trails by Scottish Natural Heritage is a great place to get closer to the country, see its beauty, and learn about its past.

If you’re looking to settle and work for a while in a more remote place, you should check which of the villages and accommodations surrounding the area offer a great internet connection. Internet and appropriate technology are the first thing to worry about when you are a digital nomad looking for a place to work on the road. 

Scotland is just an example. Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and other European countries are great places for digital nomads, as long as you avoid the bigger, more expensive cities or find economical ways to live and stay for a while.

 

Does the life of a working nomad get lonely?

working nomads - on being lonely

 

The truth is that sometimes digital nomads get lonely, especially if you’re travelling solo. But you’re never lonely for long. There are so many people who work while travelling that making new buddies is never difficult.

Yes, sometimes you will have to work instead of exploring the surroundings with your new friends. But this is something normal, isn’t it?

Also, to avoid loneliness, you can always join some of the many Facebook groups dedicated to digital nomads, make an account on Meetup, as well as try to do your job from coffee shops or even coworking spaces. Europe is full of such places where you can rent your desk, work, and mingle with other people just like you. Do keep in mind that these specially created places are not free of charge.

Now you know some of the secrets of digital nomad life. Before deciding to quit your job, make sure you have the right skills for a remote job and try to get in touch with as many digital nomads as possible to find out different stories from different places. It is an important change, after all.

We’d love to hear from you in the comments – are you a digital nomad or would you like to be? Do you have recommendations on the best places to be a working nomad? Or any questions, let us know…

 

About the author:

Rebecca Brown is a translator by day, and a traveller mostly at night. She is an expert on living with jet lag – and packing in tiny suitcases. You can read more of her exploits at RoughDraft.

 

 

Practical tips for the intrepid lone traveller: safety, storage and security

Practical tips for the intrepid lone traveller: safety, storage and security

Daniel Brown shares five of his best tips for the adventurous lone traveller. If you’re heading off on a solo journey soon, read on. Here we cover trip planning, keeping your important documents and valuables safe, battery power and tech, dining solo and more…

~

Even though the trend of solo travelling is becoming more popular, it is agreeable that venturing alone without a companion is daunting. Luckily, there are clever tricks anyone yearning to be a lone traveller can make use of to feel more comfortable along the way.

I believe everyone can benefit from trying on the ‘lone traveller’ hat at some point in life.

Many swear that travelling solo can be likened to experiencing religious enlightenment!

 

Not only are you able to fully rely on your own judgements and ideas, but as a lone traveller, you can do whatever you please all throughout your journey.

A pretty liberating thought!

Of course, with all the freedoms of being a lone traveller, come the drawbacks. Some of these, concern safety and overall wellbeing.

To make things easier, following are my practical tips which will empower you to book your solo trip.

Lone travel magazine feature - Get it Magazine

You might also enjoy our feature in Get it Magazine on how to choose your own solo adventure, including interviews with two of our fave bloggers. Read it here

 

Plan ahead

The very first tip after you have decided to venture out solo, is to remember to take some time and extra effort to plan the whole trip as thoroughly as possible.

Spontaneous travel is great, but when a co-pilot is not there to help you out, you will want to have a plan to fall back on.

Make a list of all the must-have items you cannot travel without. But remember, you’ll need to pack light. Heavy bags and luggage will slow you down, and it may be uncomfortable to carry extra through a crowded airport or bus station.

Next, double check the bookings, such as the taxi, the means of transportation and accommodation.

Something I was taught is to try and memorise maps as accurately as possible. It’s helpful so you don’t have to be reading a map in public (potentially looking lost), or if Google Maps fails, as sometimes it does.

Plan, book, and get ready for the time of your life. You inevitably make friends, whether you’re heading off on long term travel, a wellbeing retreat or city tours.

 

Make copies of your documents

The most important thing you should bring with you when travelling is a case which contains all your personal documents. These will include your passport and photo ID. It is certain that there is nothing as stressful as getting your documents lost or stolen.

To make sure that your most important documents are safe and easily accessible, it is recommended to scan them before leaving home. The best way to do this is to make copies and store them online, for example, in Dropbox. Make sure your connections are safe though. In another article we talk about using a VPN to make sure your privacy is protected when travelling, surfing the web and accessing personal files.

If you know where document back-ups are, you can rest assured that in the worst-case, there is a quick solution to save the day.

 

Accessible tech

It’s important to invest in quality equipment to keep you connected and safe on your journey. Don’t forget local power adaptors for the places your’e visiting, a portable WiFi hub can be helpful, and back-up battery power is essential.

A new favourite of ours is the slim and sleek Zippo HeatBank that doubles as a hand warmer in cold weather. Pretty neat, and lasts for ages (choose three or six hour packs).

Zippo Heat Bank

 

Keep your valuables safe

Another common fear when travelling alone is getting your belongings stolen. No one can fully relax and enjoy time swimming, for example, without letting go of the fear that a stranger will slip away with your personal possessions.

You could carry with you quality waterproof containers that can go into water. These double as food containers when you’re travelling and saving on buying out all the time. Alternatively, you can leave your money and valuables in the hotel room, but use a safety deposit box if possible.

With hotels, it is important to take extra precautions. It is not uncommon for things to be lost even when they are in the drawers, seemingly safe. A smart tip to ward off thieves from your room is to hang up a “do not disturb” sign after leaving your room.

 

Coming to London? You might be interested in the chic but great value Point A Hotel in Shoreditch. Take a look at our review 

 

Also, by leaving the television turned on, anyone is able to trick potential thieves into thinking that you have not left in the first place.

The best bet to keep your money and fancy jewellery safe is to only carry enough money with you for food, taxi, accommodation and tours. Leave all the luxurious bling-bling behind.

As a matter of fact, it is best to not put on fancy necklaces, rings and earrings. Don’t attract unnecessary attention – better safe than sorry.

 

Do not be afraid of solo dining

Many people are anxious to dine alone. It’s common to feel like sitting solo in a restaurant makes you seem desperate or ‘sad’. But, it’s not uncommon to witness people sitting by themselves, enjoying a coffee or a meal and reading a book.

So, let go of the irrational fear and embrace solo dining! If it is too uncomfortable to go to a fancy dinner, consider a smaller coffee place or coworking cafe and opt for a counter seat or a seat at the bar.

To keep yourself occupied, take some reading materials with you or maybe a laptop to do some research about the local must-see things.

All in all, travelling alone can be a truly empowering and a unique experience. At the end of your trip, you will certainly feel like a changed person full of new experiences and interesting stories.

We’d love to hear your stories and tips – drop us a line in the comments below.



 

Guest post by Daniel Brown, image by Levi Bare
Our favourite coworking cafes in east / north London

Our favourite coworking cafes in east / north London

We’ve previously talked about great attributes coworking cafes have. As freelancers and digital nomads ourselves, we’re always on the lookout for coworking cafes that offer key ingredients we need for a productive day away from the home office.

The best coworking cafes we frequent all look great and offer a nice, comfortable space to work in, the sound is just right, as is the vibe. And of course a coworking cafe needs decent WiFi and power outlets.

Cooper and I have always mostly hung out in north / east London, and we’ve got a few of our favourite coworking cafes in this part of the city to share with you here. Of course, if you suggest others, please do let us know in the comments.

Our favourite coworking cafes in east / north London

Mare Street Market, E8 4RU (London Fields)

My cool friend Rosie introduced us to this lovely east London destination. I’ve never seen anything like it! Mare Street Market is nothing short of what you’d expect from the excellent area that is Broadway Market and London Fields. The space here is huge, with a stylish bar in the centre of it all, and smaller counters or stores around the edge of the space, including a podcast studio, florist, record store and café.

Mare Street Market offers long benches for working on, and an ambient outdoor area. The food and drink selection is great.

Downsides of this coworking cafe space is that it can get very busy later in the day on weekends or when the sun is shining, and there’s not easy access to power supply. For an hour or two full of good cheer and stylish environment though, we love this place.

Tip: time your trip here with breakfast on Saturday morning, and a wander around Broadway Market, our favourite London market.

 

coworking cafes in London - Mare Street Market near London Fields is fab

 

The Last Crumb, N16 0AS (Stoke Newington)

This is a lovely little coffee shop – bright, airy, dog friendly, and conveniently positioned in the heart of Church Street, Stoke Newington. The Last Crumb is a reasonable size and has spacious tables to work out, with some access to power sockets. The coffee and snacks here are good too.

They offer the space up for events too, so keep an eye out for networking opportunities or local activities that may inspire further creativity.

 

coworking cafes in London - The Last Crumb on Church Street in Stoke Newington is charming with nice food

 

Barber & Parlour, E2 7DP (Shoreditch)

This is typically cool Shoreditch, with a delicious menu and great energy always. We’ve spent hours working at Barber & Parlour, mostly on Sundays. The vibe is relaxed, there’s plenty of space and different options for seating. Cooper and I have always found a spot by a wall with a power socket, and there’s internet here.

As for most good places, it does get very busy as the day draws on, so we usually get here early, do a bit of work and head off around lunchtime.

Barber & Parlour is positioned in the middle of Shoreditch, not very far from Spitalfields Market, so there’s plenty to see and do in the area, including the graffiti walk if you want to fill your Instagram feed.

 

Dudleys Organic Bakehouse, E8 2LQ (Dalston);

We’re sorry this wasn’t around when we lived in Dalston – Dudleys is a new addition to the high street, not far to walk from Dalston Kingsland overground. It’s a fabulous space with excellent snacks, coffee, tea, Wifi and nice atmosphere.

We love the vibe here. Sometimes the music could be turned down just a smidge, but as far as coworking cafes go, this is one of our new favourites!

UPDATE: now also a lovely little cafe on Stoke Newington High Street, open Monday to Sunday 8am to 5pm, right near The White Hart pub.

 

coworking cafes in London - join Campus London for inspiration

 

Google Campus London, EC2A 4BX (Old Street)

We discovered Campus London a good few years ago, prior to moving over here. This is a fabulous place for start-ups, freelancers, solopreneurs, tech and creative minds who want to learn, network and develop ideas together.

Campus London has a huge cafe dedicated to remote working. The whole place is pretty inspiring, and while I’ve not been there for a while, it’s always in my mind. You can sign up to access the facilities and their events. Find out more here. The slogan, ‘come start something’ says it all – so if you’re in the same frame of mind as us, let’s have a coffee here and make things happen.

 

Husk Coffee and Creative Space, E14 7LW (opposite Limehouse station)

This is a lovely, spacious spot, designed as a coworking cafe. Husk offers a variety of seating options including couches, small tables and benches. Food and beverages are aplenty; there’s an events calendar here too, and they host English practice get-togethers. A hive of creative energy!

 

Really keen to know what you think makes a great coworking cafe, and importantly where do you suggest, in London or the world? Let us know in the comments…

 

Freelance life: attributes of a great coworking cafe

Freelance life: attributes of a great coworking cafe

If you’re a freelancer, digital nomad or telecommuter, you’ll appreciate the value of a great coworking cafe. Not to be mistaken for a coworking space (which we’ll look at soon here on the blog), coworking cafes offer the best of a coffee shop but with work-friendly benefits.

The flexibility of working from home or remotely is, well, brilliant. But sometimes we need to get out into a place where there’s other people. This can be because ‘home’ (wherever you call it) is noisy, or lonely. I’ve done some of my best work immersed in ‘the zone’ in  a fave coworking cafe discovered around London, Vancouver, even Cairns in North Queensland.

The line between a coworking space and a coworking cafe is blurring, as some coworking cafes around the world are really set up very well for working in. Fresh Cup magazine has written about these trends happening in the USA that we found interesting.

If you have a favourite coworking cafe I’d LOVE to know about it – please drop details in the comments below.

 

a great coworking cafe needs to be well set up for freelancers and digital nomads

 

Attributes of a great coworking cafe

We seek work-friendly spaces everywhere we travel, from Ibiza to Lisbon, the Gold Coast to London. What distinguishes a normal café or space where it’s technically possible to work, from a fabulous coworking café space that’s free, motivating and easy to work in?

In our experience, a cool coworking cafe has:

 

Space and cool design elements

Our very favourite coworking cafes in London and around the world inevitably offer a sensory and design experience that we can’t get in the home office. In fact, it’s recognised that coworking cafes and coworking spaces of the future that are to attract the most clientele, will boast cool design. We want to be creatively inspired, and it starts with the architecture and interiors of the places we’re working.

Hotel cafes and bars often do this really well. The Hoxton in Holborn and W Hotel’s Perception Bar in Soho London, and Room Mate Aitana in Amsterdam are great examples.

 

a coworking cafe needs just the right amount of buzz

 

Essentials in a coworking café also include comfortable seating and a nice amount of space. Various options for working such as bench space, tables, seating at different heights and maybe even some sofa areas are also preferable.

Our favourite coworking cafes are bright, inspiring, interesting but ultimately cosy. They’re convenient, with easy access to transport and other amenities in a city we’re visiting or working in.

 

Delicious coffee and food (fuel!)

There’s nothing quite like the tantalising smell of fresh food and coffee while you work. I especially like it when I’m not having to cook it. That’s just me though.

A coworking café should offer great coffee and a range of food, from treats to lunch. Preferably at reasonable prices.

 

Energy and ambience 

There’s a fine line between ‘just right’ and ‘too much’ in cafes targeting freelancing or digital nomads. Cooper and I need to find a place that plays agreeable music. This obviously might differ person to person. The best type of work soundtrack for me is smooth House or world music like Buddha Bar. I don’t want music blaring, but I’d like to be able to hear it and enjoy it.

Similarly, if the crowd in the café is too noisy, or there’s kids running around, I can’t work effectively.

My best experiences in coworking cafes are when the energy is buzzing and there’s other people working in there. Sometimes you can catch the right level of background activity like food prep, conversation and background noise that makes it easy to focus on the task at hand.

Dog friendly is always a bonus!

 

Easy access to decent tech

We’re talking about ‘working’ after all, and there are some basics that all remote workers will agree on:

  • Stable, quick, reliable internet
  • Inexpensive internet access (if not free)
  • A secure connection is preferable. That said, we have recently purchased a VPN to keep our networks private when we’re working out and about. Reputable firewalls and virus protection should also be implemented on your machines. For more on safety for digital nomads take a look at this helpful piece from Traveling Lifestyle
  • Plenty of accessible power outlets – the scramble for the only corner in the room with an electrical socket is never fun.

 

Know a spot that fits the criteria? Also keen to hear about what other elements you consider are crucial in a work-friendly coffee shop. Do please share in the comments.