There is nothing worse than sitting in your room at your desk or on your bed and knowing you have a pile of homework to get done, but for some reason you just can’t. In most cases there are just too many distractions.
I constantly find myself stuck in the scenario and it can be incredibly frustrating but it always leads me to the conclusion that I just need a different environment.
In your room it is simply much too easy to get distracted.
I often find excuses to make and other tasks that are much more important than whatever worksheet I have to do.
When in this situation we tend to give ourselves too many “outs” to get away from our work and that’s not a bad thing, we simply can’t help it.
Sometimes in your room it isn’t enough to put on headphones and try to get rid of these distractions because let’s be honest, you’re always looking for a way to get out of doing your homework no matter how badly it needs to get done.
Changing your environment can be the perfect solution.
I don’t mean moving to your bed or a different room in your house, I mean fully going to a different place, like a coffee shop.
“When I’m doing my work somewhere out of the ordinary, I’m more likely to get my work done because I can’t get distracted by things like my bed or my TV,” Sarah Smith, a Lakeland graduate and current Boise State University student, said.
When I realize I have an abundance of work to get done I pack up my papers and my computer and I go to a nearby Starbucks.
This is so common it has been coined as the “coffee shop effect” to describe the feeling of being more productive when you switch over to working in a coffee shop or similar.
Coffee shops tend to have a cozy ambience and are more stimulating for the brain as you can focus on your task but maintain the stimulating background sounds as the baristas make drinks and talk to customers.
“I like doing my homework in a coffee shop because it makes the atmosphere more fun. I feel like I’m the main character,” Smith said.
It also takes away any personal distractions you may have at your house such as needing to do laundry or pick up your room, (my favorite excuses), because it’s not like you can do much at a coffee shop besides the work you brought with you.
Doing your work at a coffee shop can also act as unique motivation as you typically have to make some sort of purchase to work in them as not to loiter meaning you can get some fun drink or bakery item to enjoy while you do your work.
“I like having light background noise and a sweet treat,” Sarah Allen said.
Coffee shops can also be beneficial to work in as they tend to have outlets to charge your devices and free Wi-Fi for you to use which is great for people who may not have the best connection at their home but have an essay to write.
This also means that as long as you have a charger in your bag, you can stop in right after school even if your laptop is at its last leg.
Employees at coffee shops also tend to be very kind and accommodating. I’ve had to ask numerous Starbucks employees for a scrap piece of paper or a pencil to use and they’ve always done their best to help and they love to discuss what I’m working on with me.
As long as you treat the workers with respect there is no reason for you to have a bad experience working at a coffee shop.
Lots of people also go to chain restaurants to get their work done with a side of chips and salsa. Restaurants can be a little harder to work in as it’s not highly smiled upon to order very little food and stay for a few hours but some restaurants and servers don’t mind and are happy to accommodate so you can get some work done.
If you are however set on working at a place that serves coffee there are also some unique spaces in the area that supports a small business as well.
Located in Coeur D’Alene there are two Union Roasters and they are known for their coffee and incredible waffles. They tend to have a brighter atmosphere that is guaranteed to get you happy and motivated.
Kindred and Co. is a bookstore located in Post Falls with a Bistro connected to it. Here you can get your typical coffee related drinks as well as delicious lunch items to eat if you’re working for longer periods of time.
If you’re a bookworm though this store will definitely be a distraction because it’s beyond tempting to look at all the books they have.
It’s always good to get out of the house and it’s even better if you’re being productive at the same time, so when you get distracted at your house but have a pile of work, pick a coffee shop to visit and cross off that to-do list.
