I love doing my homework at a coffee shop. Something about the quiet hum of people chattering, combined with the smell of coffee in the air makes me focus even better than I normally would. But that got me thinking: why is this so? What about coffee shops makes them such a great place for studying?
An article published by the Harvard Business Review posed one answer: it’s not the space itself, but the limited distractions. “A coffee shop provides a certain level of ambient noise while also providing freedom from interruptions,” the article states.
Additionally, the article explained that a little bit of background noise is actually good for you, which explains why my silent dorm is too limiting and why playing music can break my focus. To quote the article, “Instead of total silence, the ideal work environment for creative work has a little bit of background noise. That’s why you might focus really well in a noisy coffee shop, but barely be able to concentrate in a noisy office.”
I had no idea about this research, but it seems to be consistent across scientific studies.
The lack of interruptions and the background noise combined make for the perfect workspace. Also, although not cited in any of the articles, I imagine that the presence of delicious liquid caffeine helps as well.
So, next time you’re feeling stuck, try going to a coffee shop‒or even using a coffee shop noise simulator. It will boost your creativity and help you to be more productive.