Health and wellness tips for your work, home, and life – brought to you by the insurance professionals at RS Risk Solutions Ltd

Working Remotely from Public Spaces

Many remote professionals like you seek public spaces with Wi-Fi for a change in scenery during the workday. This can reduce feelings of claustrophobia, create healthy boundaries between work and home life, and increase daily enjoyment. However, a poorly planned remote work excursion can also reduce focus, decrease productivity, and increase cyber-risks. This article explains the downsides of working remotely from public spaces and provides guidance for how to do so productively and securely.

Drawbacks to Public Spaces

Although the buzz of a coffee shop or restaurant may be a welcome change from your home work environment, working in public spaces may include certain disadvantages. Before you bring your laptop to your favourite local spot, consider the following:

• Seating isn’t guaranteed.
• Wi-Fi can be unreliable.
• Network connections may be unsafe.
• Phone and video calls are typically discouraged.
• There is a consistent risk of background noise or interruptions.
• Plug sockets may be unavailable.
• Access is limited to your laptop.
• Distractions may be more common and disruptive.
• Ordering food and beverages while working can be expensive.

Alternatives to cafes and restaurants include public libraries, co-working spaces, public parks and hotel lobbies. However, these spaces may have similar or nuanced drawbacks.

Advantages of Working in Public Spaces

Working in a relaxed atmosphere, such as a coffee shop or restaurant, can reduce stress, improve productivity and lower blood pressure. You may find that a change of work environment helps with increased productivity. Additionally, changing your environment can stimulate creativity and help you focus. Depending on your situation (eg frequent travel, a lack of suitable space for an in-home office or employment with an organisation that doesn’t have a physical office space), working from a public place may also be your best option for finding a quiet, comfortable setting.

Tips for Working from Public Spaces

With proper planning, you may be able to mitigate many of the potential disadvantages of working in a public space. Here are some tips for working productively in these locations:

• Avoid peak hours.
• Bring a portable charger.
• Sit near a plug socket.
• Don’t let chitchat derail your productivity.
• Be conscious of social etiquette (eg order several items throughout the day, tip the staff and share the space with others.
• Bring noise-cancelling headphones.
• Choose a co-working space (an arrangement that allows people from different companies to share an office space) or stay at home on meeting-heavy days.
• Set daily goals before leaving the house.

Reducing Cyber-risks in Public Spaces

Using public Wi-Fi can increase your cyber-risks due to increased vulnerabilities on public networks. For this reason, many organisations have strict policies prohibiting the use of public Wi-Fi for work computers. Ask your manager if your organisation has any policies that restrict or limit your ability to use publicly accessible networks.

If your organisation allows the use of public Wi-Fi, you can enhance your cyber-security with the following measures:

• Use your organisations virtual privacy network or invest in one for yourself.
• Research secure mobile hotspot options.
• Position yourself to make it difficult for someone to look over your shoulder.
• Invest in a screen protector.
• Don’t rely on strangers to monitor your belongings while you’re away, such as while you order a beverage or use the toilet.

Consult your IT department for more cyber-security resources.

Conclusion

For some people, the ability to work from public spaces is a significant perk to working remotely. It can help create work-life boundaries and add crucial variation to the workday. For others, finding a public space to work is necessary to perform critical job functions. Whatever the reason, roper preparation is essential to ensure that a trip to your local coffee shop doesn’t reduce productivity and increase cyber-risks.

Contact us today for further guidance on successfully working remotely.