Something about the spring semester always feels like it takes an eternity. But here we are, about halfway through, and, if you’re anything like me, your motivation is dwindling away by the hour and you’ve been procrastinating every second of every day. It would not be incorrect to say that every assignment I’ve turned in the last two weeks has been started, finished, and turned in within the last hour of its due date. But then I made a magical discovery.
I have been convinced for the entirety of my three years in college that the best thing to do after a long day of classes is to take my CVS receipt’s worth of homework and readings and go hide out under a blanket on my couch with my laptop staring me down and a show that was meant to only be background noise taking up all my focus. And then I would be all “Oh no! My assignments! I’m so behind! However could this be?”
In the last few weeks, as I trudged my way through 4 essays and what could only be called an absurd amount of reading, I found myself hiding out in the cafe at Barnes and Noble before my shift began. In the hour and a half I spent there, I think it would be fair to say I cranked out at least double the work I get done in 3 hours at home. I was entirely bamboozled.
My next shift, I showed up two hours early, curious to see if I had finally figured out the secret to getting work done. I was determined to prove it was a fluke and that the couch time method was the way to go. But lo and behold, much to my chagrin, I grabbed a coffee, sat down, put my headphones in and cranked out so much work I was convinced I was being possessed. It’s a pretty satisfying feeling, the whole being productive thing.
Now, I can’t lie, there’s many a day that I still find myself back on my couch or in bed with a show, because sometimes that really is the best way to end a long day. But when the time comes to really lock in and get things done—at least on a more reasonable timeline than an hour before things are due—I grab my headphones and let the coffee shop air work its magic.
All this to say, the next time you feel stuck on an assignment or an article or just need to feel productive, grab a drink and a little sweet treat and hide out at a coffee shop. It may just be what you need to kickstart the motivation.
If you’re looking for a good place to go here in Boulder, here are a few of my favorite coffee shop recommendations in the area:
- Ozo’s on Pearl (Either location, but I love the East Pearl location!)
- Trident Booksellers and Cafe
- The Laughing Goat (On Pearl or the one on campus!)
- Ampersand Coffee Roasters