What do a freelance app designer, a health product sales rep, a crypto-currency trader, and a food critic have in common?
You saw this coming: they’re all working unconventional hours in unconventional places.
And we’re pretty sure they’re not the only ones.
No matter what your industry or schedule, there’s always a time when “working from home” becomes a reality. Whether it’s a startup you’re toying with on the side, or you’re self-employed fulltime, the space you choose to get things done plays a huge role in your success.
Check out these five tips for Calgarians working on the move.
1. Make Mission Your Destination
While coffee shops are by far the most cliché places to work remotely, that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. If you choose the neighborhood wisely, you can create a bit of a location rotation to keep yourself from smelling like the same roast when you get home every night.
We suggest heading to Mission, where you can jump back and forth between Purple Perk and Phil & Sebastian for decent WiFi and more than decent drinks and snacks. Also, Starbucks does have a sweet rooftop patio, but if cornered, we won’t admit to knowing that.
Drink Wine
Disclaimer: Notable does not promote drinking while working (well, not all the time), but sometimes we really do better work over a glass of vino. Thankfully, there are some relatively new hybrid coffee/wine spots around to serve as a great solo workspace or place to invite clients for a meeting.
Gravity attracts the creative types with its artsy décor and locale, while Caffe Rosso is usually a bit quieter, but no less sophisticated, with its giant wooden tables and innovative snack list.
Don’t get caught off guard when the latter closes at 5pm, though, except in Victoria Park where it stays open until 6pm.
3. Skip the drinks, Save Your Dollars for Lunch
Remember university, when the only place you could afford to study regularly was the library? Well, you were wise beyond your years then, because the cash you dole out spending entire days drinking lattes can really start to add up.
Take a page out of your undergrad book and head to the beautiful Memorial Park Library. This century building has maintained a classic interior and is situated in one of the city’s most picturesque green spaces (and is just steps from Boxwood if you’ve saved up enough cash).
If you’d rather not park downtown, there are 17 other public libraries around the Calgary where you can work in peace. Now, shhhhh.
4. Be a Coworker
If fighting for that seat near the wall plug-in for your laptop is getting old, you may want to look into this seemingly new phenomenon of coworking. It’s becoming quite popular in Calgary, with some pretty cool spaces to set up shop.
The Commons in Ramsay seems to have thought of everything. They’re trendy, pet-friendly, socially conscious, and operate on a by-application-only basis, so you know they care about their space.
Meanwhile, over in Kensington, Assembly has a rooftop patio and regular events to create more of a community vibe, which is well suited to startup types, like the company’s founders. If you’re looking to collaborate, this could be your spot.
5. Get Out of Town
There’s no question that one of Calgary’s biggest draws is the nearby Rocky Mountains. Similarly, there’s also no question that working remotely allows you the flexibility to spend more time in them. If you need to get some work done between your scramble or Black Diamond run, you’re not the only one.
Locals love to hook up at Wild Flour, and for good reason. Their WiFi is quick, and so is their service of fresh, local lunch and to-die-for baked goods.
And we bet you didn’t see this coming, but we’re sending you to the Fairmont Banff Springs. You’ve been there before for romantic getaways and office Christmas parties, but there are also plenty of abandoned seats throughout the 126-year-old castle just begging to inspire you. You’ll have to pay for the Wi-Fi this time, trust us, it’ll be worth it.
#NOTABLE
Images: Facebook
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