But why do the grad students get all the productivity? What about undergrads (many of whom have caught on just fine on their own)? More to the point, what about the faculty??
For those faculty members who used to do their best work in coffee shops, why have you stopped? Many abandon the coffee shops (except maybe on weekends or sabbaticals). If coffee shops used to work for you, are there ways you can reincorporate what worked about that setting into your daily faculty life? I have yet to find a campus without a coffee shop within walking distance. Can you schedule a one hour writing date several times a week (or once) with yourself and a cup of coffee?
The NYTimes article I've linked to actually presents research on background noise, not coffee shops per se. And it doesn't suggest that background noise is great for all kinds of thinking: "extreme quiet tends to sharpen your focus, which can prevent you from thinking in the abstract." So keep in mind that the right level of noise is specific to the task.
While a walk to a coffee shop is probably a fantastic idea for mood & concentration, if it's not in the cards, how might you instead build that optimal level of background noise (around 70 db it seems) in your office during writing time? Keep in mind, this should be background noise...not music you're tempted to sing along with or really listen to. Perhaps a white noise machine, or instrumental music that's really background music for you? Or if you're waiting for the white noise app with a coffee shop setting -- the wait is over! You really can find everything on the Internet.
image from Coffitivity.com
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