Working from your home office is nice but, let’s face it, we’ve been doing that for a really hot minute. Sometimes you’ve gotta change up the scenery a little bit and add some color into your workday. Here are some of our favorite places to work that aren’t your home office (and may or may not inspire you to *not* wear pajama bottoms).

Working from places outside of home

If you are looking for a traditional “working” environment, there are a few great coworking options that are right in your neighborhood. In Edmonds, check out Workhorse, a barn-chic coworking space that has gorgeous views of the Sound, large tables with plug-ins for your laptops (plus extra monitors), phone booths, and even local kombucha on tap! In Lynnwood, head on over to InSpark, which is set up beautifully for collaboration and networking with other happy, supportive business owners who appreciate being around like-minded people. If you’re looking for a more corporate feeling, Regus just opened a location in Mountlake Terrace called Redstone Corporate Center.

Working from outside

Lucky for us, we live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where when it’s not raining (and even when it is), our scenery makes for a gorgeous backdrop. Why not get some fresh air while you’re working? Grab a lobster roll from Mar-ket and head to the Edmonds waterfront. Sit on a big piece of driftwood (or the benches…) and get to work. Remember, working doesn’t always have to mean you’re on your laptop! You could take a meeting walking through the six acres at North Lynnwood Park, or you could sit on a bench at Picnic Point Park and journal. If you’re a boater, consider grabbing your kayak and getting meditative on Lake Ballinger in the middle of the day. It’ll help your subconscious work through problems you’re trying to solve, and it’ll give you some nice deep breaths.

Working from coffee shops

This may be one of our favorite ways to work, given that we actually met IRL for the first time at Walnut Street Coffee and we have been inseparable ever since (We LY Walnut Street). I (Emilie) take many client meetings at Urban City Coffee in Mountlake Terrace, which also has amazing sandwiches and lunch options as well as beer and wine. Whitney and I have also been known to take a meeting or two at The Red Twig in Edmonds. I first went there because Whitney recommended their cinnamon roll and I’ve never looked back. And, fun fact: The Red Twig was the first place Whitney worked from when she moved to Edmonds in 2018.

Working from lunches

If you haven’t noticed, we love to change things up, and while we could connect to the WiFi at many of these restaurants, we prefer screen-free time when we’re nomming around town. Some of our favorite places to meet clients or business friends in the area are Salt & Iron, Santa Fe, Las Espuelas, and Chops Lynnwood. Not only do they have great food, but they’re run by wonderful people.

Working from happy hour

My husband and I work together—in the same tiny home office—so when 3 p.m. Friday rolls up, we are ready to go decompress and review the week over Happy Hour. Some of our favorite spots in Lynnwood are Indigo (note: happy hour is only in the bar), Cascades in Embassy Suites (which I’m hesitant to share because it’s always quiet there and I like it that way, but the drinks and the apps are so fabulous that I have to shout them out). If you’re in MLT, check out Diamond Knot (get the beer flight and stuffed pretzel knots), and if you just need to get in the zone over a craft cocktail, head to cozy and vibey Kelnero in Edmonds or pony up to the bar to see what’s on tap at Brigid’s at Salish Crossing.

Remember, “work” is not just done on your laptop. As borderline workaholics, this is something we have to remind ourselves of often. So, after reading all of our tips, we hope we’ve inspired you to post up somewhere new. Where’s your favorite place to work from?

— By Emilie Given and Whitney Popa

Emilie Given is a virtual assistant agency owner in Lynnwood, and Whitney Popa is a writer and communications consultant in Edmonds. They write this column together to share work-from-home ideas. They love where they live and are grateful the virtual world allows them to achieve more work/life harmony. They also co-host a weekly podcast where they share their entrepreneurship journeys while learning about those of others. You can learn more about Emilie here and more about Whitney here.