By Katherin C.

There are two kinds of people in every coworking café: those who wear headphones, and those who want to tell you about their startup. The rest of us are just trying to finish a deck before the caffeine wears off.

Coworking is a modern miracle, strangers gathering in a single room to silently chase different dreams while pretending the espresso machine isn’t screaming in our ears. But like any shared habitat, it runs on unspoken rules. So, in the interest of peace, productivity, and continued access to power outlets, here’s a guide to being a decent coworking neighbor.

1. Respect the headphone halo.

Headphones are the “Do Not Disturb” sign of the 21st century.

If someone’s wearing them, assume they’re mid-flow, mid-idea, or mid-existential crisis. Save your icebreaker for when they come up for air, or better yet, for the next communal coffee run.

2. Treat outlets like shared custody.

You do not own the outlet. You are borrowing it from the collective.

If your laptop’s at 97% and the person next to you is at 4%, be a hero. Unplug. Offer it up. Karma will reward you in battery life and social points.

3. Keep your calls short and your voice shorter.

Everyone’s okay with the occasional “Yes, I’ll send it by EOD.”

No one’s okay with hearing your entire pitch deck. If you need to talk for more than five minutes, step outside or at least switch to your NPR voice.

4. Scent is a community choice.

We’re happy you found yourself through essential oils.

We just don’t want to find you through them. The same goes for reheating fish in the microwave. Enough said.

5. Practice laptop yoga.

We all have different comfort levels with space.

Your open MacBook should not encroach on someone else’s elbow zone. Nor should your tote bag colonize a second chair unless you’re willing to share it.

6. Be the kind of person who returns mugs.

This one’s self-explanatory, and yet… here we are.

If you bring your cup to the sink, you’re not just cleaning, you’re participating in civilization.

7. Say hi sometimes.

You don’t have to make friends, but acknowledging another human can soften the edges of a long workday. A nod, a smile, a “how’s the Wi-Fi today?” can turn strangers into something more like a quiet little tribe.

Coworking spaces are proof that community doesn’t need big gestures, just small kindnesses performed consistently between people who share caffeine and air-conditioning.

So charge your devices, lower your volume, and remember: the best kind of coworking neighbor is the one who makes everyone else’s day a little easier, without even realizing it.