Coffitivity - Do coffee shop noises increase productivity?

by Startacus Admin
As I write this, I am surrounded by a familiar din of clanking cutlery, relaxed murmurs, the gentle whoosh of a coffee steamer and the occasional clatter of loose change being dropped into a grateful tip bowl…am i in a coffee shop you ask? I wish!
No - I am at my desk as usual in the Startacus office draining the last lukewarm dregs from the so-so coffee I picked up on the way to work this morning…the noise I and everyone else in the office is being treated to is courtesy of a rather fab web app we’ve discovered called Coffitivity.
Coffitivity puts to the test the notion that the noise of a coffee shop makes you more creative and we, ever on the hunt for experiments in creativity decided to give it a go. What better time than now during UK Coffee Week?
The app is incredibly straightforward - it recreates the ambient sounds of a busy coffee shop with the aim of encouraging the boost in creativity which drives many people into such places in the hope of inspiration. Coffitivity says “Research shows it pretty hard to be creative in a quiet place, and a loud workplace can be frustrating and distracting, but the mix of calm and commotion in an environment like a coffeehouse is proven to be just what you need to get those creative juices flowing.”
We are using the Android version which allows you to select the ‘style’ which which you find most conducive to your own creative needs - there are three to choose from;
University Undertones - Certainly takes me back to my days as an undergraduate (and has apparently had the same effect on my co-workers as following the occasional sound of someone dropping a cup or a spoon they erupt in a trademark canteen “ooooooooooooooooo”) - this one is perhaps a little bit too busy for me…Next!
Morning Murmur - The sound of this is much more calm and I must say that in the short time I have been using it there has been a definite increase in my productivity…could definitely get used to this one!
Lunchtime Lounge - This one sounds the most like a coffee shop in my opinion - you can hear the Baristas working away in the background and get a real sense of the energy of the place. (I think this is my favourite.)
I must say when embarking upon this highly scientific and controlled experiment I was somewhat sceptical and feared that the noise might prove to be too much of a distraction to allow me to get anything done. I have been thankfully proven wrong, after about 5 minutes you stop noticing the noise and it seems to absorb other sounds in the office which otherwise might have been a distraction.
I feel Coffitivity may become part of my daily routine! If you want to try it out for yourself then why not visit the website and dont forget to let us know whether it helps to boost your creativity!
If you are into quirky stuff then you might like to take a little look at some of these recent posts:
Twittertape - Mixing old and new technologies
Talking taxidermy and breathing stones- Objects Sandbox startup winners anounced
HeuttenPalast Camping - Enjoy the great indoors
If you like what you see here on Startacus, why not become a member of our growing community? It's free! And you'll get all this - exclusive access to our Business Toolkit, discounts and offers galore for your business via our member only business deals, the chance to network and connect with loads of fellow self-starters, and maybe even become our celebrated 'Self-Starter of the Week' and tell the world your startup tale! Join right here for free...
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
WeWALK, RNIB, and ICL consortium secures UKRI funding to improve mobility for visually impaired and elderly.

The impact of standards, ethics and conduct on business success and profits - Work.Life has some interesting insights...

The lowdown on Space32 - the startup that wants to help hybrid-working businesses find the working space and solution that's right for them.

Global Tech for Good initiative seeks innovative startups and scaleups that are creating positive social impact and enhancing people's lives through tech.

The lowdown on Bidnamic, the startup that's combining advance machine learning with human expertise to help retailers to maximise revenue and profitability from Google Shopping.

Innovative Czech fintech startup 4Trans raises investment to expand first of its type AI driven factoring services across Europe.

Edinburgh-based life science company Cytomos secures funding to support further development of its innovative cell analysis tech.

Ethical Equity and Streets Consulting join forces to deliver Founder Workshop to help close the inequality gap in startup to scaleup funding.

Fancy being featured in this year’s SmallBiz100, which showcases the best of Britain’s vibrant small business community? There's just a couple of days left to do just that!

Screenloop secures major investment to support further development of its AI-driven recruitment platform that helps companies build the best teams and removes unconscious bias.
Published on: 6th April 2014
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Assistive technology innovators and partners awarded £1.7m project funding 1st Jul 2022 WeWALK, RNIB, and ICL consortium secures UKRI funding to improve mobility for visually impaired and elderly.
- How the pandemic affected each industry 27th Jun 2022 New research from School of Marketing reveals the impact that Covid-19 has had on key business sectors in the UK.
- The Finalists of DBACE 2022 are revealed 21st Jun 2022 The lowdown on the innovative young visionaries that are in the running for this year's Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs.
- OKAPI: Orbits raises €5.5m for Breakthrough Space Traffic Management Software 13th Jun 2022 Innovative German SaaS startup OKAPI:Orbits secures investment to support its mission of securing efficient and safe operations in space.