Coworking spaces have solved the wifi and coffee problem for digital nomads — but they rarely solve the noise, the shared power outlets, or the fact that your laptop’s built-in webcam and mic make you look and sound like you’re calling from a tin can. A few compact pieces of gear make the difference between “working from a coworking space” and “working well from a coworking space.”
Noise: Your Biggest Enemy
Open-plan coworking spaces are often loud — phone calls, espresso machines, other people’s meetings. A pair of good travel earbuds with active noise cancellation solves 90% of the problem, and they double as your gym and flight companions. Look for compact charging cases; bulky over-ear headphones don’t belong in a daypack.
Power: Never Trust the Outlet Situation
Coworking desks are notorious for having one shared power strip between six people. A fast-charging power bank with enough capacity for a full laptop charge means you’re never stuck watching your battery percentage drop during a client call. Pair it with a compact multi-port USB-C charger so you’re not fighting over the one free wall socket.
Video Calls That Don’t Look Amateur
Coworking wifi is usually solid, but lighting and audio rarely are. A small clip-on ring light and a USB microphone that fits in a pouch make an outsized difference in how professional you look on client calls — more than any webcam upgrade would.
One Cable to Rule Them All
Coworking spaces increasingly have USB-C monitors or docks you can borrow — but only if your own hub can drive them. A USB-C docking station with HDMI and USB hub turns any spare monitor into a two-screen setup in seconds, no IT department required.
The Takeaway
A coworking membership buys you a desk and a wifi password. Everything that makes that desk actually productive — quiet, charged, well-lit, well-connected — is on you. Pack light, but pack the right five things, and any coworking space becomes your office.
Browse our full Power & Charging and Mobile Essentials collections for gear built exactly for this.