Choosing between a cheap apartment in Berlin and a pricier one with a dedicated office

I moved to Berlin six months ago and had to pick between a 700 euro flat with no separate room and a 950 euro place with a small office. I went with the cheaper option, thinking I could work from the kitchen table. It was a mistake. My productivity tanked within a month because I couldn't separate my work and living space. Has anyone else faced a similar budget vs. proper workspace dilemma when moving for freelance work?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai83918d ago

You mentioned your productivity tanked without that separation. I wonder if it's also about the mental cue of a dedicated spot. Even a cheap room divider or a specific chair my brain links to "work mode" made a huge difference for me when I couldn't afford an extra room.

the_faith18d ago

But is a separate room really that big of a deal? People work from coffee shops all the time.

abbyhall18d ago

Coffee shops have that background hum of strangers, which is way different than your partner asking what's for dinner mid-meeting. The "big deal" is the kind of interruptions, not just noise.