I’ve just stepped back from the kitchen counter after inhaling 2 bagels with good butcher’s ham and fried haloumi. I can hear you muttering ‘and your point is?…’ from here.

Well I’m glad you asked, it’s all about planning. Today I popped along to my second #jelly organised by Co-Working West in Bristol. I had planned to take my lunch and favourite rooibosh blend, to avoid the inevitable biscuit/caffein high I always experience at any well organised all day gig. I know me - and pottering out to find food at 1pm in the rain, just wont fly, I’d rather scoff more baked goods.

I got up late, scampered out in a rush and crash landed into the #jelly late morning without lunch and with no plan of action. No worries, plenty of good conversation to be had at a #jelly and I figured I’d finish my half eaten article on customer attraction.

Six hours later, I arrived home, sugared up - starving, with a head full of ideas for my business, an unfinished article and more to write. As my blood sugar normalised (round about side 1, bagel 2) I realised, I need a #jelly plan to maximise my experience of co-working. So for here’s my haphazard guide to getting the most out of casual co-working opportunities.

How to achieve #jelly nirvana

• to do or not to do | it’s really easy to get constructively distracted and a simple ‘to-do’ list will help you punctuate your conversations with productive activity throughout the day
• turn on and tune out | bring headphones, and create internal space if you need to just by plugging yourself in to some of your favourite tunes
• pack lunch | to avoid snarfing too many biscuits, take your own preferred snacks and lunch. #Jellys usually take place in central locations, so access to lunch isn’t a problem, but you can save money and calories if you bring your own!
• tuck money | #jellys are free, but you should be ready to stump up a quid or two for biccies and coffee, so make sure you’ve got change
• granny knew best | it’s nice to be nice, introduce yourself when you arrive, share your knowledge, ideas and information, have fun and be relaxed
• a question shared is a problem halved | #jelly crew are helpful, inclusive and generous with their knowledge and understanding. Don’t be afraid to throw something out to the room, you’ll get a great response
• ditch the guilt | spending a day with a group of interesting, clever business people puts rocket fuel in your tanks, so don’t worry if you slip behind schedule for the first few #jellys you attend, you’ll find what works for you after a few goes

For more about the #jelly concept check out workatjelly.com.

Bristol #jelly wiki

For more about me check out my LinkedIn profile.