The Artist’s Way | Julia Cameron
Originator of the morning pages ritual, this long-time classic on unlocking your creativity at times comes across as a little ‘out there’, but put your cynicism aside because, to be blunt, it works.
Fail Better | Zadie Smith
What makes a good writer? Words from one of the best.
Getting to Yes | Roger Fisher
A guide to negotiating, this best-selling classic offers simple but effective advice that can be applied to every aspect of your working life.
How to Find Fulfilling Work | Roman Krznaric
The School of Life book series is packed with good ideas for everyday living, and this is a particular highlight, full of practical thought exercises to help you get closer to a career you enjoy. You’ll return to it time and time again.
Proposals for the Feminine Economy | Jennifer Armbrust
Business adviser Armbrust’s thought-provoking model of how we can build alternative systems of working is something that all aspiring entrepreneurs should familiarize themselves with.
Quit Early and Quit Often | Prof. Deepak Malhotra
Unconventional career advice from a speech to graduating Harvard MBA students.
Shine Theory: Why Powerful Women Make the Greatest Friends | Ann Friedman
This powerful essay is something of a feminist rallying cry, explaining a concept first coined by friends and podcast co-hosts Ann Friedman and Aminaton Sow.
The War of Art | Steven Pressfield
In a nutshell: how to push past creative block and get shit done.
Ask Polly | nymag.com
Heather Havrilesky’s weekly agony aunt column for The Cut contains some of the most breathtakingly perceptive advice you’ll ever read, for life inside and outside the office. Once you’ve worked your way through the online archives, check out her book How to Be a Person in the World for more.
Brain Pickings | brainpickings.org
An inventory of intellectual musings that draws inspiration from every corner of literature, this website is perfect for when you need new ways of looking at things.
The Dots | the-dots.com
A UK-based creative jobs board full of the kind of jobs you actually want! If you’re on the hunt for a new job, don’t sleep on this.
Fast Company | fastcompany.com
Stay up to date with the latest developments in business, creativity and tech – if startups are your thing, this is the place to be.
The Financial Diet | thefinancialdiet.com
A treasure trove of money advice that covers the personal finance side of things brilliantly. Warning: contains some serious real talk.
Harvard Business Review | hbr.org
Who says you need a fancy degree to start a business? Head to the HBR to pick up all the management, leadership, and, of course, business guidance you need, and get yourself an MBA on the cheap.
Women Who | womenwho.co
A platform for creative working women, consider this your go-to for career advice, fresh ideas and practical insights from cool, creative women who’ve ‘been there’.
Arena | Are.na
This beautifully designed website is great for collaborative projects where you’re working in a team and want to share all of your references – be they images, files or links – in one place.
Evernote | evernote.com
This app allows you to collect and store all your ideas in one place, and sync them across your phone and computer. Less time getting organized = more time getting shit done.
Hunter | hunter.io
Need to get in touch with someone very busy and important but don’t have their email address? Try this ingenious website for all your cold-emailing needs.
Moo | moo.com
Every mogul-in-the-making needs some professional-looking business cards. Get yours (and much more) at reasonable prices from this online stationery emporium.
Squarespace | squarespace.com
Probably the best website-building tool out there if you’re in the market to launch a new business – not only does it look the part, it also makes setting up an online shop a breeze.
Ace Hotel | London
The dedicated workspace in the London outpost’s lobby is hugely popular with the freelance crowd, so get there early to bag yourself a seat at the communal long table – otherwise you’ll have to settle for one of the (admittedly, very comfortable) sofas.
Barbican Centre | London
Dotted with comfy sofas, many of which are tucked away off the beaten track. Comes with free Wi-Fi and an in-house café serving drinks and snacks – what’s not to love?
British Library Business and IP Centre National Network | UK-wide
Besides the ample study space available at its King’s Cross location in London, the British Library also operates centres in Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle and Manchester, providing free resources and advice for budding entrepreneurs.
Central Library | Manchester
Whether you opt for the ground-floor seating area or settle down in the gorgeous domed Reading Room, you’ll find peace and quiet aplenty in this recently refurbished Manchester icon. It also comes equipped with an on-site café for your caffeine needs.
National Art Library at the V&A | London
A public library open to all between Tuesdays and Saturdays, which (handily) is also a major reference library of fine and decorative arts dating back centuries.
Nordic Coffee Collective | Brighton
This gem lives up to its name by providing a) excellent coffee and b) stylish Scandi-chic decor. With fast, reliable Wi-Fi and an abundance of plug sockets, it’s an excellent spot to set up camp for a few hours.
Timberyard | London
Good coffee, decent Wi-Fi and dedicated spaces to post up with your laptop. The Covent Garden branch is a solid option for when you really need to focus.
TripKitchen | London
Part of the TripSpace group, this airy café is usually fairly quiet outside of lunchtimes. The events space next door also offers a daily roster of yoga classes, if you want to break up your day.
Coffee Bar | San Francisco
This popular SoMa spot has ample table space and an industrious, buzzy vibe. Head upstairs for the best spots, far from the madding crowd.
New York Public Library | New York
If you enjoy working in beautiful surroundings (and who doesn’t?), the NYPL’s newly refurbished Rose Reading Room is the place for you – ‘stunning’ doesn’t even come close.
The Springs | Los Angeles
This airy Downtown space is much more than just a place to work. With a roster of healthy food options, an on-site yoga studio and a wellness centre, you’ll probably end up doing much more than just working here.
Westberlin | Berlin
This self-proclaimed ‘laptop-friendly’ coffee shop follows through by providing separate working and reading areas for the Macbook brigade, as well as a huge selection of art and design magazines that are free to peruse.
Barbican Conservatory | London
A tropical oasis hidden away in the midst of a concrete jungle. Open most Sundays, but check in advance to be sure. Stop by the cinema afterwards and make a day of it.
Libreria | London
This cosy little bookshop organizes its books by theme, which often leads to the discovery of fairly unexpected connections. Expect a tightly curated selection – you’ll find it impossible to leave without a book or two.
Modern Society | London
This beautiful boutique-cum-café on Redchurch Street feels like you’re sitting in someone’s sunlit garden. Come for the coffee, stay for the shopping.
Open Eye Gallery | Liverpool
An independent photography gallery located at the heart of the Liverpool Waterfront, round off your visit with a stroll past the city’s most breathtaking architecture.
Tate Modern | London
Already a stalwart of London’s cultural landscape, the Tate’s newly built Switch House extension boasts more solo displays dedicated to female artists, as well as a viewing platform offering panoramic views of the city.
Turner Contemporary | Margate
Arguably the gem of Margate’s cultural crown, this gallery is something of a mecca for art fans, and with good reason.
Droog | Amsterdam
This design-focused concept store is pretty hard to categorize, but well worth a visit. As well as the usual furniture pieces and home accessories one might expect, it also hosts exhibitions, occasional pop-ups and an outdoor ‘Fairy Tale Garden’.
Goods For The Study | New York
Full of an artfully chosen selection of unique stationery, desk accessories and office furniture, head here to pimp out your workspace. An offshoot of the McNally Jackson bookstore a few blocks away (which is also worth a visit), this is stationery heaven.
Le Louxor | Paris
Located in an Art Deco building with a famously colourful history, this state-owned picture house steers away from commercial films in favour of world cinema, making it a great spot for film buffs.