O Caffeine (to the tune of O Canada)

There is an unfortunately linear relationship between productivity and caffeine in my bloodstream.  Yes, I'm well aware that the psychopharmacological properties of caffeine are not a magic wand for hard graft, but my point still holds.

I skipped my breakfast coffee this morning, and, right now, my mind is muzzy and soft around the edges.  Trying to reason out an intelligent train of thought is like trying to plait a ribbon while wearing oven gloves.  I'm working on a grant proposal at the moment and it's safer to leave it alone until I can write like I actually know something about the area.

Time to make some coffee, wait half an hour or so for the drug to cross the blood-brain barrier and get to work.

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I'm ba-aack.  Yawning less, certainly.  And I have that slightly brittle attentional focus I associate with coffee - the aforementioned ribbon of thought can be easily manipulated although I might drop it if I go too fast.  Wheee!

Surely the smartest thing any academic department can do is provide free coffee (or tea, hot beverage of choice, etc.) for staff and students?  And not nasty instant stuff either: proper coffee, drip filter at a minimum and espresso at best.  Not only is it a cheap way to raise morale but there's a great social aspect to running into people at the coffee machine.  Of the universities where I have spent enough time to make a judgement:

• University 1.  People paid a small sum into a kitty (managed by one of the admin staff) if they wanted to avail of the coffee-making facilities.  Research atmosphere in department = excellent. Research productivity = excellent.

• University 2.  Free coffee provided by department as a basic right along with light and heat.  Research atmosphere = excellent.  Research productivity = very good.

• University 3.  People paid directly into coin-operated machine that produced bad coffee at a discounted price.  Research atmosphere = okay-ish.  Research productivity = good. 

• University 4.  Coffee-making facilities introduced halfway through stay, though individuals had to provide their own coffee (which was frequently nicked by others).  Research atmosphere went from non-existent to okay-ish.  Research productivity went from okay-ish to good.

• University 5 (current university).  Coffee-making facilities are present (i.e., kitchens with kettles), but no means of making proper coffee.  Some individuals provide their own coffee (which is frequently nicked by others), some keep coffee-makers in their offices (where proper coffee can be made), but most buy from nearby coffee bars.  Research atmosphere = okay-ish to good.  Research productivity = very good.
  

Obviously, I need a bigger sample, but I see a relationship...