We're all guilty of it. Connection to free public wi-fi, whether it's at the coffee shop, hotel, or airport, the temptation to check, e-mail and surf the web is just too strong to resist. So before you connect to any free public wi-fi, make sure that the connection is legitimate. It's not uncommon for hackers to set up evil clones of public wi fi access points to steal your data.
Further, if you're connected with everyone else that's logged in, it's kind of like you're in a public restroom with no stalls, just rows of toilets where everyone can see you. Think of this picture every time you consider hopping on public wifi. The best option is to use your phone as hotspot or carry your own wifi device. My preferred method is to use my phone. If your company offers the option of using a company VPN to connect to the company Internet, you can safely use that as well. If you just have to connect, at least avoid logging into critical accounts like your bank or shopping online where you'd be entering credit card details.