How to Effectively Work Remotely While Travelling
Working remotely often presents you with the opportunity to travel, either at the expense of your employer or perhaps as a freelancer who wants to explore new places. Regardless of how, it is important to consider the different challenges you may face when working remotely, and how you can overcome these. You might be able to work at home, but when moving around, your routine may be slightly off, you’ll be in different environments, and have other things you want to do, which can make it harder to work productively and efficiently.
Working on the road is possible. This article will look at top tips for optimising your remote work while travelling, so you can continue to explore the places you love and work efficiently while doing it.
1 Create a schedule
As a remote worker who travels, a schedule can be tricky but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have one. Your schedule should include your most important daily tasks, and remain flexible to change, depending on your travel schedule. See if you can stick to the same working hours each day, for example, wake up early, exercise, have a good breakfast and then work mornings, so you have the rest of the day to explore. This means you can get your work over and done with, and not have to worry about cutting your days out short to get back and get everything done. Remember that working remotely carries a lot of responsibility, as you still have to get things done without a boss hanging over your shoulders dictating your tasks.
2 Stay connected
If you work with others, it is important to stay regularly connected. This could be via video conferencing, or online chat services. Staying connected keeps workflows moving forward, limits any delays, and keeps you engaged with others, which is especially helpful for motivation if you are working remotely and travelling alone. You could also seek out co-working spaces, networking events, communities and opportunities in the areas that you are travelling to. Working remotely and travelling is a popular concept, so chances are, you are not alone.
3 Pack essentials
When working in an office or at home, you are fortunate enough to have access to a desk, chair, computer and all of the necessary office supplies. When you choose to travel and work, you are limited with what you can and want to take with you, as you don’t want to lug around too much weight. It is, however, important that you pack items that will not hinder your productivity or health while working. At the very least, you will need a laptop that is in good working order, a case or bag to keep it protected, a portable ergon desk to save for bad neck and back pains while working, noise-cancelling headphones for any loud environments you find yourself in, a wireless mouse and keyboard, a portable WiFi device and anything else you deem essential to do your job. While travelling in different countries, you may not have access to buy different equipment. You will also have to consider the weight and cost of carrying anything extra with you, so it is best to look for online alternatives, for example, rather than bringing notebooks and pens, download the relevant application on your laptop or mobile device to save space.
4 Research the places before you travel
You must research the places you are travelling to, before heading off, to ensure that you will have access to the internet (and the speeds) or a signal to use your hotspot device and a place to work with little to no distractions as this can significantly impact your working day. In many countries, like China, you may find it hard to even send an email, or you have to pay to use the WiFi.
It is also important to consider the rules and legislation in the countries you are visiting, to ensure you obtain the correct licenses, permits, and insurance that may be required for you to carry out your work. For a great place to visit with a wonderful environment for both vacationing and working and a fast internet connection, check out these properties in Kona!
Insurance is also a must if you are carrying around expensive work and personal equipment such as a laptop or camera. The last thing you want is to travel halfway around the world and be stuck not being able to work! You will also need to consider any expenses you need to pay back at your home base if you are thinking of traveling long-term.
5 Understand time zones
Time zones are important to factor in when travelling while working. If you are travelling locally, it won’t matter as much. But if you are planning to travel around the world and work remotely, then you have to consider how being in a different time zone is going to impact your work, especially if you have to attend video conferencing calls, work collaboratively or meet tight deadlines.
Make sure you plan as far in advance as possible where you are going and what time zones you will encounter. You should also consider downloading a time zone application, to help you properly convert time zones to ensure you are not late for meetings or deadlines. Time zone differences may also mean changing up your schedule based on where you are in the world.
6 Create a work-life balance
Working remotely and travelling is pointless if you do not cultivate a good work-life balance. It is therefore important that you learn your own limits. Know what aids in increasing your productivity to maximise the time you work, and when you stop working and take a break. Stick to your schedule, and limit your working day. Make sure you take time for yourself to recharge, and explore your new surroundings. This can be difficult, as you don’t have the commute or routines that you are used to back at home, but finding something that signifies the start and end of your day, while ensuring you don’t overwork, is vital in optimising your travels.
7 Mindset
Your mindset is really key to staying productive and motivated to work remotely. For some people, perhaps a colleague, friend or loved one, working remotely often translates to being lazy. However, this is not the case. You will be working just as hard as you would in an office, but just from the comfort of… well wherever you decide to travel to. With the COVID-19 pandemic, remote working has become the new norm for many companies, and it is vital to not adopt the ‘lazy’ stigma it has attached to it.
Working on your mindset will help you to limit distractions, and get your work done on time. Keep an open mind and stay flexible, not everything will go to plan and you need to be able to keep focusing while working up a new plan. To help your mindset, bring something along, or keep in mind a particular ritual or item that grounds you, for example, yoga practice or a particular meal. This will give you something to anchor you when things get turbulent. There are many misconceptions when it comes to working remotely, and it is not always as glamorous as Instagram gurus make it out to be. Working on your mindset will help you stay resilient, and set realistic expectations.
8 Set aside time to explore the country
You have travelled for a reason, so make sure you make the most of it. It is easy to get caught up in work, and then feel tired by the end of the day and fall back into bad habits you had at home, like slouching on the sofa all evening. Get to know your good and bad habits, and play with them. If you know you need a little recharging after work, then plan some low key activities, and save the big adventures for the weekend. If you just get lazy, then perhaps get out, meet some locals and make a plan to meet someone else, or purchase a ticket to visit somewhere, to help get you up and out of your accommodation. Make sure you book your stay for longer than you would a vacation, as you don’t have the same free time. As you are balancing work with exploring, you will really need the extra days to soak up everything you can.
9 Notify your boss and clients
The people you work with must know about your travels so that you can set sufficient boundaries. Just as you know when to book meetings at an appropriate time while you are in a different time zone, it is important that clients and colleagues know that too, so you don’t get an important meeting or deadline that hits your inbox at 3 am. Let them know what hours they are able to contact you and schedule meetings, to ensure there are no delays or issues later down the line. This allows you to effectively manage your work while keeping colleagues and clients happy too.
Working remotely and travelling can be a once in a lifetime experience. There are many challenges that you could face along the way, but with the right strategies and work-life balance in place, it will be worthwhile.
