5 Essential Tips for Working Remote While Traveling
Q: Do you have any suggestions for working remote while traveling?
A: Yes!! I’ve learned some hard lessons while blogging on the road. Here’s how I work effectively from anywhere!
This post may contain affiliate links. At no cost to you, if you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission. I only endorse products that I *genuinely* love and use myself. Any affiliate money I earn helps pay the fees to keep this blog up and running — thank you so much for your support!
In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last year, the digital nomad life is no longer reserved for bloggers and website designers. One of the positive outcomes of the Covid-19 pandemic is a newfound ability for traditional 9-5’ers to work from anywhere. There’s just one (significant) caveat: you must be as present and reachable as if you were sitting in your corporate office IRL. And while that might *sound* easy enough — after all, celebrities manage to update their social media from yachts in the middle of the ocean — in reality, working remotely while traveling can be incredibly challenging.
Food for thought:
How do you know the Airbnb that advertises “high-speed WiFi” will actually deliver?
Will your cell service suddenly drop in the middle of a VIP client call?
Are L.A. beach views really worth the 5:30 AM wake-up to stay on schedule with your N.Y. office?
I’m ALL for the “work from anywhere” life; I’m addicted to the flexibility and freedom! Still, it’s essential to understand and proactively manage the potential difficulties of working remotely while traveling. Here are my top suggestions!
My 5 essential tips for working remote while traveling!
Tips for staying connected.
First on the list: do some research! Before heading to a new location, I try to understand the WiFi and cell service situation.
WiFi: If I’m staying at an Airbnb, I’ll reach out to the host before booking to ask whether they have high-speed internet to support constant video streaming (i.e., back-to-back Zoom calls). In my experience, most hosts are pretty honest and will tell you outright if their internet is spotty at times.
Further, if you show up to an Airbnb that ends up having sub-par WiFi, don’t be afraid to (kindly) speak up! In Mexico, my host worked to fix a poor WiFi situation by reaching out to their cable company directly.
If you’re particularly concerned about WiFi, I find that hotels tend to have more robust networks than Airbnbs. Just make sure to call ahead and confirm that the hotel’s high-speed internet option won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Lastly, if you think you’ll be in a location with good cell reception, consider investing in a portable WiFi hotspot that connects to your phone data network. There are various products on the market, from cellular providers like the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Jetpack to more affordable options like the Skyroam Solis Lite, which you can rent. But again, a Verizon WiFi hot spot will only be as strong as the underlying Verizon network in the surrounding area.
Cell reception: If I’m traveling within the U.S., I like to take a look at the coverage map for my cellular provider beforehand. There’s not a ton of science backing the dark or light-shaded colors on the map, but it’s an excellent starting point to determine whether there are many cell towers in the area.
Next, I’ll reach out to my desired Airbnb host or hotel accommodation to ask a human what cell service is like in the area. Sometimes Verizon is better than AT&T; sometimes, it’s the other way around. In any case, know before you go! And again, don’t be afraid to kindly speak up if you’re having phone issues — my Airbnb host in the Colorado mountains installed a new cellphone signal booster into their home during my stay to try and help!
When I’m traveling internationally, it can be tougher to understand the cell environment beforehand. I always upgrade to an international plan for shorter trips (which typically costs ~$10/day and only charged on the days you actually turn on your data). Purchasing a local SIM card is an affordable option for longer trips.
Ideally, you find a work environment where the WiFi is strong enough to support calls over that network (i.e., FaceTime audio calls).
When you need a physical space…
If you end up in an accommodation where the WiFi or cell service is insufficient, or if you’re just someone who needs to get OUT of the house to work effectively, then a coworking space or coffee shop is your best bet. A quick google search should produce some initial results for coworking spaces, after which it usually takes some Goldilocks type trial and error to find your favorite spot. Here are some questions to consider when choosing a remote workspace:
How crowded does the space get on weekday mornings… do you have to arrive early to snag a table?
What kind of food do they offer?
PSA: Make sure to spend money if you plan to work from a coffee shop! My rule of thumb is to purchase a food or drink item roughly every hour and always make sure something is on my table! Tipping is encouraged too!
Are there plenty of outlets for when your laptop starts dying?
I bring my favorite portable charger with me *everywhere*! It charges my phone from “won’t turn on” dead to 100% charged… TWICE! Just remember that these chargers are only about 10% charged out of the box, so make sure to charge it the night before!
Will it be awkward to take back-to-back calls in a public space?
Make sure you come prepared with a solid set of headphones!
Do you see other laptops out at the coffee shop?
If not, I like to ask a barista right upfront if it’s cool for me to work there for a few hours!
Stock up on necessities.
If you plan to work remote from your Airbnb or hotel accommodation, make sure it’s fully stocked with food and anything else you’ll need!
Back-to-back calls mean little time to wander around a foreign city trying to find lunch midday. I like to get myself set up as a true home-away-from-home and strategize daily coffee and meals well before the workday starts!
Consider your time zone.
This is an obvious one but still worth mentioning. While it always sounds lovely for an American to be able to work remote from Europe, the reality is that you’ll be working through dinner until around midnight every night. That’s probably doable for a week or two, but may not be sustainable or desired for much longer. Be realistic about working in various time zones and plan your remote work destination accordingly.
Don’t forget to take days off!
One of the best parts of remote work while traveling is the time when you’re able to shut off for the night! It feels so FUN and LIBERATING to go out to weekday dinners in a foreign city or explore nearby towns on the weekend. But if you’re genuinely working while you’re remote, you’re still spending the vast majority of your time cooped up in front of a computer… and that’s a damn shame!
Don’t forget to schedule some vacation days and take full advantage of your once-in-a-lifetime travel experience!
Enjoyed my tips for how to work remote while traveling? Subscribe to my newsletter!
