With so much time spent at home over the last year, for many of us, travel has never looked so appealing. And, with more of us than ever being able to work remotely, this makes for the perfect opportunity to extend our time away by combining travel and work. Whether road-tripping or jet-setting, you’ll need to be prepared for all the work-related situations that might pop up while you’re away from home. To help you do just that and be the most efficient in your travels and work, we’ve broken down exactly what you need to succeed in this handy guide.
Laptop & Accessories
OK, so a laptop is a given if you’re working remotely on your trip, but when you pack your machine, don’t forget all the accessories that go along with it. It can be easy to forget small items like your power cable, mouse, external keyboard, or other tools like portable hard drives. When you pack up, make sure you go through a checklist of everything you’ll need to get the job done while you’re away, and bring backups too—especially if you’re going somewhere that won’t have tech equipment stores close by. Small, portable versions of any necessary tools will take up less room in your bag, so they might be worth getting if you don’t have any already.
And, if you’re jetting off to an international destination, don’t forget to pack enough power adapters and converters for the country you’re traveling to.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Depending on the type of work you’re doing these may not be an essential, but if you plan to work in public spaces with lots of noise and distractions, it may be a good investment to score a quality pair of noise-cancelling headphones. That way, no matter how loud the kids in the campsite next to yours are, how close your hotel room is to the train station, or how busy the coffee shop is, you’ll be able to find your quiet place.
Hotspot
Spotty, unreliable WIFI issues can make or break your remote working experience. And, while most cell phones are hotspot-capable these days and can be useful if you’re trying to check your email when you’re off-grid, they’re often not strong or dependable enough to support a full day of online working. Depending on where you’re traveling, who you have cell service with, or even your phone itself, you may not have a good enough connection—if you have a connection at all.
A great solution for this is to buy a portable hotspot that can connect to any number of cell towers so you’re more likely to get decent signal strength. It enables you to log on whenever you need to, so you don’t miss any important deadlines, Zoom calls, or meetings.
Portable Workstation
Planning on spending a lot of time in front of a screen on your trip? If you’ll be working from a laptop, it might be worth getting a portable workstation—something that will raise your laptop closer to the level of your eyes to reduce neck strain. There are plenty of compact options out there, so look for something that folds flat or comes apart for easy transportation and storage in your luggage.
Keep it Organized
No tech or remote working solutions are helpful if you can’t find your power cable, mouse, or accessories. Make an consistent effort to keep everything organized, especially if you’re traveling from place to place and having to repack and unpack. Start by protecting your laptop with a protective sleeve like the Pack-It™ Reveal Tablet/Laptop Sleeve. Keep all those peripherals in one place with the Pack-It™ Reveal E-Tools Organizer. Pack it all up in a single bag so you can easily grab it and hit a coffee shop, hotel lobby, or campground picnic table. Bags like the Caldera™ Travel Pack 45L or checkpoint-friendly Explore Transit Bag 23L are perfect for remote work tools and tech because there’s a place for everything.
And, if you have delicate equipment, keep it protected in a padded case like the Pack-It™ Gear Protect-It cube so no matter how jostled it gets in the backseat or in flight, it will be good to go when you reach your destination.
Bring Extra Power
If you’re road-tripping and spending nights camping instead of in hotels, you’ll likely need a way to power all the tech required to clock in and get the job done. Many campsites offer spaces with electric hookups, but when that’s not an option, it’s nice to know you can still charge batteries, power your laptop or tablet, and get to work. That’s where a portable backup battery comes in.
Opt for one with enough juice to charge your work gear a couple of times before it has to be recharged and has all the ports and outlets you require. Want a more eco-friendly option or a solution for working truly off-grid? Score some solar panels, too, so you can recharge the battery using the power of the sun.
It’s not only possible to work remotely while traveling, it can be both productive and inspiring. Just make sure to pack wisely, keep all your gear and equipment organized, plan how to keep it all powered up, and you can work from just about anywhere—with or without a suit and desk.
Discover even more packing tips for your travels, and enjoy the most efficient, easy trip ever.
