So, you’ve landed your dream job, working from your laptop wherever you please. Finally, that first bucket list destination is on the horizon! You’ve earned yourself a ticket to work from any place that can accommodate your needs as a remote worker. At Project 100, our remote team have utilized our online work space and chased the opportunities that remote work permits. Our team have worked from the Dalmatian Coast, California, Cinque Terre, the beaches of Bali, and London to name a few. You could say we’ve stretched the four corners of our office, to all four corners of the globe! There’s no doubt that it is our diverse working environment that has produced out of the box ideas that may have previously been restricted in an office setting. We believe reaping the benefits of remote work is a must. But before you buy that first ticket, I’ve asked our globetrotters for a few tips to pass on to our fellow nomads first –
- Wi-Fi is your best friend
- For your remote team to collaborate and work effectively, communication is key. It’s important to take this into consideration when booking your accommodation. Always check the reviews about the reliability of the Wi-Fi. In today’s digital age there is almost always a comment regarding how well the Wi-Fi works from other digital nomads, and internet users in general. If you can’t find confirmation of its reliability, message and ask! Don’t risk going MIA on your team.
Resources like Nomad List can lend a helping hand in answering any questions you may have on a location.
- Stick to a routine
Being a remote worker and traveling can become quite chaotic. Especially when you’re in a place you just want to explore, or you’re surrounded by travelers who don’t have work commitments. It’s easy to get sidetracked and stay out longer than expected, or you would prefer to laze on the beach for the whole day! Though this is a sure-fire way to be on your way to becoming the ultimate procrastinor.Some of us like to get our work done straight after breakfast. This way we can spend the remainder of the day adventuring, without a daily workload on our minds because it’s already done!
- Group tasks together
The last thing you want to do is take an entire day to finish just 5 hours of work. Schedule your meetings back to back. Otherwise, you will find yourself filling one-hour breaks with coffee refills, Instagram scrolling, daily bff meme tagging, and toilet breaks – boom an hour of work lost. By scheduling tasks back to back, these individual distractions can be lost between the odd few minutes here and there waiting for the phone to ring. Time is money people!
- Consider time zones
If your boss isn’t answering your frantic midday call regarding a late assignment, chances are they’re 9 hours behind and fast asleep. Don’t be that human! Be considerate and take note of where in the world your coworkers currently are. With many remote teams working across different time zones, it’s crucial to plan any team meetups ahead of time. This way you won’t be ringing before their alarm does, or disturbing happy hour at the Tiki bar.
- Find your normal
Traveling as a remote worker means that our workspace is constantly in flux. It’s not always easy to focus, and work in an ever changing, unfamiliar environment. What is something that contributes to your ‘familiar’ work environment? This proud coffee snob must admit that the first thing I do when arriving at a new destination is scope out the best coffee. For me, good coffee = pen to paper. What is your ‘normal’? It could be anything from a lucky pen, to Mi Goreng!
- Don’t forget to switch off
Working from wherever you want means that work also follows you wherever it wants to as well! It’s in your pocket, it’s popping up in front of Netflix, and at times that ‘ding’ can frankly drive you insane. It’s important to avoid work creeping into your own time, as it’s the fastest way to kill your productivity if it’s constantly buzzing at your ear. Set a time of the day that you vow to have all work done and switch off. No more checking emails or Slack messages from your work crew. You may love your team, but don’t let them follow you to your sunset dinner, or star chasing escapades.Remote work isn’t always the glamorous, ideal lifestyle that much of social media portrays. Though by being well organized and taking Project 100’s tips on board, your experience as a remote worker can be a rewarding adventure of its own!
