Tips for Working Remotely While Traveling

Tips for Working Remotely While TravelingTips for Working Remotely While TravelingWorking from outside of the office, whether its from home or while youre on the go, can be a key opportunity to figure out your work habits and boost your output. It can also be a challenge to nail down an effective way of managing work while youre traveling. Whetheryouve just asked to work remotely, youre on a test run to prove your productivity, or youre traveling and job searching at the same time, these tips will help you get the most of your remote work. 11 Tips for Working Online While Youre On the Go Have a plan for your Internet connection.In the United States, those of us who work from our computers or job search zugnglich are used to clocking in at a caf and settling in for the day. But when youre traveling internationally, you cant always rely on the corner Starbucks. If youve griped about the WiFi speed at the Starbucks in the States, the connection can be even more harrowing when youre abroad. Moreover, not every city has a caf culture that accommodates the one-purchase-per-hour-of-work paradigm that exists in most American coffee shops. Beforeyoutravel,do your researchon finding WiFi in your destination, and have a backup plan, whether its purchasing an Internet SIM card, connecting to a wireless hotspot, or securing a spot in a co-working space. Carry around a notebook and pen.There will come a day when you cant connect to WiFi, when you forgot to grab a converter for your laptop charger, or when youre in a location not quite secure enough to pull out a$1,000computer. But, the solution is easy slip a notebookin your bag and keep a pen hooked over its cover. Youll always have a distributionspolitik to jot down your ideas, and you might just find yourself grateful when inspiration strikes at a random time. Figure out when, and how, you work best.This sounds like a given, but if you can settle into aroutine that maximizes your productivity, do your best to stick wi th it. For example, I am most productive when I work in short, two-hour bursts with a half-hour break in-between. I know I get the most done when I close out any extraneous windows that means no Facebook chat running in the background andIplug in with my headphones. I also know my productivity is at its top levels when I have an unbroken stream of music playing, one that doesnt require me to change songs or repeatedly hit shuffle. Youd be surprised how many minutes you waste searching for songs on YouTube, scrolling through Spotify looking for new music, or responding to Facebook chats. Make a productivity playlist.That said, if you know you work well to music, set up a playlist before you dive into your to-do list. Keep in mind that your WiFi might not have enough juice to load music videos on YouTube or stream Spotify, which also places restrictions on users listening abroad without a premium account. When Im connected to a decent WiFi connection, I like to use 8Tracks, where y ou can find pre-made playlists specifically put together for getting work done. Invest in a pair of quality headphones.Trust me, youll need them. Although the standard Apple earbuds, or their generic equivalents, are convenient to pack, they arent the best for blocking out noise. Even with the volume on full blast, Ive found my Apple earbuds dont do a great job of blocking out background noise, especially when its a boisterous conversation in Russian or the drone of motorbikes whizzing by. Bose is the best-known brand for noise-canceling headphones, but my Symphonized NRG in-ear noise-isolating earbuds do a pretty good job for a fraction of the price. Buy international outlet adapters before you go.Sure, you can pick them up at the airport, but youll pay less if you order online from a site like Amazon, which has a huge selection of converters. If you use Mac products, the Apple World Traveler Kit is a good investment. For only about $30, it comes with plugs for North America, Japan , China, United Kingdom, Europe, Korea, Australia, and Hong Kong. And, because you simply switch out the plug on your existing laptop or iPhone charger, rather than attaching it to a converter, it offers a more secure source of power and a lower risk of damaging your device. Arrange your communication channels before you go.If youre working with other people, or expect to be job searching and arranging interviews while youre traveling, you should take a few minutes to set up your messaging systems before you go. This is especially true if youre going to use an Internet messaging platform like WhatsApp or Viber, as these types of apps usually require that you confirm via MMS, which wont work once you hit airplane mode and turn off your cellular service. If youre going to be communicating via video, set up and test Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Skype before you leave. If you opt for an international phone plan, carefully review the available options so youre not spending a fortune on sta ying connected. With the abundance of Internet messaging services, from cross-platform apps like WhatsApp and Viber, to iMessage, Google Hangouts Chat, Slack, and Skype, most people can get by without paying for an international phone plan. You can pick up aninexpensiveflip phone and SIM card for use within another country, or purchase Skype creditsthroughyourSkypeaccountto call mobile phones and landlines worldwide. Hereismoreinformationonarranging an international phone interview. Plan ahead for video job interviews or meetings.You dont want to be scrambling at the last minute ifyouhaveaSkypecallwith an important boss orneedtodo a video jobinterview for a new position. For example, its a good idea to put onanappropriateshirtorblousefor a video interview. Just because youre traveling, doesnt mean you dont need to dress the part. Make sure you read up on how to have asuccessful video interview, and take afew minutes to practiceso youre not scrambling to get ready whenthecallcomes. B e flexible, but also upfront. When youre communicating with professionals in other countries, you need to be aware of time zones and take into account whether youre really going to be able to get online at 430 a.m. local time to accommodate someone located halfway around the world. You should also be upfront about your accessibility. If you know youre going to have difficulty connecting to the Internet from a certain location, or if youre going to be in transit for a few days, let others know in advance. Be mindful of the time and date differences.Keep track of time zones, so you dont end up calling a potential employer or another important contact at 3 a.m.without realizing it. Most smartphones allow you to set a clock for another time zone, or you can download an app to keep track. Once you get a feel for the time difference, you can strategize to make it work to your advantage. If youre staying somewhere with alargetime difference, you should factor in the discrepancy in dates, t oo. For example, if you are in a very different time zone, you could wake up early Saturday morning with an extensive to-do listbecauseit isonlyFriday afternoon in theUnitedStates and your boss and co-workers arewrapping up theirworkweek. Conversely,Mondays can be a good timeformeto get a head start, because it wasonlySunday in theU.S. Plan Ahead Before You Travel Before you leave, research how and where youll be connecting to the internet.Set up your communication channels before you go.Bring the travel adaptors youll need for your devices with you.Be cognizant of the time zone when youre scheduling meetings or call.