Working Remotely

So I had a mini internal meltdown today after taking a good look at my calendar. In short, I’m home for one and a half to two weeks each month through November. I’m sure something will pop up for December holiday, and I’m gone most of January as well for J-term.

Amazing, but…oops?

My anxiety more-so stems from being away from Chloe so much, rather than fear of my work suffering, or experiencing NYC FOMO.

Thankfully Chloe has the most incredible dog sitter of all time (message me if you want his info!), so I know she is in safe and cozy hands, BUT, working effectively from far off lands require a certain amount of preparation to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

To note: While I mainly manage my own business’, I do have some client work for my PR and career consulting work, as well as school and teaching, that requires me to operate on a specific time zone.

Make a To-Do List - There is always an endless supply of work to be done. I’m goal-oriented, so if I’m not checking boxes off a list, I feel like a slacker and like nothing got done. Also, this creates a boundary, or end of your work day. Because there is always more that can be done, it’s really easy to work way too much. If I get through my list, I’m done for the day. I love the app Wunderlist. It allows you to create separate “lists,” so I divvy up tasks across my different business’ and clients. It also places tasks on your calendar, as well as reminders should you need them. It truly organizes my workflow.

Reliable internet - At the heart of my operation is reliable internet. “Sorrryyyy, I didn’t know how crappy the internet was {insert whatever island you’re on].” I once was in the Maldives, and the teeniest gust of wind would take down our entire atoll’s internet for an hour or so at a time. Well, correction, the teeniest gust of wind would take down almost the entire atoll’s internet. I swear by my Skyroam Solis, a mobile hotspot and powerbank. It’s pay-as-you-go, so you aren’t locked into any sort of plan. If you need it, you just connect, pay $5 for a day of connectivity, and voila! You can also be the group savior, because it allows additional people to connect.

Fully charged laptop - We all have iPhone chargers, but there is nothing worse than lugging around your stupid computer charger, and then doing the awkward search for a place to sit near a plug, which always ends poorly. Working uninterrupted from your shady beach lounger is wayyyy better than being stuck in a corner of some coffee shop. I love Mophie’s portable laptop charger - it gives me two-ish laptop charges.

Be Social - While working from your Airbnb or couch can be super cozy, half the perk of working remotely is being able to explore. Also, I also go stir crazy, and just need to be around people. I make an effort to do research on suitable work environments before I head out; cafes, laid back bars, breakfast and lunch spots with counters. Because I have my Solis, I don’t have to worry about internet access.

Comfortable work sitch - This one is a bit dorky, but when I’m powering through work at a table, I tend to get a back ache/hunch over. I bought this Satechi portable laptop stand, and it’s a game changer. It folds into itself, so I just tuck it into my laptop case. I even use it on the plane, it’s freaking great. I have it in black and in gold.

Determine Your Peak Hours - I get my best work done in the morning. I wake up between 5 - 7AM and work for a few hours because it’s when i’m most alert, and can get a LOT done. There are also significantly less distractions. I get more done in three hours of morning work than five hours in the afternoon. I also HATE working between the hours of 5 - 8PM, so I rarely even bother to try. I’m always a little fatigued from the day by then, and everyone is up at at ‘em, at this point, regardless of time zone, so there is more distraction. Find the pockets of time where you feel energized and focused, and work then.

Selfiesss - I have to record videos and do client Facetime’s, so holding my phone up for an hour quickly becomes annoying. You better believe I use one of those awful (yet highly useful) iPhone tripods. It securely holds my phone, and is small enough that it isn’t annoying to pack.

Be Mindful of Your Surroundings - I’m talking about the people you’re traveling with. It’s important that if you are traveling with a group that isn’t also remotely working, that they are humans who respect your boundaries, and the fact that you may need to work during the day. If you’re traveling with a group who all took the week off from work to explore and party, and you are the only one who didn’t take time off, I highly doubt that it will fare well for you. They may get bummed if there are times where you can’t join in on the fun, or worse, if someone tries to make you feel badly about it (ew, that person sucks).

Think long and hard about the situation, and what you need to do in order to thrive in it. This may mean having a direct conversation with your fellow travelers so there aren’t any surprises, or leaving the group during certain periods of the day so there isn’t any temptation. You are in charge of your success, so find the environment that guarantees that. Also, tell anyone who doesn’t respect your boundaries to eff off. That’s lame as hell.