The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 5

You’re living the digital nomad dream. You’ve secured a few gigs and your first deadline is on the horizon. Its time to grab your computer, find yourself a picturesque forest, mountain, or seaside view, and queue up “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” Wait, are those rain clouds? Where’s the bug spray? WTF, did that raccoon just try to pee on me? That’s right, while the digital nomad lifestyle sounds great (and looks great on Instagram) it comes with its own unique challenges.

Don’t go Googling how to live trap a raccoon just yet. With a little planning you can turn anywhere into a comfortable nomadic workspace. And comfort is the key! Here are some ways to set-up your mobile workspace however and wherever you’re traveling:

Urban Workspace

If you are traveling internationally or just city hopping in your own country, you’ll need to find time between adventures to work. Luckily most hostels, hotels, and Airbnb’s are equipped with WiFi, so you can stay connected. However, lodgings aren’t all created equal. You can’t count on a desk in a private room or a quiet common area—especially if you’re budget traveling.

When booking your lodging make sure it has what you require to work productively. If you like to sit comfortably and don’t have a desk or chair in your room, the best option may be to set up your work station in a common area (vs sitting hunched over on a bed). Depending on the place this could be pretty distracting so remember your headphones to cancel out noise.

As always, when using public WiFi, it’s not secure. Have you ever seen a big disclaimer before you sign in? That means other people could steal your shit. Always use a VPN when on public WiFi and accessing sensitive info. If you’re not sure what a VPN is, or where to get one, here’s a list of some top VPNs available.

Posting up at a local coffee shop or restaurant is also an option. This is fine for a few hours but, I always feel obligated to keep buying something when I’m there—not conducive to budget traveling. Public libraries have been our workplace of choice on the road and usually offer reliable internet and quiet workspaces—best of all, they’re free!

When in a larger city, be on the lookout for shared workspaces and pop up offices. The digital nomad lifestyle is catching on and the demand for shared workspaces is increasing. Local bars and restaurants are opening during their off hours as office space for nomadic and remote workers. We’ve yet to try these spaces, but the concept is pretty rad. Here’s a site to help you find a shared workspace near you.

Van/Camper Workspace

If you’ve literally taken to the road, there are times you’ll be stuck inside your tiny rolling home for hours working. Try to make it as comfortable as possible! Vanlife means your van is your vehicle, home, and office.

Digital nomads with larger rigs may have a little more room to work with, but there are some things that can make any van a comfortable workspace. A small folding table for your laptop and a place to sit upright goes a long way. Hunching over your computer will have you feeling like Quasimodo in no time. Before you hit the road, keep in mind that you’ll be stuck inside for hours. Make sure you can work comfortably.

Outdoor Workspace

Here’s where I think most people’s imagination goes when talking about the digital nomad lifestyle. And sure, there’s going to be plenty of opportunity to set up a workspace with a beautiful view. However, while you wanted to trade the florescent lit office for the outdoors, the outdoors won’t protect you from bugs, rain, sun, and weather.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to work outside, but I still need some protection from the elements—especially the sun (Liana doesn’t call me White Walker because I’m a GOT fan). When replacing our canopy (there’re some strong winds in the Utah desert!) we opted for a super easy to set-up screen tent. This way when we put it over our picnic table, we have a place to sit, shade from the evil sun, defense from biting bugs, and protection from rain (not to mention urinating raccoons). If you opt to work under the blue sky remember sunscreen, bug spray, and an anti-glare screen for those bright sunny days.

To get comfy try a small folding table and chair. Personally, when available, I like to use the bench of the picnic table as my work surface and sit in a camp chair. What’s most important, is to find your spot and get comfortable. That’s what being a digital nomad is all about. Enjoy!

Do you have any tricks to make yourself comfortable when working on the road? We’d love to try them out!

Related Posts:

• 5 Things to Consider if you Want to be a Digital Nomad
• How to Find Your Nomadic Career
• 5 Technology Needs for Digital Nomads

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