With today’s fast-paced routine, it’s hard being stuck in the office for a long period of time. Working on the go has become much more convenient for those who seek it. Jumping from one meeting to the next, attending a business lunch, having to commute back and forth, or even if your job requires you to be on site and not in the office means you need to be fully prepared to work on the go and do it comfortably. All you need is your gadgets, a flat surface and great WiFi and the workplace become a state of mind instead of an actual office.
Today’s technology has facilitated communication and connectivity, and has allowed you to work from everywhere in the world 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can easily store your files and send them to whomever you want, conduct conference calls and even attend webinars. The world has become your own little office that is available whenever you need it. In order to truly work comfortably on the go, you have to plan it out precisely down to the bone. Below are some tips and options you can prepare for when you must work on the go.
Travel with Portable Monitors
Lugging around a heavy-duty laptop can be quite tedious and may slow you down. Consider investing in a portable monitor instead. There are many options for a portable monitor available today for the businessman on the go. They’re extremely beneficial as they’re lightweight and easy to carry, they’re also slim and can fit in any bag. A portable monitor is also the best value for money to get through your work day comfortably if you’re on a budget. They also offer great image quality, support wireless connectivity, compatible with HDMI outputs, and some have touchscreen capabilities.
Use Smaller Laptops
If you’re comfortable with your laptop and you must use it, then consider getting a smaller-sized laptop instead. They’re lightweight, easy to carry and have many functions of a regular-sized laptop. Ultrabooks now come in a variety of shapes and functions. They also have a rotational screen to use as a tablet, and facilitate multi-tasking better.
Go with a Tablet
Another easier way to travel with your work is just getting a full functioning tablet. They have better battery optimization than laptops, so they can last longer and you avoid the hassle of constantly charging. They’re slimmer than a laptop and so they can be carried easily within your items. Tablets also have better pictures than your average laptop and their software makes navigating between the business applications way better.
Invest in Portable WiFi and Hotspots
Occasionally, Wi-Fi can malfunction at your neighborhood café, is fairly expensive at the hotel you’re staying at, or you can’t even access Wi-Fi during a long commute to a business meeting. Buying a portable WiFi device is a great investment for working on the go. It’s hassle free and you’ll work at ease without worrying where or how you can connect to the internet. Using your smartphone’s hotspot is also another advantage of technology. It facilitates your connection with a breeze by just connecting your tablet, laptop or portable monitor to your phone’s hotspot and you can get cracking on those emails and work tasks.
Be ready with Charging Options
Always have your devices charged so you won’t be stuck without a plug and a low-battery during an important meeting. Walk around with a power strip if many plugs are not available where you’re working, carry an extra laptop battery that is charged and ready to use, or have a universal charger on hand if you’re working overseas. Also, consider investing in a wireless charger pad to avoid the hassle of looking for a plug. They’re highly convenient, have the ability of charging your devices faster and prevents damage to your devices when you plug and unplug them constantly.
Carry around a drive
Be sure to use portable hard-drives or flash drives to carry your work items around freely. They’re safe, able to store a ton of your work documents and files and they’re easy to carry around if you’re stuck on storage space.
Trust the Cloud
Unable to trust hard-drives? Then trust the Cloud instead. Upload all your documents and files on the cloud for safe-keeping. You can access them anywhere as long as you have a good WiFi connection. Many of the cloud based systems have expansive storage, so no need to worry about running out of space. They’re safer to use and are highly dependable.
Be prepared to communicate
Often at times, video calls are necessary for the quick meeting on the go. Have whatever device you’re using ready with the apps necessary to make video calls and communicate with your team members. With your headphones on and a good WiFi connection, you can get a lot done by communicating promptly with whoever, even if they’re overseas!
Go back to the Basics with a Smartphone
Many of today’s smartphones can be used as business phones as well. Choose a phone with a larger screen for easier navigation through your work tasks. Get all your business apps organized and prepare exactly how you can work from your phone. From emails to documents and spreadsheets, to video calls and scheduling meetings, a smart phone is definitely the easier choice to carry out all your work tasks.
Depend on Business Software
Many companies nowadays invest in business software that allows its employees navigate through the company’s tasks in one place. Instead of using so many apps or software, one very efficient software can manage all your tasks and help you communicate with your team more effectively. There are also many scheduling software options you can use if you’re a business owner who likes to keep tabs on your employees’ schedule. It helps you plan your schedule through a shared calendar, organizes your tasks and facilitates your projects.
Accessorize the correct way
Travelling around or working on the go for a long period of time means you need something reliable to carry everything around. Consider buying a proper work bag to carry around all your essential items. Proper work bags are durable and they’re full of compartments to carry your laptop, phone, chargers or any documents without appearing clunky. It will also save you time by searching for your items easily as it allows you to organize your items much more efficiently in your bag.
The World is Your Office
No one is meant to be caged in a cubicle. Working on the go allows you to constantly change your atmosphere whether you are forced on a long train commute with many tasks awaiting to get accomplished, want to spend your day in a sunny café, have to travel around a lot and spend most of your night in hotels, or even decide on working from home. It also allows you to become much more flexible. Constantly changing atmospheres will also elevate your mood and bring about more productivity that you might not find being stuck between the same four walls.
