This post to help you work while traveling was created in collaboration with Movavi
Working on the go is a dream for many of us, and becoming a “digital nomad” is a great opportunity that many of us can embrace right now. With so many companies now offering remote work, many people are realizing that all they need is a laptop and a good internet connection to get the job done.
You can also continue working from your spare bedroom or kitchen table. Alternatively, he can work from a private villa in Bali, a stylish cafe in Barcelona, a beach in Barbados or the back of a campervan in Bournemouth.
The possibilities are endless!
As a travel blogger, I have always worked while traveling. I like to write articles, edit videos, organize photos and submit copy before the plane hits the tarmac at Manchester Airport.
It’s not always easy to work without all the gadgets and comfortable home amenities. Internet connectivity is usually the biggest problem, phone calls and webinars in the wrong time zone, restricted access to certain sites in each country, and let’s not forget that the biggest challenge is simply It’s about getting into the right mindset for sitting. And work when half your brain is in ‘holiday mode.’
So here are 10 simple hacks to help you work while you’re travelling
Movavi for screen recording
A great hack you can use at home or while traveling is to record conference calls, webinars, or live stream videos. You can watch it again at a later date to get all the information you need. Check out Movavi for recording software for Mac. One of the problems with work and travel is that you may be in a completely different time zone than other co-workers. If you end up having a conference call at 3 a.m., you’re unlikely to be 100% focused, so record everything and come back to it later.
I also like to watch it again when I have the time and space to sit quietly and listen properly (like during long plane rides!). I can guarantee you that you will hear so much that you missed it the first time.
There are several ways to record your screen, but here are some features of Movavi that I think are the best options.
screen recording
- Full screen recording
- Record part of the screen (select range)
- Record-specific windows (click)
- Get audio from two sources at the same time: enable microphone and system sound
- Overlay webcam video
- Schedule a recording task
- record keystrokes
- Highlight or hide the cursor
- Highlight mouse clicks
- Draw on the screen while recording
screenshot
- Take a snapshot of the entire screen, part of the screen, or selected windows
- add text
- Overlay arrows, lines, and shapes
- highlight area
Other tools
- Record only webcam video
- Record only system sounds
- Record only your microphone
export
- MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, WEBM
- GIF
- MP3
- PNG, BMP, JPG
- SuperSpeed mode increases processing speed
- Export to Google Drive, YouTube, Telegram, WhatsApp, email, shared link
Pricing
Perpetual license is $39.95
Use a VPN
A VPN is a virtual private network. This is a secure way to use the Internet as it redirects your internet traffic through a secure tunnel, hiding your data and IP address. This increases your protection and significantly reduces your chances of encountering a security breach. It also means you can watch Netflix in any country because you have access to the internet just like you do in your home country!
We recommend NordVPN for its ease of use and security.
Get an external battery pack
You may be familiar with using external batteries for your phone, but did you know you can get an external battery pack that’s big enough to charge your laptop?
This can be a complete game changer as it allows you to extend your working time if you don’t have access to a plug.
Many flights have USB charging ports at your seat, but getting an actual plug isn’t always possible. In this case, you can charge an external battery via USB and use it to charge your laptop.
The Anker Powerbank is my charger of choice.
Use a personal wifi hub
The most difficult part of working while traveling is finding a good Wi-Fi connection. The simplest solution is to use a personal mobile router to ensure a strong and reliable connection almost always.
I use the Nighthawk M2 mobile router and have a full review on my blog.
Noise-cancelling headphones
If you’re like me, noise canceling headphones are a must!
I like to work in complete silence, but I find it very distracting to hear someone talking. Sometimes I listen to music while I work, but usually I just turn it on to cancel out all the noise around me.
I also listen to business podcasts and webinars while I travel because it’s a great way to use my time. And don’t forget that screen-free work can be very important for our mental health too. Being glued to a screen for hours on end can be tiring. That’s why I’m all for limiting screen time as much as possible!
I use JBL Live Pro+ TWS headphones. I like the ease and simplicity of the Buds over bulky headphones. The earbuds are also great at canceling noise.
Google Drive (or some kind of online cloud storage system)
It’s 100% worth paying for some kind of online storage system. Not only do you want to avoid clogging up your laptop with thousands of files, slowing it down and making it difficult to work, but you also want to avoid losing or breaking your laptop and not being able to access your work!
I keep everything on Google Drive, but I love the fact that I can access my work from my phone, iPad, laptop, or iMac.
1Password
Ah, the dreaded password login!
Trying to log in to a website in a new country often triggers a security warning and requires you to log in again. Forgetting your password can be a real nightmare. Google Chrome may remember them all, or it may not. Suppose you have a problem. We recommend using 1Password. Protect all your passwords and sync them across multiple devices. There is also a security feature called Watchtower that monitors for security violations. This is always a useful feature when logging into an unfamiliar Wi-Fi hub.
Quickbooks
It’s difficult to keep track of your household finances even in good times, but it’s even more difficult when you’re traveling. I use Quickbooks to send invoices and monitor past due payments. You can track all your expenses and even track your gas mileage, making tax filing much easier!
Forest
If you find yourself getting distracted while working remotely, check out the Forest app. Set a goal for how many hours you want to work, and a tree that grows beyond that time limit will appear on your phone screen. This eliminates the need to reach for your phone every two minutes to check social media, ultimately making you more productive in less time.