You need to check out these helpful tips to help you have an easier life as a remote worker.

We all know the benefits of working remotely – freedom to choose your living location, choosing your own schedule, meeting lots of new people, experiencing new cultures – the list goes on.

Of course, nothing great comes without some sort of compromise, and working remotely is no different. There are plenty of niggles to work around, many of which crop up unexpectedly along the way.

To help you iron out those creases and have an easier life working from, well, wherever you want – checkout these 10 tips:

1. Invest In Self Storage

Cheap self storage is ideal for helping you keep your belongings safe and secure whilst you travel as a remote worker. Whereas it can be useful to keep items with friends and family, that comes with its own risk. Are those items safe from weather damage, human damage and theft? Do you have to split items amongst multiple houses?

The fact is, whilst it is kind that anybody allows you to keep your things at their house whilst you travel, what they offer will never be as convenient and secure as a cheap self storage unit. Those kinds of businesses are specialists at keeping your belongings safe, and having a place like that to use between sections of time remote working, is invaluable.

2. Be Proud Of Being Anal

Whereas being anal about research and planning for a trip to the enth degree can be seen as unnecessary by some, as a remote worker, it is actually a great thing. Having backups for plans falling through, awareness of important facilities like hospitals, knowing what to do in an emergency in a certain country – these are all great things to know when you work remotely. Don’t be afraid of being anal in this way, it will save you time in the long-run – one day it might even save your life.

3. Internet Backups, Internet Backups, Internet Backups

As a remote worker the chances are you rely on the internet a lot. For that reason you should always have an internet backup. Whether that is data you can use temporarily on your device, some sort of portable device you plug in or even an awareness of a local cafe with WIFI, there should always be a backup to ensure you can get your work done.

4. Be Open To Working Differently

A home office is ideal, but in reality it isn’t always possible. In fact, for some people it isn’t preferable as it can add to a feeling of loneliness often associated with the remote worker lifestyle. Of course, if you are travelling as a remote worker you know all too well that a home office isn’t always possible and most of the time you have to be flexible enough to work differently.

The good thing is that there are a few essentials that can make your life easier as a remote worker. A floor seat and foldout desk are really handy and can be used anywhere in the home or garden. A lightweight laptop stand is also very handy, along with portable chargers, wires for charging and headphones. These kinds of handy accessories enable you to work differently and make the most of your working space, whatever that happens to be.

5. Utilise Apps

Whether you are working remotely from home, or you’re on your travels, you will need to communicate with your team members, clients and your own employees. This can be challenging when you’re all in different time zones and working to a different schedule. Utilising apps like Slack, Trello and Zoom will make your life so much easier, boosting your chance of successful remote teamwork.

6. Always Have Wiggle Room To Make Hay

The saying goes ‘make hay whilst the sun shines’ – which means to enjoy yourself whilst you can. As a remote worker, you literally have a monopoly on your time. So if you love surfing and the surfing forecast is great this week, you can reorganise your schedule and enjoy those sets.

If you create a rigid schedule though, you leave no wiggle room to do those things. By spacing your work out accordingly, managing client expectations and communicating on your terms and being aware of all your deadlines, you can effectively prioritise your haymaking 95% of the time.

7. Keep It Lightweight

If you do tend to travel around a lot, or work from home alot, the last thing that you need is a heavy setup to lug around. This is also true of large laptops and equipment that won’t be helpful if you’re squeezing a working session onto your lap, or the tiny table in the only cafe open with WIFI within a ten mile radius. More compact setups like netbooks, iPads with Bluetooth keyboards and overall lightweight laptops are a clever choice that will enable you to walk around and work anywhere comfortably.

8. A Good Backpack Is Essential

A good backpack is so important when it comes to being a remote worker. It gives you the ability to comfortably carry everything you need for work on your back. For true nomad life, you would likely have a large pack for going between key locations and then a day pack. Both of those should be security reinforced to avoid common kinds of theft. They should also be durable, waterproof and able to keep your most expensive possessions safe inside – AKA a good laptop pocket is essential. Lastly, try to choose something that is as covert as possible. Sure, the backpack will always say ‘something is inside me to steal’ but there are ways to make it look more covert and secure, and therefore less attractive to thieves.

9. Security Awareness Is Important

Whether it is cyber security in a cafe, or backpack security in a busy city – you need to be aware of the dangers around you at any time as a remote worker. It’s not about being paranoid, but simply understanding that criminals do exist and they will take advantage of opportunities given to them.

10. Snacks

The most important tip by far for making your life easier as a remote worker is snacks. Snacks really do make the world go round and they can make things so much better, when you’re stressed, on the go or a little bit poor. Snacks help you have the energy to keep pushing on with a difficult client. They help you avoid having to pay for expensive snacks in a cafe. They also help you to maintain your energy at times when you might need to do some walking to effectively get to a good working space, or even to find your new Airbnb. It’s a simple tip, but one that will stand you in good stead as a remote worker.

Being a remote worker is a great thing, but there are ways to make it pay off even more for you. Try our 10 tips above, and get the most of your lifestyle, for better wellbeing and career prospects long-term.