Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, more employees around the world are working remotely than ever before. While some employees have returned to the office as usual, others are still working remotely, with no plans to resume daily life in the office anytime soon. While the COVID-19 pandemic had mostly negative effects on everyone around the world, one of the only positive outcomes was the realization that anyone, no matter what field they work in, can work remotely. With no set hourly schedule or in-person office to report to each day, the possibilities for how to spend a workday have greatly expanded. While some people have set up a home office and are perfectly content sticking around the house and doing work in their pajamas each day, many others are choosing to travel the world while working online with no restrictions.
To those who have spent the majority of their working lives in an office following a mundane daily routine, remotely while traveling might sound like a dream. While it does have many benefits, the truth is that it can be tricky to stay on top of your work while traveling and spending time in an environment other than your usual office where your productivity is not monitored by your boss or encouraged by your peers.
It is possible to travel the world and enjoy a vacation without putting your career at risk. Here are a few tips for staying productive while traveling and working remotely.
Create a Schedule
Set a daily schedule and stick to it, even when you are on the go or spending time in a new place. Create a daily routine that works for you and is most likely to keep you productive. This could mean following a typical 9-5 workday throughout the days of the week, or setting aside time one or two days in a row to work for the majority of the day and leaving the rest of your work free for travel related activities. The schedule you create should depend on your workload and what works best for how you work and stay productive.
Stay Connected
Just because you’re enjoying your time traveling even while on the clock doesn’t mean your colleagues are. If you are one of the only employees in your office working remotely, it is extra important to check in frequently with your boss and colleagues who are working in person to ensure that you are staying in touch with what is happening around the office. Send weekly emails with updates on the projects you are working on and your progress on them, and schedule frequent video calls to keep everyone on the same page. Whether you work for a marketing firm or do social media for Hiner Outdoor Living, it is important to let everyone know that you are taking your work seriously even while traveling. Let everyone know how to reach you should they need your input on a project or other issue, and be sure to prioritize staying in contact with team members while you are away.
Join a Coworking Space
Sometimes vacation just isn’t the right setting for work. If this is true for you and you find that you are having a hard time staying on top of work due to the restrictions of the physical spaces that are available to you, it might be a good idea to look into joining a coworking space. This is a service that you pay for (usually a minimal fee) which allows you access to a designated workspace alongside other employees working remotely. This is a good way to hold yourself accountable for doing work while connecting with others who might share similar struggles in working remotely, to maximize productivity for both of you.