Hi there, are you currently working from anywhere? Or is this your first time? Don’t worry because you are not alone!
Since more and more people nowadays do it, it is becoming a common sight, especially if you hang out a lot in cafes, libraries, co-working spaces, etc.
Whether you are a veteran or a first-timer to work from anywhere, there is a good chance that you are looking for ways to improve work from anywhere setup so that no matter where you are, you will be as productive as you can.
So, let’s get started!
But first of all, let’s address the first question.
Who can work from anywhere?
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According to an article from Indeed.com, those who can work from anywhere are people with the following occupations:
- Accountant
- Social Media Manager
- Freelance Writer
- Translator
- Content Marketer
- Virtual Assistant
- Content Marketer
- Graphic Designer
- Copywriter
- Etc.
With that being said, in my opinion, anyone who is not restricted to working in an office or in one place can definitely work from anywhere. So, if you have the opportunity or luxury of doing this, then you can definitely do it.
Now that we have addressed that question, let’s start with the tips.
What devices and equipment do I bring?
#1. Laptop/and or tablet
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Majority of people use their laptop to work, but nowadays there are more and more people just bringing their tablet to work from anywhere because it is powerful enough to do their work.
However, if your employer or your work requires you to work using a laptop, then this is a must to bring with you. Because how are you going to finish your work without it? Especially if it requires so much power, then it is best to bring a laptop with you to save you from headache and hassle.
Moreover, a laptop has the ability to open several tabs and softwares at once and therefore, it helps you to finish your work faster.
#2. Charger, power bank and cable charger.
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Just to be on the safe side, bring your laptop charger and/or power bank along with cable chargers to recharge your electronic devices’ battery. You may never know how much power you need when working outside.
Can you imagine yourself working on a file that requires so much power on your laptop or your tablet and in the middle of saving it, they run out of batteries?
How frustrated will you be in that kind of situation?
Therefore, remember and remember to bring these items anytime you work from anywhere.
#3. Mouse
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Mouse or trackpad? Which one do you prefer?
Some people bring an external mouse, some people don’t, it depends on how light or heavy your workload is. But in my opinion, if you are working on editing a video or photos, it is better to use one to get better precision.
You can choose to get either wireless or wired mouse.
#4. Wrist rest
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Do you want to preserve the health of your dominant hand in the long run?
Then, I suggest that you use a wrist rest and place it under the wrist of your dominant hand (either your right hand or your left hand) while working.
Why?
Because it will help to raise your wrist to a comfortable level when working with an external mouse for a long period of time. Therefore, your wrist will feel more comfortable & thus, preventing you from getting excruciating pain that is known as carpal tunnel.
#5. Laptop stand
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Maintaining good posture while working on your laptop, is it possible?
Yes, absolutely! If you want, use a laptop stand that is sturdy and adjustable so that you can adjust it according to your preferred eye level height. It is recommended to raise your laptop screen to your eye level so that you don’t slouch onto the screen while working and therefore preventing eyestrain and neck pain.
Better yet, find a laptop stand that is also foldable, so that you can take it anywhere you want without it taking so much space in your bag.
#6. Notebook & pen
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Just because people nowadays prefer to take notes digitally, doesn’t mean that taking notes on notebook and pen has gone out of style.
In fact, it could be a lifesaver when you just stare at your laptop screen and have no idea what you have to do.
This is because writing your thoughts into paper helps you to organise your mind better & allows you to see which tasks require priorities and which don’t.
Read more Why Writing With a Fountain Pen Is Good For You?
#7. Headphones or Earphones or TWS earbuds
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In the past, headphones or earphones or TWS earbuds were not necessary to bring anywhere, especially to work. However, now that people can do work from anywhere, it has become a necessity to bring this item since you can use it for various uses such as online conference calls (via Zoom or Google Meet) or listening to music.
If you are easily distracted by external noise, get yourself headphones or TWS earbuds that have noise cancellation technology that will cancel out any external noise and therefore, you will be able to focus more on doing your work.
#8. Bag
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Well, you need a bag to bring all of your devices and equipment, right?
You can either choose a backpack, tote bag or laptop sleeves, as long as your choice of bag is spacious enough to store all of your items as you bring them to work from anywhere.
Are you still here?
Good!
Because the next part is about several criterias that you need to check when you are choosing a place to work.
Where do I work?
Cafe?
Library?
Co-working space?
Bedroom?
Kitchen table at home?
If you are overwhelmed with the vast amount of choices, don’t worry. Here are some things you want to consider when choosing a place to work from anywhere:
#9. How far is the distance between your home or your accommodation and your preferred choice of workplace?
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Do you prefer to work in a place closer or farther to your home?
Majority of people prefer to work somewhere closer to their homes so that they can just walk by foot and save money.
Just remember, the farther your place of work is, the higher your commuting expense will be.
On the other hand, if you choose to work at home or wherever you are currently living, you will save more money in the long run.
#10. The availability of food & drink
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Let’s face it, working requires energy & that’s why we need to have some food and drink nearby.
Which is why, choosing a place to work that has nearby access to food and drink is crucial so that you always have enough energy to work on your tasks.
#11. Are there any toilets nearby?
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All that eating & drinking will make us go to the toilet from time to time and that is normal! Plus, walking to the toilet allows you to move your body after sitting & working for long hours.
Which is why you need to find a place where it has a toilet nearby so that you don’t waste your time going to a far away toilet or that you keep holding it until you cannot hold it anymore (which is not good for your health anyway.)
#12. Is it safe?
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Remember to pick a place in a safe environment, where there are not many crimes taking place. It sucks if you lose all of your items, especially if they are expensive and that you have to repurchase all of them so that you can work.
If you want, work with a group of friends or coworkers so that together, all of you can take care of each other’s belongings.
#13. Are there any electronic sockets?
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Since you will be carrying some electronic devices, it is best to check beforehand if there are electronic sockets in the place you are going to work in. This is because you might need to recharge your devices if they run out of batteries.
Or if there are none, bring your own power bank to recharge them.
#14. Is there any Wifi connection? If not, is there strong signal coverage for you to use your phone’s data to connect to the internet?
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This is crucial if most of your work is done using softwares or applications that need internet connection, for example Canva, Google Workspace, Figma, etc.
Oh, remember to check your phone’s data plan too from time to time to make sure that you have sufficient data to connect to the internet.
Are you still here? Great! It means that you are enjoying reading this article.
Now, there are some tools and devices that are delegated to this Bonus part since they are optional. Keep scrolling down to read it, it might give you more ideas, depending on your needs.
BONUS
#15. Mouse Pad
External mouse nowadays can work on most surfaces. Although, you might encounter some desk surfaces that are not smooth enough for your mouse to work on.
In this situation, it is better to use a mouse pad & place it under your mouse so that it can glide on smoothly.
#16. Calculator
Are you someone who works with numbers a lot? Then you might wanna use a dedicated calculator.
Although you can always use the calculator app on your phone, it is more satisfying to use a dedicated calculator to crunch your numbers and make your work easier.
#17. Drawing or graphic tablet
If your work revolves around design, drawing or illustration, a drawing or graphic tablet is one of the devices that you need to bring whenever you work from anywhere.
#18. External webcam
Are you not satisfied with the quality of your laptop’s built-in webcam? You might wanna use an external webcam that you can plug into your laptop.
#19. Keyboard
If you use a laptop stand that raises your laptop higher than your hands can reach, use an external keyboard so that you can type comfortably.
#20. Mic
Bring a dedicated wireless or wired mic if your line of work needs this in order for you to produce good content or work, for example podcasters, videographers, journalists, singers, content creators, etc.
So now that you have reached almost the end of this article, are you wondering what my point is?
Well, my point is…
To work from anywhere is a nice opportunity to have, especially if your employer or your line of work grant you this kind of freedom. So, if you want to do this and at the same time produce good quality of work, you will need the necessary devices and equipment such as laptop, mouse, notebook & pen, laptop stand, headphone, etc.
Your choice of place to work from anywhere is also crucial because it is a major factor in you being able to focus doing your work.
Do you agree?
Well, I hope you find this article useful and it gives you more ideas to improve your work from anywhere setup.
Until then, see you later!