Tips for remote working while travelling
#1 WiFi available
Working remotely without internet does not work well.
So it’s best to find out in advance about available internet/WiFi in your destination country or accommodation. Sites like Nomadlist provide helpful information.
#2 Desk, Co-Working & Cafés
Choose an accommodation that suits the way you work. Whether it’s in your accommodation at the kitchen table, in a co-working space near you or in a nice café around the corner – there are countless possibilities. On Coworker.com you can find a good overview of all co-working spaces in your area. Or you can use the filter function on Airbnb, for example, to determine the furnishings of your flat in advance.
#3 Daily goals
Working where others go on holiday – a great plan. But to make sure you really experience something of your destination country and your boss doesn’t panic because he/she is afraid you won’t work, concrete work goals and transparent task management will help you.
#4 Time shift
You sit in a call and wonder why the client doesn’t join you. It happened to me the other day, until I realised I was in a different time zone and therefore an hour early for the appointment. Fortunately, Outlook allows you to create up to three calendars with different time zones – it makes working life easier.
#5 Planning together
Once your idea is born, it makes sense to set down all the framework conditions on the employer’s side and present them to your manager. Together you can define the parameters such as working hours, task management and collaboration. Then everyone is on the safe side and your company has a wonderful use case for remote working.
#6 Around the world in 180 days – Taxes & social security contributions
You can stay abroad for up to 183 days without having to pay attention to things like tax and social security contributions. After that, your permanent residence changes and you may have to pay these taxes to the country where you are staying.
#7 Check In – Check Out
Most accommodations have fixed check-out times. There are also hosts who will only let you check into your new accommodation at fixed times. Make sure you take these times into account and do not schedule work appointments at the same time.
#8 Shared joy
Share your experiences with your colleagues! It’s amazing how the company culture changes when digital nomads suddenly join the team. In our company, we even had a week-long co-working trip to Grand Canaria, which had a huge impact, especially in terms of team building and collaboration.
#9 Data security
Data security is as common as it is important – especially when it comes to sensitive customer or company data. You can ensure data security when travelling by using a VPN access on the technical side, if necessary. In addition, you should always activate the screen lock, for example, when you go to get a new coffee.
#10 Double Check Internet
It is more than sensible to check the internet immediately after arriving at your accommodation. If there are any problems, you can immediately look for an alternative. In my experience, however, good WiFi is available everywhere abroad. Even on a remote mountain in Montenegro (really somewhere in the middle of nowhere) I had great reception with a WiFi router.
#11 Holiday vs. Work
#12 Take customers with you
Sei mutig und erzähle auch deinen KundInnen davon, dass du gerade gar nicht im Büro bist. Nicht nur, dass du direkt einen spannenden Gesprächseinstieg hast, die meisten Menschen sind fasziniert von den Möglichkeiten, die Remote Work bietet und lassen sich inspirieren.
