Twenty-twenty hasn’t been easy. From school shutdowns and city lockdowns to quarantine pods and Zoom meetings, the ‘new normal’ takes endless patience and flexibility.
Working from home has been a silver lining for some people. Your commute takes about 30 seconds! You have more time with your family. And if you have an RV, maybe you’re considering a remote work road trip. With a little preparation and a strong internet connection, why not take your next work project with you to the wilds of one of Canada’s national parks?
Whether you’re a remote work pro or you’re considering a working RV trip for the first time, follow these five tips for a fun, productive adventure!
When you go on an RV vacation, you get to unplug completely. Not so when you’re working remotely from an RV. Experienced remote workers say a strong internet connection is key to success. It’s not enough to check your email once a day at a coffee shop. You should have WiFi at your campsite—preferably in your RV.
To do all your work and stay connected, you should plan your entire RV route. Call the campgrounds to ask about internet access. Get a WiFi booster for your rig.
And here’s a backup plan for your backup plan: Map out a few nearby cafes or libraries with free WiFi in case the campground has internet issues.
If you’re a summer holiday roadtripper, you might try to squeeze in several destinations in one trip. Full-time RVers, , embrace slow travel. When you’re working from your RV, you won’t want to drive someplace new every couple of days. The time it takes to drive and set up camp will steal from your leisure time.
Instead, plot a long, slow adventure to test out your remote work skills. Maybe spend a week at one national park, then a second week at another campground a few hours away. This will ease any stress and allow you to focus on one activity at a time.
Separate work and play. Are you good at sticking to a schedule? If not, test out a strict 9-5 at home before heading out in your RV for a week of remote work.
When you’re in an RV with the beautiful wild world just outside your door, focusing on a laptop feels impossible. Success depends on your ability to separate work time and play time. Some RVers prefer to work 8 hours a day and save hiking for the weekend. Others put in 10-12-hour days, then take a few days off. The choice is up to you (and your boss!). Just do your best to stick to your agreed-upon schedule.
Even a giant Class A motorhome can feel small when you live and work there.
WeWorkRemotely.com has several recommendations for maintaining your sanity while working from home. These tips can be adapted to work even in a tiny RV space:
Try to work while sitting in an ergonomic chair—big and firm enough to support your back, neck, and spine.
Create a focus soundtrack. What music helps you work? No matter how tiny your workspace is, a specific soundtrack can help signal to your brain that it’s time to work.
Get control of the clutter. A mess-free environment is even more important in a small rig. An organized workspace calms your mind and helps you look and feel more professional for that upcoming video conference!
It’s tempting to escape to the open road when you already have work-from-home arrangements because of the pandemic. Before you grab your laptop bag and go, pause. What will you tell your boss if the campground internet goes out? What will you do if your rig loses power? How will you check your email if you drive into a dead cell zone?
If you’re not taking time off work to drive your rig, you shouldn’t need to ask for vacation time. But it is professional and courteous to tell your boss that you’ll be working from a different place next week or next month. Assure them that you’re prepared with WiFi backup, then wow them with your enviable work-life balance.
Ready to take work-from-home life to a whole new level? Start planning your first RV remote work trip. Let us know how it goes!
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