TIPS for remote working

Starbucks makes the best office

All around the world in touristic places, you could find Starbucks. From Vancouver to Mexico City. From Europe to Peru, this is the ideal workplace. Starbucks is designed to accommodate remote workers. There are outlets are at every table, and wifi at every Starbucks, plus the workers are okay if you stay for 6-9 hours even if you just order a coffee. In fact, had a meeting in the early morning and had to load up the computer right away, sat down, and plugged my laptop in for 3 hours before ordering anything and no one asked any questions. If you look like you could afford a coffee and you look like you're working hard, they will leave you be. Maybe the workers will even walk around offering you samples. To add, the customers within Starbucks are all well off and it's not advisable but if you want to use the washroom, just look at the person sitting next to you, before walking away from your laptop and other electronics.

Find the best spot to work in your hostel and get comfy

The best spot to work in your hostel is somewhere with a power outlet and strong wifi. You could test the strength of the wifi by performing an internet speed test simply by googling, "internet speed test". Walk around to potential locations, the roof, the lobby, the "living room", your room and, repeat the internet speed test until you find the best connection. Ideally, you want a download speed of 30 mbs/second or higher, but 15 mbs/second will do if you're in a pinch. Working on your lap or on your bed is a viable option but if you do this for many days, your wrist will start to get sore. (The sitting position in the photo is viable with a hotspot but it's not advisable.)

Always have data and 4G + as a backup

If you have weak WIFI in all of your potential work areas, you could use a hotspot from your phone. You'll need 4G or higher for this and it's always good to have data while you work in case the internet stops working for some reason. LTE or 4G+ is better, this simply means that you're receiving bandwidth from multiple cellphone towers at the same time. If you could get your hands on 5G, using a hotspot is often preferred compared to using the local WIFI. 


3G is not viable if you'll be doing work, Teams meetings drop out with 3G. You could check this website to see what cellphone carrier to go with as well as where are the strongest signals in the country that you're visiting: https://www.nperf.com/en/map/5g

Power banks will save you

When working remotely and living in hostels you'll be using a lot of your battery life. From meetings with your camera on to walking around needing directions. Not all hostels have outlets bet the bedside and so it's a good idea to keep a power bank of 20 000 mAh, in your bag and changed at all times. When you find an outlet during the day you could charge it using your laptop and if there's an outlet in your room with a power block you could charge your power bank at night time. 

People at work will ask about your trip if they know about it - no need to brag

People will ask whether you're having fun, what you did last weekend, and so on and so forth. Most people will instantly compare themselves when you tell them what you've done. Welcome to the next level: your life is adventurous and awesome and there's fun around every corner. You can give good news every now and then but when people ask about your trip the safe bet is to tell them the location you are currently in, the locations you've been, and the challenges of living abroad such as not having your own laundry machine or always looking around for WIFI.