Guest Post by Adam Green
As more of us find ways to leave the traditional office environment, a growing group of professionals is taking the work-at-home lifestyle to the next level – working while traveling the world.
If you thought backpacker hostels were just for kids, think again. Nearly anyone who makes a living online can throw some clothes in a bag and hit the road. And if you’re single, retired from another job, or aren’t supporting children, there’s probably not much holding you back.
But if you want to do it right, you’ve got to have the right gear. Here are a few essential tools for Web-based professionals looking to make the world their home:
1. Small laptop
Small is important – small and lightweight.
Remember that you’ll be living out of a backpack. The more stuff you put in it, the heavier and more burdensome it will be to schlep from place to place.
Depending on the work you do, you might even get by with something as tiny as a netbook. If you’re looking for a super-minimal system, consider this: Some travelers just attach an iPad to a bluetooth keyboard and use that instead of a laptop, although this method could get tricky if you frequently work with multiple applications at once.
You might also need something bigger if you work with graphics on a regular basis, and that’s fine. The goal should be finding the smallest laptop that meets all of your needs.
2. WiFi extender
If you’ve never needed one of these before, it’s time to give it a look. A WiFi extender is a portable antenna that lets you pick up wireless signals from much further away than your laptop will on its own.
This device will come in handy when your hostel or hotel either doesn’t offer WiFi or has a weak signal. You’ll definitely be glad you had it when your hotel’s Internet goes down on the morning of that important teleconference.
3. Skype online number
Do you speak to clients over the phone? If so, wouldn’t it be nice if they could call you on a local number – even when you’re in a completely different hemisphere?
When you purchase a Skype online number, you get a phone number that anyone in your country can call without paying international rates. And it works anywhere in the world.
4. Unlocked mobile phone
When a phone is “unlocked,” it’s not bound to any one mobile provider.
With an unlocked mobile phone, you’ll simply purchase a new SIM card every time you move to another country. The alternative is buying a new phone everywhere you go, which can get expensive.
5. An adventurous spirit
Traveling the world isn’t for everybody. If you’re not up to the challenge, there’s not a gadget or Web service in existence that can help you weather the highs and lows of digital nomadhood.
But for anyone willing to take the plunge, the Web has made it possible – even easy – to fulfill a lifelong dream while making a comfortable living.
About the Author
Adam Green is a freelance writer and enterprise fraud prevention enthusiast who currently makes his home in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. He has experience both living and working abroad, something he plans to do more of in the coming years.
About Tom White
