Work From Anywhere
During the last couple of months, I had the opportunity to work from Europe. I have always been an advocate for remote work; however, I was not prepared to work aboard during a pandemic.
The main difference that I had to understand was that remote work before COV19 was significantly different. We always had the option to go into the office, however, this pandemic taught us to adapt and thrive without face-to-face interactions.
The experience was hard at times and continues to present challenges. However, it taught me that even if your “office” location is uncertain, it is still possible to be productive with the proper equipment and system.
Below is a collage of my equipment as a software consultant. One of the most critical aspects of my toolkit is mobility, reliability and affordability. You cannot always achieve all three; however, aiming for reliability should take priority.
1. Work Laptops
In usually carry two laptops since if one fails or gets lost I have a backup. I usually gravitated towards Mac however Linux and Windows machine as also great. You are mainly looking for portability, connectivity and long battery life.
2. Keyboard
A Bluetooth keyboard always portability. I have been using the Apple Keyboard, while it light and portable, I wouldn’t not recommended for long hours of typing.
3. Mouse
The Logitech MX 2s is a great mouse that has designed ergonomically and provides several macro buttons. It can pair with multiple computers, and you can easily switch between them.
4. Tablet
A tablet can come in handy when working space is limited. It can function as a second monitor or merely a device to disconnect from your main computer. The main advantage I found that using an iPad is the SideCar feature. It allows a MacBook to use the iPad as a become a second monitor via Bluetooth.
5. Closed-ear Headphones
I am absolutely in love with these headphones. They provide mobility, and when you are working in a noisy place, even though they are not noise-cancelling, you can still tune out the noise with some good music.
They have Bluetooth capability and can connect to multiple devices. As well, they have a custom audio jack, if you prefer to save battery.The backup audio cable that provided appears to be hard to find, so keep it safe.
6. Headphones
Sennheiser is a good brand and know for quality sound.
7. Webcam
I would recommend a webcam with support for HD and a good lens. In this case, the Logitech has a Carl Zeiss lens which makes it ideal for low lighting conditions.
8. Microphone
All my meetings are now remote, and I quickly realized that a clean audio signal makes a immense difference. The Blue Yeti Nano is the most affordable of the Yeti’s lineup. However, it does beat the internal microphones of webcams or computers.
One extra benefit is that the Blue Yeti Nano has voice passthrough capability, so you can listen to your voice and adjust the signals accordingly.
9. LED Lights
Lighting is just as important as audio. A good rule of thumb is to practice 3-point lighting. If same is limited, portable LED lights are great to provide a basic lighting system.
10. Battery Pack
A battery pack is an essential part of my equipment. As mobile phones have reduced battery life, a battery pack became part of my phone.
11. Nintendo Switch w/ Portable Dock
As I am still a gamer at heart, I found the Nintendo Switch to be a great alternative to larger gaming consoles. The games are usually indie and more comforting and relaxing than shooters.
12. Nintendo Switch Controller
The Switch Controller gave me the “hardcore” gaming experience. It is very light and runs on AA batteries.
13. Skip Rope
I recommend having with you a fitness equipment. Skipping rope provides me with an incentive to leave my desk and take short breaks to move my body.
As a benefit, it allows you to work on your cardio and coordination.
14. Watch
For my watch, I chose a Fitbit. It provided me with long battery life.
I can monitor my sleep quality and receive notifications from my phone.
The second part of working from anywhere is to have a stable system to organize yourself. In the past, I have used methodologies like GTD. However, for my day to day planning, Trello has proved to be quite useful. I will show you my system in an upcoming blog post, which has kept me motivated and accountable.
