Living that work from anywhere WFA lifestyle has gained popularity in the past year— and for very good reasons. Since many people were suddenly able to work remotely, they took the opportunity to move closer to family, travel and take advantage of long term rental properties.
With 77% of people agreeing that after COVID-19, being able to work from home would make them happier and 1 in 2 people saying they won’t return to jobs that don’t offer remote work after COVID-19, it’s clear that this past year has turned remote work from a simple job benefit to a full on necessity.
The truth is, people like to be in control of their environments. COVID-19 showed the world that most roles can be accomplished using remote technology--not just accomplished, but accomplished more efficiently and in a more productive way, with a more flexible lifestyle for employees. And nothing gives modern employees more autonomy and a better flexible lifestyle than adopting the WFA lifestyle.
There’s no secret here, WFA is just how it sounds— a hyper-flexible lifestyle and work schedule where employees are able to work from anywhere. Some industries are better equipped for WFA than others. It is typically best suited for those workers who often work independently on projects and if they have to collaborate or meet they have the tech tools they need to do so virtually.
Last year, 75% of people said that they were the same or more productive during COVID-19 while working from home. Now, as the world begins its return to the office, many employees who found personal and professional success while working from home are contemplating whether or not they will be returning to the office at all. This decision shouldn’t be taken lightly and should be developed through conversations with your teammates and supervisors in order to reach an agreement about the realities of working remotely full time. Depending on your job responsibilities and role in your company, the barrier between where you are now and working from anywhere could be as small as one conversation with your boss.
However, if your employer refuses to allow you to adopt a more flexible schedule than the standard 9 to 5 that may be your sign to start polishing your resume. Don’t worry, you’ll be in good company. The desire to work remotely even part of the time now that offices are opening back up is one shared by many. 23% of full-time employees are even willing to take a pay cut of over 10% in order to work from home at least some of the time.
Working from anywhere has amassed quite the following, probably because the benefits include:
No work lifestyle is completely hassle free, even the coveted WFA approach. For those who are new to remote work and flexible schedules, jumping right into the total freedom provided by working from anywhere can be a bit of a culture shock. While you will no longer have to navigate annoying commuters or picking out a polished outfit each day, working from anywhere comes with it’s own unique blend of pain points and obstacles. But don’t worry, with the right mindset and tech tools you will be on your way to total WFA bliss in no time. Let’s run through some of the most common WFA pains and how to fix them, so you can begin putting your best digital nomad foot forward as soon as possible.
When you are working from anywhere as a member of a team it is more important than ever to establish modes of communication that benefit your flexible lifestyle, while also prioritizing teamwork. As a flexible worker it is your responsibility to keep your team updated when your communication needs change, like when you change time zones or if you are going to be offline for an extended period of time.
The solution: When you are going to be unavailable at a time when you are usually available to your team, be sure to set an event in your calendar and block off the time when you won’t be available so your team will know ahead of time that they will need to adjust to your new schedule.
When you WFA, your workstation is often just as flexible as your lifestyle. Without a primary desk to work from every single day, you aren’t allotted the same storage systems as when you work from the same place each day. This can quickly lead to a snowball effect of misplaced files. You never want to be on one side of the country while your work materials are on the other side.
The solution: Invest in a portable desk with storage capabilities and use cloud-based file management like Google Drive or Dropbox. Easily transportable work trays are a popular alternative to a classic desk, and are perfect for the WFA employee who is frequently on the move. The best portable work trays, like this one from Global Industrial, have built in storage capabilities so you never leave those important documents behind.
Source: Global Industrial
There is nothing that throws a wrench in #WFA plans like spotty or weak WiFi. Even the best laid plans of remote workers can get thrown off if the place they are working from has insufficient internet connectivity. Plus, it’s a weak excuse for why a deadline is missed. To avoid having to over explain why you couldn’t find a good service or why your mobile hotspot kept cutting in and out, your best bet is to over prepare when working from the road.
The solution: Invest in portable WiFi hardware built for this exact purpose— to provide you with internet connection from anywhere. Some portable mobile WiFi hotspots like the Solis X Wifi Smartspot allow you to pay for data as you use it. While others, like the 5G MiFi M1000 Hotspot from Verizon work at the speed of 5G.
The WFA lifestyle is designed to offer remote employees ultimate freedom while still getting their work done. However, if you aren’t properly prepared, working from anywhere is more likely to look like running in between charging ports all day long to keep your computer and other tech tools juiced up. Finding power on the road can be tough, if you’ve ever battled over outlets in a packed Starbucks then you understand the struggle. The good news is, this is one of the pain points that is the most simple to solve.
The solution: All you need to overcome running out of power while you WFA are some portable batteries. The kicker is to remember that no two portable batteries are built the same or fit the same device. Depending on how much tech you use to get your job done, you could be looking at purchasing four or five portable batteries, like this eco-friendly CHAMP Portable Charger for mobile devices or this USB-C Magic Box charger for MacBooks.
Anyone who has ever taken their laptop outside for an afternoon of working in the sunshine knows how much of a delicate decision this is. Working outside sounds so nice in theory, but the reality is that you’ll spend most of your time trying to arrange yourself so you can see your computer screen. Oftentimes, when your laptop is in the sun the screen becomes impossible to see. There can be a harsh glare that makes working outside impossible. But what if you don’t want to give up the great WFA perk that is the option to work outside?
The solution: There are many different screen covers you can get for your device that make it so you can have full visibility no matter how directly the sun shines down on your computer. There are anti-glare screen covers like the Supershieldz for the MacBook Pro and this one for widescreen laptops. Just pop one of these covers over your laptop screen and you will be back to working from outside in no time.
Just because you are a flexible worker doesn’t mean you should have to compromise your favorite tech accessories. If you are used to working with a monitor or a wireless keyboard but feel like they were sacrificed when you decided to live life on the road, you’re in luck.
The solution: While you can set yourself up with a dedicated workspace in your home with all of the tech tools and accessories your heart desires, there are also many popular portable options as well. The most popular portable monitors include the ASUS ZenScreen and you can complete your portable accessory set with a wireless keyboard and mouse, like the highly rated combo from Logitech K780.
For the digital nomad who is constantly on the move, you’ll want to invest in the right tech luggage and carrying gear to keep you moving without ever having to wonder which bag your laptop is in and which one is holding your headphones. With so many tech luggage options to choose from— carry-on bags, laptop cases, backpacks with plentiful pockets— before you head out to stock up, take a moment to choose which luggage you’ll actually need to succeed while WFA.
The solution: For the individual who takes a lot of flights, you’ll need a carry-on bag that doesn’t have you digging for your laptop every time you go through a TSA security checkpoint, like this one from Calpak.
Source: Calpak
If a duffle bag is more your style, this Go Bag by BABOON comes in three different carry-on sizes and has a weatherproof outer shell, to protect your tech no matter where you take it.
Source: BABOON
Regardless of where you are working from, the most important thing is that you are prepared for whatever comes your way. And to make sure you are ready for anything, check out The Comprehensive Guide to Remote Work.