On this put up, I’ll be strolling you thru my excellent digital nomad setup.
I’ve been a digital nomad because the starting of 2022. I’ve lived and labored in lots of nations around the globe, together with Mexico, Costa Rica, Albania, Montenegro, the UK, and (most lately) Sri Lanka. Throughout this time, I’ve honed my nomadic workspace to the purpose the place it’s excellent for my wants.
Turning into a digital nomad is a complete life changer, nevertheless it’s important that you’ve got the correct moveable work setup, and also you want just a few key objects to assist make sure you’re as comfy and productive as potential throughout your working day.
Relying on the kind of work you do, you might have to tailor this checklist just a little. However it’s an excellent place to begin for all digital nomads.
15 Should-Haves for a Nomadic Workspace
Whether or not you’re a seasoned nomad or simply beginning your distant work journey, these important instruments and devices will aid you create your very personal private workplace wherever you select to base your self on the planet.
A few of these objects are all about productiveness, some are about consolation, and others are for safety. I take advantage of all of them on a near-daily foundation and advocate them for all digital nomads, whichever area (actually and/or figuratively) you’re employed in.
See additionally: 17 Professionals and Cons of Being a Digital Nomad
1. A Dependable and Highly effective Laptop computer (The Most Important Merchandise in Each Digital Nomad Setup)
It form of goes with out saying, however in order for you to have the ability to work remotely, you’ll virtually definitely want a laptop computer to have the ability to do that. And since it’s more likely to be essentially the most important piece of equipment to assist your capability to earn cash from anyplace on the planet, it’s value investing in an excellent one.
I’ve a 13-inch MacBook Professional and I couldn’t advocate it any increased. They’re positively on the pricier finish of the laptop computer spectrum, however for me, they’re completely value it. As a distant employee, you want your laptop computer to be quick, dependable, and highly effective, and MacBook Professionals ship on all of those counts.
I went with the 13-inch mannequin as a result of it’s simple to pack away and transport round. The battery life can be fairly good, and I like how intuitive and straightforward it makes organizing all of my work and private stuff. Modifying photographs and synchronizing every thing with my iPhone can be tremendous easy.
If I needed to exchange my laptop computer tomorrow, I’d get one other one in every of these with out hesitation. They’re incredible items of expertise and I wholeheartedly advocate them. Click on right here to purchase one now.
2. Foldable Ergonomic Laptop computer Stand
For those who’re going to be spending hours engaged on a laptop computer, you’ll desire a foldable ergonomic laptop computer stand. This raises the display screen of your laptop so it’s nearer to eye stage and helps forestall neck and again pressure, that are widespread occupational hazards for distant staff.
You may see photographs of digital nomads working from a solar lounger, with their laptops (and a cocktail) balanced on their laps. However, belief me, this isn’t a good way to get work achieved and is nearly assured to offer you a sore again and neck after greater than about an hour.
I personal one in every of these stands and take it all over the place with me. Go for a mannequin that’s light-weight and compact, however one which’s steady and may simply and safely help the load of your laptop computer.
It’s positively definitely worth the (comparatively small) additional expense to make sure that you keep comfy and don’t harm your self whereas working out of your chosen location. Click on right here for more information.
3. Keyboard and Mouse
When you’ve got a foldable laptop computer stand (and you must – see above), you’ll additionally wish to put money into a moveable keyboard and mouse. With this mix, you primarily have a desktop setup, along with your display screen at eye stage, and your keyboard and mouse on the desk in entrance of you.
If I’m doing lower than half an hour’s work, I typically don’t trouble getting this all arrange. However for longer stints behind the display screen, these items actually are important to maintain you comfy and forestall soreness.
Certain, a keyboard and mouse isn’t a very thrilling or enjoyable factor to spend cash on. However it’s value it 1,000,000 occasions over, and your physique will thanks for it, I promise!
When you’ve got a MacBook, Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Mouse works a deal with. In any other case (or when you’d slightly go together with one thing just a little cheaper), this mix will do the job simply as effectively. Click on right here to be taught extra.
4. Noise-Canceling Headphones
I like my noise-canceling headphones! They’re superb for flights and prepare journeys, when your neighbor is doing their seemingly limitless DIY, and particularly when attempting to get work accomplished in a loud setting like a restaurant or coworking house.
Search for a pair with glorious noise-canceling capabilities. I’ve been a giant fan of Bose headphones for years, and presently personal a pair of QuietComfort 45s. I take advantage of them virtually daily they usually kind a key a part of my digital nomad work setup.
The sound high quality is incredible they usually have industry-leading noise cancelation expertise. Their over-ear design can be significantly better to your ears (and extra comfy) than earbud-style headphones, so I believe they’re positively value carrying a barely bulkier case round for.
Click on right here to be taught extra about these incredible noise-canceling headphones.
5. Exterior Monitor
Whether or not or to not journey with a moveable exterior monitor comes down to private desire and the kind of work you do. For many individuals, including an exterior monitor to their moveable workplace setup can considerably improve their productiveness by growing the quantity of seen display screen house obtainable.
For instance, you possibly can learn a web page on one display screen whereas typing on the opposite and now have just a few totally different folders open on the similar time. This will help with multitasking and may make your workflow way more environment friendly.
Nonetheless, different folks favor solely utilizing one display screen and, for these staff, an exterior monitor could be an pointless additional factor to have to hold round. There’s no proper reply, it’s all about no matter’s greatest for you.
These items of tech have develop into a lot lighter and extra reasonably priced in recent times. I don’t presently personal one, however have experimented with different folks’s and may positively see the advantages. I’m contemplating investing in a single within the close to future. For extra info, click on right here.
6. Moveable Wi-Fi Router
There are only a few issues extra essential to a digital nomad than steady, dependable web. In lots of components of the world, discovering such a connection generally is a problem, which is why having a moveable WiFi router is an excellent thought.
A few of these include an inbuilt SIM card that works in most nations (verify the protection earlier than shopping for one in every of these). Others require you to purchase a neighborhood SIM card wherever you’re, which you insert into the system to entry cell 4G web through WiFi.
The primary benefit of utilizing one in every of these over merely tethering out of your telephone’s cell web is which you can join a number of units concurrently. For instance, when you’re touring as a pair, you solely want one moveable WiFi router between you. Click on right here to be taught extra about moveable WiFi routers.
7. Native Sim Card or eSIM
Worldwide roaming expenses could be extortionate. If I’m primarily based in a rustic for greater than a few weeks, I often choose up a neighborhood SIM card or, even higher, an eSIM in order that I at all times have cell web at hand.
These are usually very reasonably priced in most locations. For instance, in Sri Lanka, I purchased an eSIM from Dialog with 50 GB of cell knowledge, (greater than I might ever presumably hope to wish), every month for lower than $10 USD.
I don’t usually trouble with packages that embody worldwide telephone calls. These are likely to price extra, and you’ll usually simply use WiFi calling, Zoom, or WhatsApp to talk to anybody that it’s essential.
When you’ve got a transportable WiFi router that takes bodily SIM playing cards, all it’s essential do is insert your native SIM card, and away you go. Alternatively, put the native SIM card into your telephone or, in case your telephone is eSIM suitable, activate the eSIM after which you need to use your telephone as a cell hotspot.
8. VPN
Cyber safety is an ever-evolving area, and it’s essential to take steps to guard your self from cyber fraud and the theft of your private info. That’s why you must at all times use a VPN everytime you hook up with public WiFi networks and every other web sources that aren’t safe.
VPNs encrypt the info you ship and obtain on-line, maintaining any delicate info and knowledge secure from hackers and different cybercriminals. In addition they can help you entry content material that may be blocked or censored in sure nations (e.g. free media in China).
With a dependable VPN, you possibly can preserve your on-line exercise and knowledge secure and safe irrespective of the place you’re on the planet. That is notably essential for digital nomads, who run their companies on-line. It additionally offers you additional peace of thoughts when managing your funds on-line.
I take advantage of NordVPN and have it put in on each my telephone and my laptop computer. It’s nice and I positively advocate it. For extra info, click on right here.
9. Common Energy Adapter
One other small however essential element of your digital nomad workplace setup is a common energy adapter. This ensures which you can cost your units and hook up with mains electrical energy wherever you’re on the planet.
I’ve this one and take it all over the place with me. It’s light-weight, compact, and has 4 USB-A ports and 1 USB-C port, in addition to a multi-input socket that accepts most plug sorts (U.S., European, UK, Australian, and so forth.). This implies which you can cost as much as 6 units directly from one outlet.
You possibly can even use them at house. I’m presently within the UK (the place I’m initially from) visiting family and friends, and my common energy adapter is simply as helpful to me right here as it’s once I’m overseas.
It’s very reasonably priced and a necessary piece of equipment for all vacationers and distant staff. Click on right here to purchase one now.
10. Moveable Exterior Onerous Drive
One factor that everyone ought to embody of their distant workplace setup is a moveable exterior onerous drive.
Think about you’re fortunately working away from some tropical paradise and, rapidly, your laptop computer dies. It’s essential take it to be repaired and, within the course of, all of its knowledge is erased. This occurred to me once I was staying in Mirissa, in southern Sri Lanka, and belief me once I say it was a nasty week…
Fortunately, if in case you have a tough drive containing a current backup of your laptop, your recordsdata are all secure and also you shouldn’t lose an excessive amount of. Ideally, you received’t lose something in any respect.
I’ve the LaCie Rugged Mini 2TB and it’s nice. It’s sturdy, with a rubber outer layer that makes it drop, shock, mud, and waterproof, so you possibly can relaxation simple realizing that your recordsdata are all secure and safe. Click on right here to be taught extra about this tremendous onerous drive.
Prime tip: purchase two of those and retailer a backup of your laptop on every one. Take one with you touring and go away one at house (with a relative or shut buddy).
That approach, if the worst involves the worst and also you lose every thing you took away with you, no less than you’ve gotten a semi-recent backup of your laptop ready for you at house. A small comfort, I do know, however positively higher than shedding every thing without end!
11. Ergonomic Mousemat
It’d sound like a tiny factor, however having an ergonomic mousemat – principally, one with a cushion pad so that you can relaxation your wrist on – can work wonders for stopping repetitive pressure accidents.
In addition they can help you use your mouse on any floor, they usually are available an enormous vary of various shapes, types, and colours.
I’ve one in every of these in my digital nomad workplace setup and extremely advocate that you simply get one too. Click on right here to purchase one now.
12. USB Hub
Many fashionable laptops include an annoying lack of USB ports. And a few – I’m you, Apple – don’t have any common (USB-A) ports in any respect.
A straightforward option to repair this challenge is to purchase a USB hub to connect with your laptop computer. There are numerous choices to select from, and you must verify which fashions will suit your laptop computer earlier than making a purchase order.
However, primarily, they develop the variety of USB ports that your laptop computer has. Some, like this one, additionally provide you with a spread of various ports, corresponding to USB-A, USB-C, SD, and Micro SD (for digital camera reminiscence playing cards).
Once more, it’s not precisely a luxurious buy. However it can considerably enhance the performance of your laptop computer and is a useful addition to any distant workplace setup. Click on right here to be taught extra.
13. Journey-Pleasant Desk Lamp
A compact, USB-powered desk lamp is a superb factor to have when working in dimly lit environments, or for late-night work classes.
Select one with a versatile neck, permitting you to place the sunshine precisely the place you want it most. Lots of the higher fashions have totally different brightness settings in addition to particular LED expertise that imitates daylight and will help scale back eyestrain.
In addition to enhancing your digital nomad workspace, these lamps are additionally nice for cooking, tenting, sitting outdoors at night time, and studying in mattress, so there are a number of makes use of obtainable from one modest buy.
I’ve acquired one in every of these at house however really forgot to take it with me once I final went touring – I actually missed it! For extra info and to buy one, click on right here.
14. Pocket book or Planner
In a world dominated by digital units, the suggestion to hold round a bodily pocket book or planner might sound counterintuitive. Nonetheless, there’s something uniquely satisfying and efficient about placing pen to paper, and I’m a giant fan of writing sure issues down.
True, I do nearly all of my work on my laptop computer. However I at all times make room for a bodily notepad in my nomad working house. I discover them particularly useful for organizing my duties and priorities. Display-based to-do lists simply don’t do it for me, I like the sensation of bodily ticking issues off an inventory.
You don’t want me to inform you that there are tens of hundreds of various notebooks on the market, and it doesn’t actually matter which one you purchase.
I’m a giant fan of Moleskine notebooks as I like their slim design, sturdy hardcover end, elasticated closing band, and interior storage pockets. Click on right here to purchase one now.
15. Moveable Bluetooth Speaker
This one form of is dependent upon the place you’ll be working. Personally, once I’m working from an Airbnb or house, I like to have just a little little bit of quiet music on within the background. And it’s at all times nicer to have music enjoying from a speaker slightly than sporting headphones on a regular basis, proper?
I’ve the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 and, for a transportable Bluetooth speaker, the audio high quality it produces is phenomenal. I favor working alone, and my excellent nomadic workspace is a quiet room with one in every of these planted on the desk shut by.
The truth is, I’ve acquired mine sitting right here subsequent to me proper now. Click on right here to purchase yours.
Digital Nomad Setup: Issues to Contemplate
As a digital nomad, it’s essential that your distant workplace setup helps the necessity to maximize your productiveness and luxury. Listed below are just a few key elements to contemplate when establishing your digital nomad workspace:
- Portability: Because you want to have the ability to pack up and take your workplace round with you, go for compact, light-weight gear. Ideally, every thing you want for work ought to match into one medium-sized backpack and be comfy to hold.
- Ergonomics: Working lengthy hours sitting in uncomfortable positions can do horrible issues to your again, neck, shoulders, and legs, and may trigger varied well being points. It’s essential to put money into ergonomic gear like an adjustable laptop computer stand, an exterior mouse and keyboard, and an ergonomic mouse mat.
- Noise administration: Coworking areas, cafes, and different nomadic workplaces can typically be fairly noisy and distracting. I strongly advocate investing in an excellent pair of noise-canceling headphones to dam out ambient sounds and create a centered work environment.
- Backup and safety: Guarantee you’ve gotten a strong backup system in place to your essential recordsdata and paperwork. Think about using cloud storage providers and commonly backing up your knowledge to exterior onerous drives or on-line backup options for added safety. Do it now – don’t go away it till it’s too late!
- Group: Staying organized is important, particularly when you’re on the transfer lots. Personally, I like writing to-do lists down in my bodily pocket book and setting reminders on my telephone calendar for essentially the most urgent objects. Some folks favor digital instruments like challenge administration software program and note-taking apps. Work out no matter works greatest for you.
- Adaptability: One in every of my favourite issues concerning the nomadic way of life is which you can be versatile and check out varied totally different work environments. Experiment with totally different work setups, corresponding to co-working areas, cafes, or outside areas, to seek out what’s handiest for you. Everybody’s totally different in spite of everything!
In Closing
The world is stuffed with superb locations to discover, and changing into a digital nomad is without doubt one of the greatest methods to journey as a lot as you need in a approach that’s financially sustainable.
Nonetheless, with a view to work effectively and comfortably from wherever you select to make your non permanent base, it’s essential that your distant work workplace incorporates just a few important objects.
Everybody’s excellent digital nomad setup can be barely totally different, and also you’ll wish to customise yours a bit relying on the kind of work you do and your private preferences. However this checklist ought to offer you an excellent place to begin – I hope it’s been useful.
