Whether on the train, at a café or at home – working productively has not been limited to the office for a while now. Especially freelance and field staff even often depend on working on the go. Yet that is not completely possible without preparation and a strategy. We will show you what matters in terms of equipment and which tips and tricks help to optimally shape your daily work life.
Technical equipment
A smartphone is naturally a standard tool nowadays and allows you not only to communicate via different channels, but also to use organisational tools and to access data and documents while mobile. Tablets as well as laptops are best-suited as your main device. If you frequently need to just complete simple tasks then a tablet with the corresponding apps suffices. An external Bluetooth keyboard can be a sensible accessory to make typing easier. If your work focuses more on typical ‘office programmes’ such as Microsoft Excel or Powerpoint, a laptop is surely the better choice. These programmes often only offer limited functions on a tablet.
Sufficient back-up power at all times
Charging cables, plugs and more are absolutely indispensable when leaving the house. Yet power plugs are not always available. That is why you should always pack a power bank, which allows you to give your device that extra bit of power whenever you need it. These are also available for laptops by now.
Headphones to concentrate better
Whether its the lively passenger next to you in a train or the roaring aircraft turbines: Your concentration will fly away in a loud environment. Good headphones with active noise reduction – known as Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) – are an effective way to isolate yourself from disturbing environmental noise.
Good planning is everything
Distractions can be rather substantial when on the road and you quickly lose sight of your tasks at hand. That is why it is even more important to structure your daily mobile office with a routine and to-do lists. Find a fixed routine to start your work day with. Many people benefit from starting at the same time each day, even if there is no specific appointment every morning. To start off, take a few minutes to gain a clear overview of the day ahead. Which appointments or dates are on the agenda? Which tasks must be completed? Draft a detailed plan of the day. For example, also consider when to make phone calls in quiet and plan for a suitable place to do so. Not all cafés are suitable for confidential conversations or phone conferences. If there is no way to avoid interfering sounds, you can at least mute your phone when the others are speaking and only temporarily unmute when it is your turn to speak.
Breaks increase your productivity
This, too, is part of mobile work: consciously plan for breaks. Smartphones, tablets and other devices especially tempt self-employed people to quickly reply to an email during lunch or to read an important document late at night. But people are not machines. If you work for too many hours without interruption, not only do you start making mistakes and become less productive, above all else you risk your own health. Therefore: Simply shut off your mind and your smartphone from time to time. This way, it will be much easier to finish your tasks afterwards.
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