7 Must Haves for On-The-Go Productivity

On the road getting work done with portable wifi

Working from the road can be a lot of fun. Mental breaks mean looking out the window, not (just) coffee. After a few road trips, I’m ready to share my must-haves for on-the-go productivity.

1. Laptop: This one is pretty obvious. There are a ton of debates on the “best laptop for travel,” but it’s really a matter of opinion. Weight hasn’t been an issue on my road trips.
2. Mobile phone: You don’t really need a fancy phone, but mobile email is a must. Keep your signature “Sent from my mobile device” free and you’re all set. You shouldn’t have to advertise for your phone and it’s not really relevant information. I’m not a fan of the phone I currently have, so I’m not recommending it. I’m interested in the new Evo (on Sprint), but have been happy with Verizon so am keeping an eye on the Droid X (which has gotten great preliminary reviews on battery life).
3. Power inverter: Depending on the length of your trip and your battery capacity, you may need a power converter. Because any real road trip outlasts my laptop battery I went with the Black and Decker 200 Watt Power Inverter. On a previous trip I had a 100 watt inverter with no problems; unfortunately I had forgotten it and the store we stopped in only had the heavy duty stuff in stock.
   Head’s up: I’ve heard of one horror story of an inverter surging someone’s laptop, but this was apparently when it was overloaded. We only plugged in two things at a time: the laptop and a phone charger.
4. Wifi: Many mobile providers are providing this nerdy gem. Because I already had Verizon for my mobile service, I went with the Verizon MiFi 2200. The pro of this one over others was it’s capacity for up to 5 computers at once, which is nice as I wasn’t the only one wanting to use it at times. The cons are speed and accessibility. We’re talking DSL speeds. That’s okay for now, I guess; it gets the job done. Accessibility is the same as my mobile phone; this was just fine until I found myself in the back woods of Alabama. (Luckily, a library was close!)
5. DimDim: DimDim is a new collaboration tool I recently came across as an alternative to Go To Meeting. It’s browser-based and free. I was sold at this point. There are also a few additional paid features I don’t think Go To Meeting has, such as reporting. Because I’m really new to it I don’t have a ton of feedback just yet, but it’s already a must-have. Give it a try if you’re in the market; it doesn’t require a credit card to try it and the basic options are free anyway. Edit: Dim Dim was acquired and is no longer free. So…
   Check out Join.Me instead.
6. Skype: Skype is the only thing I’m currently using for video chat. I like keeping it on screen while I’m reviewing a document with someone, particularly thanks to it’s quick screen sharing capabilities. That and, you know, it’s fun to show your fellow Skyper where in the world you are that day.
7. Great bag: I usually use a backpack to carry around my “office” for a few reasons: It has organized pockets, is kind of fun, and is comfy while riding a bike (which is my favorite way to discover a new downtown area!).

From the Eunice Kelly Worthington Library

BONUS TIPS:

• Rockstar travel partner: Getting all of this done in the car would be impossible without the safe driving of a rockstar travel partner. This person not only has to deal with phone/Skype/Dim Dim calls, but the actual driving as well. Hint: Give that person unlimited controls of the radio. He or she deserves it (that is, when you’re not on a call).
• Keep a schedule: Working on the road can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a distraction. I quickly learned to set a work schedule–and communicate this work schedule–depending on where I was going. My schedule was dictated by a few different things: client and co-worker expectations, optimal workspace availability, and (of course) what was planned for the trip. Most people I worked with had no idea I wasn’t in Michigan.
• Check out libraries: I often found myself opting to work in libraries, when possible. It’s been pretty awesome seeing the different libraries around the country. Some of them are having major issues with funding and cutting hours as result. Some have never had a lot of funding to begin with and found their own solutions. From libraries with multiple floors and state of the art facilities to libraries built from converted double wide trailers and emptied out attics, touring and using these facilities has taught me a lot about the communities I have visited and the way the come together.

What are your tips for on-to-go productivity? Where have you visited?

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Tagged as: Business, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, How to, libraries, Mobile, tech, travel