Your stifling home office is hardly the place to spend the vibrant months of the summer season, and you know it. Perhaps you’ve been meaning to go down to the local park to watch an afternoon game of football, or the neighborhood playground to sit with your kids on the swings?
Well, why not?
No matter what, not even work should be any reason for you not to go where you please this summer. If you’re about to step out of your house and make the whole world your office, here are some essentials for you this summer season:
1) Outdoor-ready gadgets
Shield your gadgets from the elements further with laptop covers that protect their contents from sunlight, lessen the impact from falls, and repel water.
If you want a long-term solution, spend on a laptop with a matte screen, to reduce glare for when you work outside; alternatively, you can also buy anti-glare screen protectors for your laptop and tablet. There are also hoods that protect your laptop from the sun.
2) Wi-Fi
Of course, the Internet is vital to any work from home professional, but that’s no reason for you to be chained to your LAN port. Research which public places near you offer free Wi-Fi, or buy your own portable Wi-Fi system that fit snugly in your pocket.
Most phones also come with a Wi-Fi hotspot feature, so take advantage of this if you suddenly find yourself somewhere with an unreliable public Internet connection.
3) Powerbank
You won’t always be able to work somewhere with enough available sockets (even if you do have the foresight to bring your own extension cord) so it’s smart to have a backup source of power ready.
Invest in a good power bank with several ports that can accommodate all your gadgets and an indicator that tells you how much juice is left in it.
Don’t forget to plug it in every night so it’s optimized for use again the next morning!
4) Water for yourself
And don’t forget to replenish your own juice! The punishing summer temperature can dehydrate a person quickly and send him on the fast track to overheating. You were likely taught as a child to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day—but in the summer months, you should meet that number and then some to prevent dehydration.
Be proactive and carry a tumbler of water with you, and keep your fluid levels up to replace what blood, sweat, and tears you lose while working.
5) Umbrella and sunscreen
If you expect to be outdoors for periods of time in the summer months, it’s important to protect yourself from the elements. Slap on some sunscreen and a big hat before you step out of the house, or better yet, carry an umbrella. Can’t have all your brilliant ideas felled by heat stroke!
Changing up your environment means taking your creative process off the beaten track too, making for some rewarding results you would never have gotten if you’d stayed within the confines of what’s expected. Or the confines of your home office.
Wherever you might find yourself this summer, ensure that you think proactively before you leave the house so you can work comfortably and productively outdoors.
Go prepared. Come back renewed.
