A mobile office can be of great use for employees who tend to travel a lot. This particular work environment utilizes temporary, moveable, or makeshift buildings wherein you don’t have to confine yourself in a square or cubicle space. The idea is to help you become more organized and, more importantly, productive at work.
Sometimes, a mobile office can be referred to as a shipping container office if it’s within a truck or a purpose-built shipping container. The reason behind this concept is to make the workspace towable for easy and convenient relocation anytime you need it to be.
Knowing What Type of Work Is Involved
Given that the office is mobile, you don’t have to worry about the location anymore and can get started right away by asking yourself what type of work you’ll mostly be doing in the space. Having this information will significantly help determine the kind of equipment and suppliers you’ll need for your mobile office. As much as possible, you want to minimize the clutter, so you’ll need to get only what’s necessary for the job.
For example, if you’re a graphic designer, think of what equipment and accessories you’ll need to ensure that your work environment will remain productive despite the limited space you have. For virtual assistants or freelance workers, since you already know what you use every day for your tasks, start with that information as you work your way toward completing your mobile workspace.
Make a list of all the supplies and equipment you need for your movable office. In a nutshell, here’s a list of some essentials you might want to include in your must-buy and must-have supplies:
- Laptop for your on-the-go lifestyle
- A Bluetooth keyboard and mouse
- A bag to carry your laptop and other essentials in
- Internet connection
- Headphones
- External hard drive to back up your system
- Electronic filing system
Additionally, you’ll need to think of your power source if you’ll be traveling often in your mobile office. Portable external battery chargers could be a worthwhile investment as you can use them to charge all your gadgets while on the go.
Implementing a Paperless Filing Approach
If your goal is to make the office more clutter-free, organized, and productive, one of the best ways to do so is to implement a paperless filing approach. You no longer need to purchase filing cabinets and a printer for your mobile office. It would be best to focus more on finding proprietary software that can help you create and store documents online.
Different files such as videos, audio, and photos can be conveniently and securely kept in cloud storage. Most providers usually offer that kind of service for free. Premium accounts may also be purchased if you want to have more storage space and access to better features. An approach like this won’t only allow you to save on printing costs but also improve security mainly since access is limited to the user.
Managing Your Time Efficiently
One downside of having a mobile office is the absence of a supervisor or manager to oversee your work. You’re basically left on your own, and at times, it can be challenging to manage your time efficiently and productively.
First of all, keep in mind that your schedule is your responsibility, and you need to try your best to make use of time as productively as possible. To keep track of time and your schedule more efficiently, you can use an electronic diary to write down your to-do lists for the day. There are also work trackers online you can use if you want to measure your productivity.
Make sure your clients and colleagues are aware of your schedule and the best time to reach you. Set a clear and realistic goal when it comes to meeting your deadlines and work submissions.
Productivity on the Go
With a mobile office, you can be more productive and efficient if you take all the necessary steps. Now that you’re working independently, the job remains the same while your responsibility may have been made more complicated. You can look at it as a way to challenge yourself to continue improving as an employee and the owner of your time.
Set up a mobile office by knowing what you need for the space. Make sure you keep the place tidy and efficient to boost productivity. Implement a paperless filing approach to reduce costs while making your work system more efficient and dynamic. Lastly, be the master of your own schedule by learning how to manage time in a way that won’t compromise the quality of your work.
