Resources Mentioned:

Show Notes:

Maintaining a job while pursuing van life is a must for the majority of us nomads. Contrary to popular belief, we're not actually all trust fund babies (although wouldn't that be nice?). So that means working from the road. Listen to Colby and Kayla share their perspectives on what works for them, their expectations vs reality, and tips for you whether that be a regular 9-5 corporate job like Colby or freelance writing while owning your own business as is Kayla's case.

If you're just getting started with van life, think about your personal work situation, what sort of connectivity you will need, how many people will be living and working from your van, and the ergonomics of working in a confined space. Once you have those things figured out and are on the road you can fall into the routine that works for you. Among many other things, one thing both Colby and Kayla agree on is the importance of setting boundaries and carving both time and space out for your work. Maintaining focus, free from distracting, can be difficult while on the road, but leaving yourself margin at every step of the way can help ensure you create the productive work environment you need. Wether that be getting set up for work plenty early, or having redundant internet solutions so you are never left without a connection.

Here are some of Colby's and Kayla's top tips, hacks, and products that make working on the road a little bit easier.

1. Make sure you are set up for work in a safe location at least 30 minutes before you start. This leaves time to find a parking spot, test your internet connection before you start and move if you need to before settling into your day.

2. Utilize coffee shops and public establishments to utilize their wifi and other amenities while also getting a break from being confined inside your van.

3. Make sure you have a robust internet solution. For Colby this means using a mobile router, exterior antenna, and multiple cellular carriers to get the most reliable internet possible. Then for those extreme cases she uses Starlink as a backup. For a full rundown on Internet On The Road, go back to Episode 9 where Eric and Colby talk all about this!

4. Working while on the road is necessary for maintaining life on the road, so don't compare yourself to the highlight reels others post to social media outlets. Not every day is going to be glamorous - embrace the days you shack up in the parking lot of a big box store and just grind. We all have those days, and they are absolutely necessary.

5. Swivel seats make great use of the ergonomics built into the driver and passenger seats your van already has!

6. A portable monitor is a great addition to your mobile work station!

7. A good set of noise cancelling headphones can really help your focus by tuning out the abundant amount of background noise you will experience on the road!

Catch ya next week!