Working from home naturally comes with the benefits of freedom and flexibility. If you are a parent, live in a rural area, want to travel – or just want to work in your PJs, then remote work is the way to go.

So how do you start your remote job search that would lead to your dream remote job?

There are several freelancer sites where you can quickly create a profile, showcase your skills, and start applying to promising remote job listings in minutes.

However, remote employees would be the first to tell you that finding the perfect remote job isn’t easy.

If anything, remote candidates and remote job seekers find it more challenging at times to land a remote job interview compared to facing hiring managers handling traditional job boards in a typical office environment.

All’s not lost though. There are ways to conquer the challenges you might encounter in your remote job application process, such as how to understand a remote job board and how to find a remote job that’s open to aspiring remote employees without any previous experience.

The key is to learn how to seize remote opportunities and find remote job postings offering full time positions or even just part-time remote work.

Today, one of the most popular job boards for remote workers is Upwork. In this post, I’ll be sharing some strategies on how to get noticed on one of the world’s largest freelance sites that offer remote positions.

Your first remote position

If you’re new to freelancing or working from anywhere / working remotely, you don’t always know the best way to get started with remote work.

First, you need to determine what kind of remote job or remote role will work for you. Even if this will be your first remote job as you have no experience working online, I believe anyone can transfer the offline real-world skills and experience from your regular job into a remote job.

It’s also good to know more about who you are and what type of remote work will be rewarding and geared specifically for your skill set and remote job personality. That way, you can find ways to thrive working remotely.

Once you’ve identified your ideal remote career path, including the type of remote work culture you’re looking for in remote companies and a remote team, whether you prefer flexible jobs or you’re the type of remote employee who wants a fully remote role, and all the companies hiring in your field or, at least the best remote jobs that fit the remote roles you think you can handle, the next step is to create your freelancer profile on Upwork — arguably the most daunting task for most job seekers when finding remote jobs, especially the perfect remote job.

What is Upwork?

Upwork, formerly Elance-oDesk, is a freelancing platform headquartered in California. The company was formed after a merger of two top freelancing platforms, Elance and oDesk, and rebranded to Upwork in 2015.

Upwork is a marketplace for remote talent from all over the globe. Employers and remote companies seeking to build a remote team or create in house roles, such as project management, virtual assistants, customer success agents, and tech jobs, can post on the job board and freelancers looking for remote positions can create a profile, essentially a resume, online and apply to the remote job postings.

Employers can also search for remote job applicants with your skills based on the job description and invite you to apply for the role.

Upwork has millions of freelancers enjoying the benefits of remote jobs. Finding a remote job on very crowded remote job boards can feel like a needle in the haystack.

But there are ways to find your way to the top remote job that doesn’t involve winging it. With thousands (or even millions) of remote job applications sent out to seize the same remote job opportunities, it can be easy to simply give up the dream of working remotely.

Applying to several remote jobs without a strategy, hoping to get noticed, will only lead to frustration. Worse, your job search would lead to wasted efforts and no remote job landed at all.

So, how do you land that work from anywhere remote job on Upwork?

Setting up your profile on Upwork: A step-by-step guide to getting noticed

First, let’s start with creating a profile. Then, we’ll dive into the strategy behind getting the first job.

To prepare, you’ll want to have a good headshot photo for your profile. The headshot photo should have good lighting and look professional. In other words, copying over a picture from Facebook with friends at a party is not likely going to appear professional.

You’ll want to have a photo of your face with nothing distracting in the background and no torn or too-casual attire.

Step 1: Go to Upwork.com and click the Sign Up button on the top right. Or, go to https://www.upwork.com/signup/

Step 2: Select the option “I am a freelancer looking for work” and Apply as a Freelancer.

Step 3: Follow the steps in the signup form to get started. Enter your full name and email address, select a password and click Create my Account.

Step 4: Enter your country of residence and fill out the fields to get started creating your profile. You will need to agree to terms of service, create a user name and verify your email.

Step 5: Select your main field of work. Click the drop-down menu under the “What are the main services you offer to clients?” heading, and select your area of expertise.

Note: You can select up to 4 different sub-fields after selecting your main field.

Step 6: Enter your professional skills. Click the text field under the “What skills do you offer clients?” heading, and enter your skills related to the type of work you want to do. A drop-down list will show matching skills as you type. You can click a skill to add it.

Step 7: Select your level of experience. Select Entry Level if you’re just starting out with the skills you selected; Intermediate if you have some experience already with those skills; Expert if you have substantial work experience in your field.

Step 8: Did you get your headshot photo ready? Next you’ll want to upload your professional profile photo. Be sure to smile!

This is where we start getting into strategy… but first, let’s define the steps and then we can go back.

Step 9: Enter a professional title for your profile that describes the work you do. Then, write a summary of your skills, experience, and interests.

Step 10: Enter your education and employment history. 

Step 11: Select your proficiency level in English. If you don’t know your English level, there are free tests online.

Step 12: Enter your hourly rate and your availability or the hours per week that you can work. See below for setting your rate.

Step 13: Enter your address and click submit. Upwork has a verification process to make sure you are who you say you are, but now you’re ready to get rolling!

Strategies for landing your first work from anywhere job on Upwork

Now that your profile has been created, as promised, we will get into the strategies landing that first job on Upwork.

First it’s important to know how it works from the employer’s perspective.

When an employer posts a job, they get dozens of applications within 1-2 days. Typically, the employer wants to find someone for short-term work, and quickly.

They need help with graphic design, market research, data entry, and so on. There are also cases in which they may be looking for an admin part or full time and long term.

Employers can search for talent based on: location, English level, time on platform, number of jobs completed successfully, hourly rate, reviews, and rankings.

This can feel like a disadvantage when you’re just starting out. The trick is to build out your profile and your work experience history with good reviews on Upwork.

There are a few key strategies that will help you get started and to stick out from the rest of the pack.

Be quick to apply

Upwork is a platform with millions of freelancers all competing for the same jobs. So, timing can be a factor.

Strike when the iron is hot. Employers will review candidate submissions typically in the first couple of days and make a decision to interview or hire. Try to be one of the first in their inbox.

Don’t apply to all jobs

Decide what you want to focus on. If you choose accounting, for example, but you apply to marketing jobs (because you have marketing on your resume), your chances of getting hired are lowered.

Also, don’t aim for the big salary jobs first if you’re looking to build your profile. You can also start out with short term projects to build your profile, then apply for longer term higher paying jobs.

Freelancing can lead you to a long term career, but think of yourself as a business owner marketing yourself.

Setting the right rate

You should get paid what you’re worth. However, remember that this is a platform with millions of freelancers.

If you go up against someone with the same rate and years of experience, but they have 10 reviews and you have none, they will likely be chosen over you.

Employers rely on Upwork’s rating system to give good feedback from the community about the performance of the freelancer.

If, however, you set your rate to 20%, for example, below your value, and say on your profile that you are starting out to build your ratings, you increase your chances.

As an employer 1) you can spend less money upfront for a short project or to test someone out 2) this person could potentially grow with your company.

If you’re willing to do the work for less to get your foot in the door, you can grow your reviews and increase your rate over time.

That being said, if you lower your rate, don’t let that affect your motivation. Work extra hard to get those first 5 star reviews. It will pay off.

Always work hard, of course, and be a rockstar and serve your clients and give your fullest to these jobs. But, in the first few gigs, this is crucial.

Unique cover letter

Some employers ask for a cover letter. This is to weed out people who have human bots applying to every job, spraying and praying to see what lands.

Even so, many people have just created cover letter templates to copy/paste.

Here’s one example:

Dear sir/madam, I’ve studied your requirements and I’m confident I can do the job.

I see this a lot and just ignore them. What this means is that the applicant didn’t take any time at all to review your job. It shows they are not serious about working with my company and tells me about how they would perform on the job. Don’t do this!

Again, don’t apply for all jobs. Take a minute to review the job requirements and whether a letter is required or not, send a quick cover letter. In this cover letter, really let the person know that you read their job description and why you are qualified. Not just qualified, but you can completely wow them.

For example:

Hi Mike, I see you want to create an ad on facebook and that you’re in healthcare. I’ve been in marketing for 4 years and i have created 50 successful ads, 20 of those were focused on healthcare. i know your industry well and I know facebook ads marketing. I’d love to talk about how I can help you guys out. I’m new to Upwork and creating my profile so I’m happy to do a lower rate to prove myself. I have between 2-5 pm EST this week for a call. does that fit your availability?

This shows that you not only took the time to know the industry they are in, but also what they are aiming to accomplish, specifically why YOU can do it, and, you called the hiring manager by name.

Notice you aren’t begging for work here either. You’re positioning yourself like a busy professional by telling him your schedule, while also being flexible to adjust for a call.

In conclusion

Getting your first work from anywhere job / remote job / work from home job etc – working online – takes a bit of work.

However, millions are doing it and it’s very possible – and the ultimate rewarding lifestyle. From 2014 to 15, I worked with Upwork (Elance then Elance-oDesk) to help startups and other companies inside of WeWork to hire remote talent to grow their businesses.

Employers want to get straight to the best talent, and quickly (which is why fullstackremote was created).

Knowing how the employer thinks and being willing to put yourself out there and work your way up, while this takes time, it is well worth it to start your career freelancing or just generally working from anywhere. If you are just starting out, or want to increase your skills in a particular area, check out Courses for remote jobs.

I believe that anyone who wants to work remotely should be able to do so, and you can!

A laptop is a digital nomad’s best friend. Most remote workers can get by with virtually any type of laptop, but that’s not the case for digital nomads. Finding the best laptops for digital nomads is a top priority if you want to have a smooth sailing remote work experience. Besides, it’s called a “laptop lifestyle” for a reason!

It’s your office, your library, your entertainment center, and your lifeline to the rest of the world. But with so many options on the market, it can be tough to know which one is right for you.

Not only do you need a working lightweight laptop, but you need the right kind of laptop for your digital nomad lifestyle.

The best laptops for remote workers who are also digital nomads have some unique characteristics, so budget laptops that suit work-from-home needs may not be enough.

What to Look for in a Digital Nomad Laptop

Every digital nomad has different requirements when it comes to remote work. Some digital nomads prefer Windows laptops while others want Apple laptops.

There are those who want to limit their search to the best budget laptops and lightest laptop lists while others want to look for powerful laptop and performance laptop options.

No matter your definition of the best laptop for working as a digital nomad, there are a few key factors to consider.

Lightweight

Most digital nomads prefer an ultraportable laptop, weighing under 3.5 pounds. The best laptop is compact and won’t weigh you down (or break your back) when you’re on the move.

Ideally, the best lightweight laptop for a digital nomad on the road would be something you can easily and conveniently use in tight spaces such as airplanes.

Battery Life

When you’re working from anywhere, you need a laptop with long battery life. Look for laptops with at least 8 hours of battery life. This digital nomad laptop will give you enough power to get through a full day of work, even if you’re not near an outlet.

When checking this detail on a performance laptop or a budget laptop, make sure to look at third-party reviews because manufacturers tend to exaggerate details in terms of battery power.

Connectivity

Another important factor to consider is connectivity. If you’re going to be working from different places, the best laptop for working can connect to the internet no matter where you are.

Look for digital nomad laptops with built-in LTE or at least have the option to add an external modem. This way, you won’t have to worry about finding a Wi-Fi hotspot when you’re on the go.

Processor

The processor is the heart of the best digital nomad laptops, so you need to make sure it’s powerful enough to handle all your work needs.

For digital nomad laptops, an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor should be more than enough. Anything less may lead to a laggy remote working laptop that can’t keep up with you.

Storage

You also need to think about storage capacity when choosing the best laptops for digital nomads.

If you plan to work with large files or store a lot of data, the best digital nomad laptop options have at least a 256GB solid-state drive. This will ensure your laptop’s storage space can keep up with you, no matter where you are.

Build

Replacing a laptop while on the go is not fun. You want a thin laptop that’s durable enough that it won’t snap in half when you’re lugging it around in your backpack exploring a remote tropical island.

Outstanding laptops not only have amazing battery life and cool features but also have a long-lasting build. This includes an aluminum chassis, reinforced corners, and a sturdy hinge. You’ll thank me later.

Price

Of course, price is always a factor to consider when choosing a reliable laptop. The good news is that there are plenty of light laptop and quality laptop options on the market that won’t break the bank.

However, if you plan on using your laptop for more demanding tasks, you may need to invest in a more expensive top performance laptop and splurge on higher specs than a normal laptop like a full HD monitor display, more powerful Intel core processor, laptop accessories, and even additional USB C ports.

The Best Laptops for Digital Nomads

Now that you know what to look for in a digital nomad laptop, it’s time to take a closer look at some of the best options on the market.

Keep in mind, though, that a particular laptop that I consider the best laptop for working as a digital nomad might not be the best option for you.

So, I’ll break up each laptop recommendation based on the type of remote worker you are and what you will use the laptop for as a digital nomad.

Whether you’re searching for a budget laptop, a more versatile laptop, the most lightweight and ultraportable, or the one with the most high-end specs, this guide got you covered.

Overall Best Laptop for Digital Nomads: MacBook Air

You’re probably not at all shocked to see the new MacBook Air at the top of the list of best laptops for digital nomads. After all, it is a fan favorite among remote workers. And for good reason, too.

The MacBook Air is one of the most well-rounded laptops on the market.

This affordable laptop won’t blow you away with incredibly high-tech specs, but it’s more than enough for a digital nomad to do practically everything you need it to–and do it well.

It’s lightweight and ultraportable at just 2.8 pounds (1.29 kg), making it easy to carry with you wherever you go.

Offering a fantastic battery life, the Apple MacBook Air has a new M1 chip that can guarantee up to 18 hours of power on a single charge. The long hours of battery life are clutch for digital nomads who are working remotely in areas with no or limited outlets.

The build quality is second to none, as you would expect from a MacBook, making it a durable laptop.

Unlike most laptops, the aluminum chassis is sturdy and the keyboard can withstand some serious abuse. In other words, it’s the perfect laptop for those who are constantly on the go and need a machine that can keep up with them.

The base model is offered at 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, which is already extensive for an average user. You can customize it if you need more, but at that point, it might be a better idea to simply buy a MacBook Pro.

If you’re someone who does graphics-intensive work, such as photo editing or editing 4K videos, then you’ll most likely want to buy something more powerful.

Overall, if you’re simply looking for an all-around great laptop that won’t break the bank, the MacBook Air is one of the best options out there for digital nomads.

Best Laptop for Digital Nomads in Tech: Huawei Matebook 13

It might be heartbreaking to pry yourself away from your state-of-the-art machine at home, something you’ve built to be so fast and powerful it could easily fly you to Mars and back.

But, the digital nomad life is beckoning. That means you need to downsize and streamline.

Huawei has been slowly breaking into the laptop world and is becoming one of the most reliable names when it comes to building high-tech, reliable machines.

The Huawei Matebook 13 is an excellent representation of that reputation.

This is one of the more distinctive laptops on the market thanks to its 3:2 aspect-ratio touchscreen, which is a feature that only a handful of devices offer.

The Huawei Matebook 13 also has one of the best HD camera features on the market, which is something that’s often overlooked but can be incredibly important for digital nomads who rely on video conferencing for work.

It’s great for light gaming and can even handle some more intensive games if you’re willing to lower the graphics settings.

Moreover, the MateBook 13 is compact and surprisingly portable despite being described as a flagship laptop powered like a gaming laptop. Plus, it has an incredible battery life of almost 9 hours.

Weighing only about 2.87 pounds (1.3 kg) and measuring roughly half an inch thin, this lightweight laptop barely takes up space in your backpack but still manages to deliver a powerful performance.

Basically, this laptop can do almost everything–a jack of all trades among the best laptops for digital nomads.

Best 2-in-1 Laptop for Digital Nomads: Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Convertible

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 Convertible is one of the best laptops for digital nomads who aren’t big fans of Apple. In fact, others would claim that it outshines the MacBook in some areas.

For one, the Dell XPS 13 is lighter and even more compact compared to the already very lightweight MacBook Air.

It comes with a 14+ hour battery life, which is a bit longer than the 15-hour battery life of a MacBook with Intel chips.

Unfortunately, it cannot compete with the battery life offered by the new Apple M1 chip.

With that in mind, how often do you actually require over 15 hours of battery life without charging anyway?

Its InfinityEdge HDR is one of the very few laptop screens that can go head-to-head against Mac’s retina display. Plus, the Dell XPS 13 comes with convenient anti-reflective technology.

This is a great feature for digital nomads looking to complete some remote work tasks while lounging around on the beach.

The 2-in-1 feature turns this version of Dell XPS 13 into a transformer-esque gadget that can change from a laptop to a tablet in seconds, offering you a dual-computer solution.

The tablet configuration of the Dell XPS 13 lets you use the attached stylus to drag, draw, and tap to your heart’s content.

And, there’s no need to worry about the screen since Dell secured it by using Corning Gorilla Glass that would most likely survive a coconut falling on it (don’t test this at home!).

Best Laptop for Digital Nomad Creatives: MacBook Pro

If you want to ramp things up a notch, go for the MacBook Air’s big brother: the MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Pro is arguably the most powerful option among the Apple laptops and it comes with an impressively strong processor, heaps of RAM, and all the shiny bells and whistles that you’d ever want from a brand new laptop…and then some.

When you buy a MacBook Pro, you can choose between the Intel core processors or the new Apple M1 chip.

Between the two, the M1 chip comes at a lower price tag and practically double the battery life. So, I recommend this option for digital nomads.

In terms of size, the MacBook Pro is just about the same size as the Air. It’s a bit heavier at 3 pounds (1.3 kg), but the performance it delivers is well worth the extra weight.

For most people, the MacBook Air is enough. But digital nomads who are into intensive video editing and photo editing might want the power of the MacBook Pro.

The downside of the MacBook Pro is obvious: it’s more expensive than the other laptops for digital nomads.

Given its price point, you might get a bit more paranoid about getting it damaged to stolen while traveling. That said, if you’re a remote worker who needs the power of the MacBook Pro to get things done, then you’ll thank yourself for opting for quality.

Basically, the Pro is like the MacBook Air on steroids. It has a better display, more customization alternatives, louder speakers, a larger trackpad, and, of course, more processing power. On top of these, it gives you 20 hours of long battery life!

Ultimately, it all boils down to how crucial are these extra features to your life as a digital nomad.

If they’re vital to your remote work, then don’t hesitate to go for the MacBook Pro. You won’t be disappointed.

If you can live without them, then save your cash and opt for the MacBook Air (or the other non-Apple options here on the list).

Best Laptop for Digital Nomads on a Budget: Lenovo Flex 5 14″

If you want a quality portable laptop but are on a tight budget, then you can’t go wrong in choosing the Lenovo Flex 5 14.

While it’s not as powerful as the other laptops on this list, you can still complete day-to-day tasks. You may not want to edit videos or even photos on this bad boy, but it can work perfectly fine for most remote work projects.

Actually, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 comes with a flip-around screen and a stylus. While it’s not as small and portable as the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, the tablet mode still makes this model convenient to use on flights and in cramped spaces.

While it’s chunkier than the other ultraslim laptops listed above, Lenovo Flex 5 14 boasts a dongle-free experience thanks to its two USB-A ports, USB-C port, HDMI port, and SD card reader. That’s actually an edge it has against the likes of the MacBook Air.

All in all, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is a starter laptop for remote workers and digital nomads.

Although it is a bit heavier, has a slightly less bright screen, and has unimpressive battery life, this is still a good laptop for digital nomads on a tight budget.

What’s the best laptop for digital nomads?

The best laptop for digital nomads ultimately comes down to your remote work requirements, budget, and preferred features.

If you’re a remote worker who’s only starting out and still don’t have the extra cash to splurge on one of the best laptops for digital nomads, then budget laptops with decent to long battery life can be great starter devices.

But, if your budget allows you to spend on a more powerful machine, go for one of the best laptops for digital nomads on the market. It’s an investment that will pay off in the long run.

Not only will it make your life easier, but you’ll also be able to work more efficiently and enjoy better results.

After all, your livelihood depends on it. So choose wisely and enjoy the journey!

When you can work anywhere and know where to find the best places to work remotely, you can have almost anything at your fingertips–sun and surf, inspirational views, a mid-afternoon glass of wine or beer (I’m not here to judge).

But when you don’t have a dedicated office—or when you’re traveling away from your home office—there’s one thing you can’t count on “anywhere” to provide: a quiet space with wifi to get some real work done.

The term “quiet” is relative. You may need absolute silence, a bit of open space, or some white noise. Everyone is different, and you’ll determine what’s best and the types of quiet spaces for you based on your own remote working style.

You’re less productive in your remote work when you’re stuck in a cubicle working for a boss and chatting with most people passing by and co-workers. As digital nomads and remote workers, you need to figure out how to be productive when working for yourselves. You need to find the best places to work remotely and focus – no matter where you are in the world. A daunting yet doable task.

How to Set Up a Quiet Space for Remote Work 

Before we get down to the good stuff on the quiet spaces to work with reliable wi-fi, let’s talk first about getting set up when working remotely. Let’s face it – finding quiet spaces to work in any location (particularly with good wi-fi) is not an easy task in general (which is the reason you’re reading this article).

So, let’s get set up:

1. Use Noise Cancelling Headphones

Imagine sitting in an airport (I bet you can) and there are people constantly walking by you. Or you’re in coworking spaces and everyone wants to come up and chat with you.

The only time that noise-canceling headphones didn’t work for me was when I was working in Buenos Aires. I was in my own apartment, on a conference call, when suddenly, the power company started to jackhammer into the side of the building, unannounced. The video calls were dropped when the power cut out… but that’s another issue and a story for another time.

Noise-canceling headphones won’t block out a jackhammer below you, but they will allow you to block out most background noise. An added bonus is that these will allow you to focus intently on your remote work.

Pro tip: When people, especially fellow digital nomads and remote workers, see you with those giant earmuffs hugging your ears and your laser-like focus, they tend to give you space and leave you alone.

I’ve tested dozens of in-ear headphones and regular headsets and my favorite – based on feedback from people I talk to that can actually hear me and based on the amount of background noise that’s reduced, are the Logitech USB headset.

Another pro tip: The $30 USB headphones are actually better for noise reduction to keep you on track in your remote work than the more expensive wireless version.

2. Set Up a Mobile Hotspot

Don’t you love sitting down to work in your favorite coffee shop in New York, San Diego, or San Francisco, ordering your latte and biscotti? Imagine what a long day it would seem if find out that you can’t get online to work remotely after making all these plans to sit and work in a great place. Try to picture your disappointment when you approach the barista, who would then inform you that the wi-fi is down and the technician won’t be in until the following day. Bad luck for you.

As a backup for digital nomads and remote workers, a mobile wi-fi hotspot, also called mi-fi, needs to be top of your packing list. When you don’t want to spend your entire day or weekend trip remote working in a coffee shop, coworking space, or any space with wi-fi access, as we’re about to get to below, you’ll need backup.

I use a T-Mobile hotspot that’s pre-paid monthly and I also have a T-Mobile iPhone in which I can very quickly upgrade my plan for extra gigabytes and downgrade when I no longer need the wi-fi boost.

Whether you’ll only use them on weekend trips when doing some outdoor activities like exploring a national park, watching sporting events, or staying and living for one month or more in a different city or country with warm weather to avoid the harsh winter months, having mobile wifi access means you can easily spend time in the best places to work remotely.

Phones as hotspots are nearly catching up to the power of the non-phone hotspot. However, it makes more sense for digital nomads working remotely to have both. The phone as a hotspot is a great backup but also uses more battery power. You never want to be without wi-fi, so I recommend both.

3. Get Comfortable, Get Power, Block Time

Quiet usually means you’ll be sitting and working remotely for a little while. So plan things like:

• comfortable seating with back support
• close proximity to power outlets or power supply
• check the hours for closing times

4. Consider Using White Noise

Get your playlist for your favorite time-to-focus music ready to go if background noise and headphones aren’t enough to keep your attention on your remote work tasks.

5. Plan for Interruptions 

Some people love to talk – no matter where you are or what you’re doing. Headphones and that laser-like focus staring at your screen while you worked remotely will detract a lot of the would-be interrupters. But, it’s sometimes unavoidable even when you’re in quiet spaces like an office or coworking space.

One of the best lines I’ve found in recent years when someone interrupts your quality quiet time for remote work time is to simply say you’re preparing for a meeting or that you have too many things to do and a deadline due. Politely setting boundaries is great when you’re interrupted unwillingly, especially in quiet spaces dedicated to digital nomads to work remotely.

Most importantly, get back to work immediately. Don’t allow an interruption to the flow of your ideas and turn it into a break to check out more “fun” activities like the best places to visit on the East Coast, Fort Lauderdale, Grand Canyon, Pacific Coast, San Francisco, New York, or San Diego.

Okay… Now that you’re comfy, have your wi-fi hotspot or any other internet access, and noise-canceling headphones, you are prepared for anti-breaking concentration, and you have a dedicated time and space where your power won’t go out or the shop won’t close – you’re ready to get into the zone.

Where Are the Best Quiet Spaces to Work with Wi-fi?

If you’re a working traveler (or a traveling worker), here are a few of the best places to work remotely when you really need to buckle down to come up with great ideas and deliver quality work.

Airports 

I love airports. Really. They have everything you need: wi-fi (if not free, then through partners like Boingo), coffee, food, restrooms, seating, power outlets.

I don’t mind getting stuck on a long layover or even spending the night (as long as I’m prepared) because airports offer great places to work and rest.

With a little preparation, like the noise canceling headphones and a wi-fi hotspot, you can create quiet spaces for yourself to work remotely and brainstorm your next batch of big ideas. There are all strangers around you so it’s easy to be ignored. Find a great place near a plug and get to work!

Co-Working Spaces

There are probably no better places to work than the blend of traditional office setup and the new world of flexible entrepreneurship than the concept of coworking spaces. Virtually every major city—and many smaller ones—has coworking spaces available, and they can give you the best places to work remotely when you’re out seeing the world.

Just in case you aren’t aware, coworking spaces are shared office spaces where you can basically rent a desk alongside other startups, entrepreneurs, and small companies.

They tend to be open-plan, modern-style offices, and let solopreneurs, as well as bootstrapped startups and growing companies, find affordable, dedicated spaces where they can work remotely on their budget.

Much of the coworking space industry is geared towards companies that don’t need much dedicated spaces and want to spend less and split other office expenses. They also cater to local solopreneurs who don’t like working out of a home office.

And most of them, often in big cities, have the odd desk available for short-term rentals…like if you happen to be passing through or visiting for a few days and just need a quiet, professional office place to set up shop.

There’s obviously a cost component to consider when it comes to co-working, but you’re virtually guaranteed a place where you can focus on work without being completely isolated.

Plus you’ll have a solid WiFi connection (I can’t imagine a co-working space that doesn’t provide one), which you know is a must when you’re working on the go.

Many co-working spaces are divided into separate levels. Traditional co-working space may also be called “hot desk” – an open floor plan surrounded by several other busy bees like yourself.

The only potential downside to this type of setup, of course, is a distraction. Community sharing is great, and valuable, but not conducive to getting real work done without interruption. Coworking spaces will often also have the option of a private office or the ability to rent a conference room.

If you need a quiet space to work, without distraction, then opt for the private space or the conference room.

Pro tip: If the conference room or office has windows, shut the door and face your back to the windows for the least amount of visibility (disallowing interruptions). If all sides are windows, make sure to wear those headphones and make little eye contact.

Coffee Shops

Wi-fi is all but ubiquitous in coffee shops these days, too. Most of them are fine with you camping out by a power outlet for hours at a time, but only if you order every couple of hours and leave a nice tip!

This might not be the best solution if you need absolute peace and quiet to get work done, but many people find the background buzz aka white noise, and people-watching opportunities provide just enough distraction to keep their minds from totally wandering.

Some coffee shops have conference rooms or private rooms that you can rent or arrive early to get a good seat.

Switch it up and find a quiet coffee shop on the outskirts of town or in a new neighborhood – this is a great way to find a seat or a table, unfamiliar faces for less chitchat, and some on-hand caffeine to fool those productive hours.

Find some great crowdsourced coffee shops here.

Rent an AirBnB Studio

Renting a private room, or better yet, a studio, on AirBnb can really help you get some quiet time to yourself. A studio allows for no roommates or distractions.

Tip: Before you book you’ll want to make sure that this is one of the best places to work remotely. That means they should have good wi-fi. To test wi-fi, you can ask your potential host to go to speedtest.net.

The minimum connection I recommend is 8 gb down, but that depends on what you’re doing.

If you’re just checking emails or a simple Skype call, 4 mb is fine.

If you’re having video conferencing calls and sending files, then I recommend 20 mb. Learn more about wi-fi speeds needed for remote work here.

The right accommodations can mean the difference between productivity and lack thereof.

The difference in cost for private versus shared will likely be the difference between less stress and business progression versus delays and less productivity.

Your Car / Boat / Van / RV 

Dead serious. This is one of the best places to work remotely. However, it only works, obviously, if your travels include a personal vehicle, whether it’s your own car, a rental, or borrowed from a friend—it’s probably not worth the Uber rates 🙂

Some may object to the cramped quarters and lack of amenities provided by the typical automobile or boat, but there are actually a lot of advantages to using a four-wheeled or floating office.

First, you have total privacy. You don’t have to worry about anyone else setting up rules or causing a distraction. Your space is entirely your own, just like you had your own (small, bathroom-less) office.

Second, you can get a corner office view if you want one. A scenic overlook, the top of a midtown parking garage, on a cliff overlooking the ocean—whatever vista you want to visit, your car can get you there and give you a quiet workspace when you arrive.

Last but not least, your car (or boat, or van / RV) gives you an easy way to get connected almost anywhere. Plenty of businesses, including many big box stores, food chains, and of course coffee shops, now offer free wi-fi to anyone in range. Find a parking spot in close range and you’re good to go.

I’ve spent months working from my houseboat in Seattle, and this morning I was working from my Mitsubishi Delica overlooking the Pacific Ocean.. until the beautiful sunset. A T-Mobile hotspot and a 12-hour (okay…8-hour) battery on my Macbook Air, with a laptop table, a good 4G signal, and a latte and it’s the ultimate quiet spot – with the ultimate view.

Libraries

Once upon a time, libraries were the ultimate place to get work done. Quiet, technologically connected at a time when many businesses weren’t (albeit dialup!), and the best repositories of research material you were likely to find in any given locale.

Things have changed a bit—OK, a lot—for libraries in the Internet Age, with virtually all the world’s information now at your fingertips and digital communication with all points on the globe available in your pocket.

But…

Libraries are still great places to get some work done when you need some peace and quiet in and don’t have an office to head to. Librarians are great at enforcing the “quiet” rule, and most offer free wi-fi.

Some even offer private or even soundproof study rooms to really shut out the distractions, and if you happen to want or need a book for some reason – in the age of Google, there are plenty on hand.

Public Parks and Campgrounds 

Though not always reliable wi-fi (hence the mobile hotspot backup), you can still find free networks in many city centers and even parks. Several campgrounds have wi-fi and once again you can work from your moving vehicle or your picnic table!

If you don’t have a hotspot or your phone doesn’t have hotspot capabilities that would allow you to find the best places to work remotely….change that. For the traveling entrepreneur/freelancer it’ll pay for itself many times over!

Get Down to Business Without Being Tied Down to an Office

Freedom. It’s what our lifestyle is all about, and it’s what we build our working life around. It doesn’t mean we work less hard or are less productive, it just means we get more creative in the way we do things.

Finding best places to work remotely in every city on earth—and all the non-cities in between—is just one of the perks of the job.

These are a few solutions to the workplace solitude situation. Is your favorite on the list? Have any other tips to share? Let me know in the comments, and tell everyone in the world where you’re posting from!

If you’ve followed my blog at all, then you know that I can literally live and work anywhere in the world that I choose. In fact, right now, you’ll likely find me in one of two locations: New York or Seattle. Although they may be on different sides of the U.S., I am able to keep working remotely smoothly and call each one “home” due to the fact that I follow what I call my mobility criteria. Basically, this is a list of remote work best practices or a digital nomad checklist. For years, it has been the key to the success of the location-independent lifestyle I’ve been enjoying.

Digital nomad checklist for remote work success

The digital nomad checklist or list of remote work best practices is integral to the virtual learning resources I have, making it possible for me to stay mobile as a digital nomad, work remotely alongside other location independent entrepreneurs and team managers, and keep my business running with the best results across multiple time zones and no matter where I am physically.

Most importantly, this is one of the resources for digital nomads that can help not only with professional development as remote employees but also help maintain a healthy personal life and mental health among remote workers. This could be used by individual remote workers, those who run their own business but have their team members or employees doing remote work, or become part of all the tools compiled by teams working remotely to help mold their company culture.

Simply, this list of remote work best practices or digital nomad checklist helps remote workers achieve better work life balance.

So, if remote working and living a location-independent life as a digital nomad are your goals, then you should add this list to your digital nomad resources:

Create a schedule with milestones

The remote work environment still has similarities with the traditional office setup. You still need to allocate time to deal with scheduling meetings or video conferencing with your remote team from different time zones, reviewing meeting notes and company documents, or studying materials from online learning platforms.

Whether you’re one of the independent workers or a team member that’s part of a bigger remote staff, creating and keeping track of a schedule is an excellent way to keep both your work environment and personal life healthy.

Having a schedule boosts your productivity, ensuring that you are able to create boundaries while working online but still able to hit deadlines and goals. So, think about the things that you need to get done and create milestones to ensure they are done on time.

It also plays an integral part in guaranteeing you don’t spend longer hours in your remote work, eliminating wasted time and allowing you to spend less time in the online world and enjoying the other perks of digital nomadism described in practically every travel blog like connecting with potentially lifelong friends, meeting with a family member in the area, or simply searching for cheap flights to explore other countries.

Develop a daily routine

Certainly, as digital nomads, you don’t have to do everything the same day in and day out. That would defeat the purpose of living and working anywhere, working remotely, and the nomadic lifestyle. However, following the same basic schedule will make a big difference toward keeping you on task in your remote work. Plus, knowing what to expect will help you find a great alternative to clear processes faster and determine ways to improve productivity.

Become part of the community

Taking part in the local community means joining Meetup or groups for digital nomads and truly taking part in the area you are in. There are several communication channels and other sites with a chat function for a remote worker to stay visible and connect with other remote employees.

If you’re like most people and prefer a personal touch to feel connected with other remote workers and fellow digital nomads, you can actually physically walk and interact with remote workers in a co working space or a digital nomad accommodation like a hostel.

Remember, it’s vital to make sure you don’t spend all your screen life working, dedicating longer hours, and taking fewer breaks to fulfill your remote work tasks. Sometimes, it’s nice to take off your work shoes and interact with other human beings who are not your remote work team members.

That would wreak havoc with your mental health. You should always strive to hit the right work life balance wherever your digital nomad lifestyle journey takes you.

After all, that is the joy of digital nomads living and working anywhere, isn’t it?

Strong, consistent Internet

Of course, in order to stay in touch with the rest of the world and avoid communication difficulties, you’re going to need Internet. And not Internet that goes in and out, but strong Internet that works when you need it, especially for important tasks like video conferencing meetings.

So, it’s critical for every remote worker to research more about where to get cheap data plans to sustain your remote work needs like screen sharing, decision-making sessions in Microsoft teams, and even just the odd full archive search task.

Success in working remotely depends heavily in having the right tools and the right technology. As in an office job, remote employees should also ensure that they have the proper work devices to coordinate and collaborate with their remote teams and secure effective communication with clients and fellow remote staff.

A quiet workspace

It is difficult to work in a place that is active and chaotic, so you’ll want to find someplace that you can go that is quiet and relatively free from distraction.

Most digital nomads and remote employees find coworking spaces, which tend to be open 24/7 to accommodate remote teams scattered across multiple time zones, to be a tremendous help for their productivity and focus. Aside from offering the right technology and tools, these places tend to have a “vibe” or a company culture that works well with remote work nomads.

Consistent power source

You can have the best remote work equipment and more resources than any other digital nomad in the world, but if you don’t have power, those aren’t going to matter.

As a remote worker, your best practices list should never neglect to ensure that you have access to a designated workspace with a consistent power source. That way, you’re not literally left sitting in the dark.

Minimalism and flexibility

The less you need to operate your business as digital nomads, the easier it will be to do so from anywhere. This enables you to easily clarify expectations, keeps you flexible, and lets you take care of day-to-day tasks quickly and easily.

Virtual money management

You’ll need to be able to take care of your finances while traveling and working remotely, so you’ll need to set up some sort of virtual money management system that allows you to send and receive money effectively. You should also take a look at data security concerns when it comes fund transfers, so check out options like whether you need a password manager or buy a local sim card for certain transactions.

Being digital nomads and working remotely also come with costs like travel insurance, health care expenses, remote team tools that ensure you’re all on the same page, and the occasional professional development courses.

Communication and productivity tools

Generally, this means having the necessary programs and right tools that you need to keep you on track and in touch.

For instance, some digital nomads prefer Apple devices because of how many integrations the brand offers and the data security it prides itself on while other remote teams choose Microsoft Office tools for the additional features. There are also remote work employees who lean towards Google products like Google Meet and Google Drive for collaboration. Regardless of your remote work preference, it’s important to establish and clarify expectations so make sure you’re all on the same page.

Virtual team

When you create a remote team and system, you can take care of business and feel connected via various tools like Google Meet, Zoom, and Skype, even when you’re on opposite sides of the world.

Nowadays, distance and even time zones no longer create boundaries among remote employees. Even if digital nomads work remotely, it’s still possible to help remote work employees feel valued and part of a bigger team.

Software product or hybrid

Be sure to get any software that you need to work remotely with you so that you can access everything required to adequately run your company and not interrupt location-independent lifestyle as digital nomads.

For example, if you’re a co founder working remotely, one of your best practices should be to invest in software that can smoothly handle multiple screen sharing and communication tools. Having a Google Drive account with a bigger storage capacity and investing in tools that would afford you would excellent data security would be useful, too.

Backup software and hardware

There is nothing worse than remote working in an unfamiliar place and having your software or hardware fail; therefore, one of the best practices for remote work employees should be having backup devices.

This extra step can go a long way to keeping your remote work schedule on track and sustain your productivity and focus levels—even if your electronics have decided to jeopardize your day.

Cloud storage

By putting your information in the cloud, you can have access to it anywhere from any device. Remote working sometimes means collaborating with other members of remote teams, and that could be difficult when you’re in different locations and follow different time zones. Waiting for another person to grant you access to certain. files could hamper your productivity and make you lose focus.

That makes having cloud storage one of the best practices to keep when it comes to remote work. Plus, having a backup in case your devices suddenly get damaged or, worse, stolen can ease your anxiety.

Time zone management

Admittedly, it isn’t always easy to operate a business or complete remote work when you’re in a different time zone. But, it isn’t impossible either.

This may require moving around your work day from time to time in order to tend to business when clients and/or team members are available. That could mean having to work in your hostel instead of your favorite coworking space from time to time.

This is one of the realities of remote work, and a key reason for staying on course in your productivity schedule. It allows you some breathing room whenever “life” happens to your or your fellow remote work employees. Remember, remote working works best when you know how to compromise.

Safe surroundings

Although this is listed last, it’s arguable the most important must-have for remote work employees. Of course, you aren’t going to get much remote work done if you’re worried about your safety.

Whether you’re waiting for an onward flight for a hours or staying in a new country, this means finding a good place to lay your head, such as a hostel, and preferably having your own key. It also means acquainting yourself with safe modes of transportation in that area. Sounds simple, I know, but you don’t want to overlook this basic necessity. If you plan to stay long, I suggest you spend the first week just navigating and familiarizing yourself with the area.

LiveWorkAnywhere is based on these criteria, as is AnyPass, a web based system that is designed to help you stay connected no matter where you are in the world. That makes both of these sites great resources to keeping you mobile.

And if you’re not yet mobile, but would like to learn more about how to leave your 9 to 5 behind and earn money while traveling the world, feel free to join this free webinar to expand your digital nomad resources. It’s time to start pursuing that location independent living you’ve been eyeing to live…today!

Ah, the dreaded tax season. The good news is if your taxes are fairly straightforward, you can file your taxes online pretty easily. We’ve assembled a list of the best tax software for remote workers and digital nomads. Save time and stay on top of taxes – so you can get back to living and working from anywhere!

Best Tax Software for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads

First, before you begin filing your taxes at home or in foreign countries, you must be organized. Staying on top of your taxes and business activities throughout the year makes it easier to e-file, get your tax returns (or know what you owe) more quickly, avoid missing tax obligations, and protect your financial accounts from double taxation.

Organizing your taxes

A simple way to organize your taxes is to keep a spreadsheet or notes of major purchases throughout the year. I use Google Sheets to list out expenses and income and any major purchases related to business.

Tips for organizing your taxes

Using a Google Sheet helps me not only with U.S. taxes but also with foreign taxes and other taxable income especially while living abroad. It also guides me in managing my budget, particularly when it comes to health insurance options, state taxes when I’m on the move within the country, and even my tax benefits.

I separate income: business income, 1099 and/or W2 income, and rental income. I also separate my expenses: maintenance/repairs, software and tools, and so on.

Any time I have a major purchase or repair, I go to the sheet and jot it down so I don’t forget. As a digital nomad and business owner, you need all the tax deductions you can get!

Tax filing for W2 Employees

If you don’t have a business and are a W2 employee, filing taxes online will be straightforward. You will need to get a copy of your W2 from your employer.

Software for W2 Employees

Companies may use a service like Gusto or ADP for processing payroll. You may also use a service like Expensify for reimbursements. Note that if the company does not report the reimbursements, you may not need to either. Instead, you can take advantage of the $1,800 / year allotted standard deduction.

Tax filing for Independent Contractors (1099)

If you are an independent contractor, you will have self-employment taxes. This means you will have more tax deductions to consider.

It’s nice getting a large check for your total hourly rate without taxes deducted.

However, working remotely as digital nomads also means that you need to be conscientious of filing taxes and tracking your worldwide income (from foreign assets or foreign taxes paid) – or you can quickly end up behind Uncle Sam.

For some reason, I always choose to learn the hard way. This was true in terms of getting behind on taxes. “Leap and the net will appear” – while motivating, it does not apply to taxes.

So, now, I generally subtract and set aside 30% from the total amount received for paying the IRS. I know, it’s hard, when you could be investing in Bitcoin instead. But, pay now or pay later. Trust me.

Luckily, with tax deductions, you can reduce your percentage or tax bill owed. But not completely.

Accounting Software for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads

To keep more diligent track of your expenses, you’ll want to move from spreadsheets to accounting software. Some accounting software also allows you to file your taxes while monitoring your bank account. But for simplicity, we’ve first listed the best accounting software.

Benefits of Accounting Software

If you’re working remotely, you probably already have a slew of apps/software you use each month for your job or online business.

So it makes sense to simplify your life and go digital in all areas, including accounting software. No paper receipts!

Benefits of accounting software:

1. Linking your bank accounts
2. Keeping everything in one place
3. Be prepared for tax season
4. Know what you’re owed or the amount you’ll pay taxes

Note: Something I also learned a little late – never co-mingle your funds. Always have a separate account for business and personal.

This makes filing and reconciling sooo much easier. Recently, I changed from having all my accounts at Bank of America (I originally did this, even with high fees, for international reciprocity) to Mercury.

Mercury is very simple to set up – all online – and easy to use, unlike traditional banking software.

List of the Best Accounting Software

Quickbooks

An industry leader for a reason, Quickbooks makes it easy to set up your tax filing system. They have options for simple tax prep or more in-depth tax reporting.

Quickbooks Self Employed

If you are self-employed and want to take advantage of all your deductions, then QuickBooks Self-Employed is the software for you.

If you have employees, QuickBooks also makes it easy to manage payroll tax filings.

Xero

Xero is another market leader, quickly on the tails of Quickbooks. Xero allows business owners and digital nomads to easily track expenses and differentiate between personal or business-related transactions. Xero makes it easy to reconcile your taxes by setting up rules.

An example of a rule might be to group all gas stations into one category. This makes it easy to quickly reconcile the name and category of the expense.

Bench

If you don’t want to do accounting and prefer someone else to manage it for you, there’s a solution. Bench.co is a startup that specializes in accounting software and tax filing.

Bench has a managed service along with its software. Meaning, along with accounting software, they also provide you with a team of accountants.

An added bonus is that you can ask them for advice at any time. Not the cheapest, but if you prefer to have someone else manage your accounting – Bench is a great option.

Expensify

An important part of tax preparation is keeping your receipts and tracking your expenses.

Luckily, there’s a solution to paper receipts – Expensify. Keeping track of your receipts as you go will save so much time and hassle later on.

Best Tax Filing Software for Remote Workers & Digital Nomads

Remote workers and digital nomads can use tax filing software to file tax returns without having to be in one place (yay, work from anywhere!).

For remote workers, filing taxes, keeping track of foreign taxes paid, generating a foreign bank account report for foreign accounts, or just checking for potential double taxation can be challenging.

Tax software is an effective solution to most of the problems involving filing taxes. Tax software allows digital nomads to fulfill their tax obligation by providing a secure, convenient, reasonably priced, and easy-to-use platform.

Benefits of tax software:

• Basic tax filing with tax deductions
• Beginners can file taxes online without any tax knowledge or experience
• Free tax return filing and tax support throughout the whole process
• Basic tax filing with tax deductions

Let’s take a look at a few.

Free Tax USA

Started by a CPA in 2001 and IRS-approved, FreeTaxUSA has become one of the top tax filing software. It’s the best tax software for tax filers with simple tax returns. And, just like the name says, you can use FreeTaxUSA 100% free for your Federal returns.

FreeTaxUSA also guarantees that you’ll get the maximum return if you use their software. Not bad for free!

There are two editions – Free and Deluxe.

FreeTaxUSA – Free Edition

The free edition is easy to use, unlike other free tax software, and good for novices with simple returns.

You pay nothing for preparing and e-filing your federal return, and up to $14.99 for each state filing.

FreeTaxUSA includes IRS forms including Schedules A, B, C, D, E, and K. These forms cover a wide range of situations and complexity, like online business and freelance income. Also, deductions related to your home office.

All of your data is stored in the cloud. This makes it super easy to come back each year and use your previous year’s data. This is a huge time saver for tax preparation.

You can also import from other tax programs like TurboTax, TaxAct, and H&R Block to get your data.

The free edition has great customer support and typically produces a response within 24 hours (even on weekends). All help is provided by email.

If you want to receive priority support, which you may need for more complicated taxes or to avoid an IRS audit, you need the Deluxe edition.

TaxFreeUSA – Deluxe Edition

If you’ve ever been audited then you know the nightmare of having to go back through every single receipt, deduction, claim, form, and so on. HR Block says “On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the worst), being audited by the IRS could be a 10”. So, yeah, don’t get audited.

Benefits of the Deluxe edition include:

• In-house Audit Assist program that provides access to audit specialists
• Priority support, including Live Chat during business hours
• Unlimited amended tax returns

The Deluxe Edition costs $6.99 for federal returns and $12.95-$14.99 for state taxes. The main advantage of the deluxe plan is the audit assistance and live support. Taxes are not easy, so having someone on your side can really help. Especially for only $6.99.

Did I mention that they guarantee you’ll get the maximum refund?

Try FreeTaxUSA.

TaxSlayer

I’ve listed TaxSlayer first because it’s the best tax software for freelancers or self-employed people. Typically, this software is for digital nomads and freelancers who have some experience filing their taxes online.

TaxSlayer has some of the cheapest prices and they offer a free tax filing service.

TurboTax

Similar to TaxSlayer, TurboTax is another good option for people who have some experience in tax preparation. Both companies offer cheap prices, but I personally like how TaxSlayer helps throughout the entire process.

TurboTax tax filing software makes it easy to file your tax returns from anywhere as long as you have internet access.

H&R Block Tax Software

H&R Block tax filing software is for those who want the most comprehensive and accurate services possible, without having to pay hugely expensive fees. They also have a network of over 10,000 office locations across the US.

H&R Block tax software can find deductions that other tax services might not be able to. Deductions can save you thousands of dollars in taxes owed.

TaxACT

TaxACT is tax software for people with simple tax returns who cannot or do not wish to file online. But, still need an easy-to-use program that will guide them through the whole process step by step.

Jackson Hewitt

Tax obligations can be complicated for freelancers working remotely and digital nomads with investments or rental properties. If you’re living in a foreign country or have foreign accounts, making worldwide income, you may want to consider hiring a firm. Tax firms help reduce your risk.

Jackson Hewitt allows you to file and pay taxes in person as well as online – by yourself or with a tax professional.

Tax preparation fees vary depending on what you need. If you want to avoid your annual income being double taxed, paying too much in capital gains, social security tax, and corporate tax, as well as know how to deal with foreign taxes (and U.S. taxes), tax treaties, foreign assets, foreign tax credit, foreign earned income exclusion, and other complicated matters – Jackson Hewitt has the expertise to help you through these things.

It’s not the cheapest, but having a tax advisor for a complicated tax situation or tax bill is worth the money spent.

Liberty Tax:

Liberty Tax is similar to Jackson Hewitt in that it has both online options to file taxes as well as a network of local offices around the country.

This is particularly convenient for digital nomads and remote work employees who need help with their diverse earned income.

I personally have had a tax advisor from Liberty Tax for years, and she owns two local offices.

Many digital nomads or remote work employees abroad can benefit from extra tax advice. It is relatively easy to file online even if you’re in a foreign country.

However, when you have income from remote work in multiple states or multiple employers, property tax, health insurance, stocks, rentals, capital gains, various financial accounts and properties, multiple online businesses with remote employees – you really need a tax expert.

With Liberty Tax, you can file online, request a virtual tax pro (which I love and is great for American digital nomads) or go into an office location.

Conclusion

Taxes are complicated, full stop. If you are a digital nomad, work remotely / work abroad, are living abroad, and have multiple businesses and/or assets, it thickens the plot.

Having tax software to file online is important when all you do is live and work from anywhere. FreeTaxUSA is the best software for free filing online.

If you want to seek the advice of a tax expert, then you will also want to look at Jackson Hewitt or Liberty Tax. Having someone to help advise you on your taxes while also filing online can save you many headaches during tax season whether you’re filing U.S. taxes or foreign taxes.

With the spread of COVID-19, many companies were forced to transform their staff into remote teams. Even industries with limited tools for remote workers have found themselves scrambling to provide their newly remote employees with a way to work from home.

Even when the dust settles and we are no longer in the midst of a pandemic, I believe a lot of these remote teams and remote working arrangements will stick. When people realize the benefits of remote working, there will be an increased demand for work-from-home setups from here on out.

How companies are responding to remote working

Many companies are sending employees home with the bare minimum tools for remote workers, such as laptops, and forcing them to adjust to remote working at an extremely fast pace. To help this massive transition go smoothly and quickly, several companies are offering their remote work tools for free.

Best remote working tools for digital nomads

From time tracking software, screen sharing apps, virtual private network providers to employee monitoring software, here’s a list of remote working tools that some companies are offering to help with your remote work and achieve a work life balance.

Adobe

Adobe’s Creative Suite (including Photoshop and Lightroom) is one of the most useful remote work tools available for free to students and remote employees.

Airtable

This is one of the best project management tools for remote teams. When the pandemic started, Airtable offered its online databases and spreadsheets for free for any non-political, humanitarian efforts combating COVID-19.

Atlassian

This remote work software is great for team collaboration. It’s also an excellent project management app and remote team management platform. The fact that it’s free for remote teams of ten people or fewer makes it an attractive option for smaller remote working teams or remote employees on the lookout for task management software. There is no “trial” limit to this offer.

BlueJeans

This is one of the software tools that offer a seamless and convenient platform for remote teams or virtual teams to conduct their video calls and team meetings. When the pandemic started, BlueJeans’ video conferencing service was free for all first responders and NGO’s.

Box

One of the most valuable remote working tools is cloud storage. Offering team members remote access to various business tools and resources does wonders not only for managing remote teams but also for remote collaboration.

The business edition of Box, which allows for unlimited cloud data storage and protection, is also available for free for 90 days. This trial period would allow remote teams or just interested remote employees to determine whether Box is a good addition to their arsenal of remote working tools.

Calendly

Another helpful remote work tool is this scheduling software. It’s basically an upgrade from the traditional desk phone route of making appointments with remote professionals. With just a few clicks, remote teams can set up a video call or meet with team members.

Like most remote tools during the pandemic, Calendly is no longer charging for integration with remote work tools like Zoom and GoToMeeting. Its also offered premium services for free to all remote teams working against COVID-19.

Carto

One of the most interesting tools for remote workers is Carto, a spatial-analysis software. This platforms visualization tools, which were free to all public and private organizations combating COVID-19, is a great tool for distributed teams to analyze data and manage projects without being in the same room.

Cisco

Cisco’s video conferencing software Webex no longer has time limits and can now support up to 100 people on a single call, making it one of the most useful remote team tools . All this is offered on the free version of the product.

Comcast

Comcast offers a few tools for remote workers. Xfinity is offering free WiFi for everyone at Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country, making it more convenient for remote workers track progress real time, assign tasks, or simply keep in touch with team members. They are pausing data plans for 60 days giving all customers unlimited data for no additional charge. There are no disconnects or late fees during this period. Internet Essentials new customers receive 60 days of complimentary service.

Dialpad

Dialpad Talk Pro is a cloud-based phone system and video conferencing tool now free for two months to any business in North America or Japan. While it’s generally geared towards remote teams or distributed teams, Dialpad can also be a handy tool for freelance remote employees looking for video call features, screen sharing, and other team collaboration needs.

Dropbox

The uber-popular cloud content collaboration tool is now offering HelloSign Enterprise, which handles electronic agreements, free for 6 months for qualifying nonprofits and NGO’s.

Enview by Civic Eagle

Enview is legislative policy management software. With pandemic policies being written daily, Enview offering its policy software for free to remote teams and even individual remote employees to add to their list of remote work tools.

Facebook

Facebook’s Workplace Advanced, which offers video calls and file sharing, has been providing free for emergency services and government agencies since the pandemic started.

Google

Educational services can now use the advanced version of Hangouts Meet (which allows for conference calls of up to 250 people) for free. Remote team meetings can be recorded and saved on Google Drive.

Headspace

Headspace isn’t strictly for “work” purposes, but it’s pretty handy for helping you weather the storm of uncertainty and stress as you shake up your life and work routines.

Headspace offers remote workers with guided meditations for those who may never have tried mindfulness before. Here’s a Business Insider article that explains it pretty well. Since the pandemic hit, they’ve increased their number of free meditations.

Hubspot

Hubspot is one of the tools for remote workers that focus on project management, communications, task management, and customer support.

This software, which is considered as one of the best remote working tools, offers three months of free use and decreasing their starter package price from $112.50/month to $50/month for the pandemic-stricken businesses.

Jamm

When the pandemic started, all of Jamm’s voice and video collaboration tools were free for the next three months. Now, it allows interested remote workers to sign up for early access of the new and improved platform.

Krisp.ai

Considered one of the best remote work tools that emerged recently, Krisp.ai lets you easily mute background noise so you can get your calls or video chat done with minimal “I’m sorry, what did you say?” interruptions. They’re offering 120 minutes per week to hospital staff, students, teachers, and government workers.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn hosts professional development videos on working remotely, covering a wide array of topics like time tracking, how to collaborate with remote employees in multiple time zones, choosing the best project management tool, mastering Google Docs, learning to use video conferencing apps, maximizing your cloud storage platform, and making the most of your Google Calendar. More importantly, LinkedIn is offering many of them free of charge.

LogMeIn

LogMeIn offers software for managing the many devices and apps remote workers and even remote teams have to juggle. They are offering a three-month license for free for healthcare, education, and some government programs. Some of these extra tools for remote workers are available for free to regular site users as well.

Loom

Since the pandemic hit, Loom no longer limited its free users on how many videos they can make. The free trial period of this platform, which most remote employees use for screen sharing and file sharing features, has also been extended to 30 days.

Mailchimp

One of the most popular tools among remote workers even the pandemic hit, MailChimp has also contributed in easing the burden of many remote teams. Governments, schools, healthcare providers, and nonprofits were granted access to free MailChimp accounts to send newsletter communications out throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Microsoft

There is no longer a user limit on Microsoft Team’s free version. Programs like Word and Excel are free for six months to organizations.

Panopto

Panopto allows users to record and send video content and is free for three months with no limits on content.

Salesforce

Remote workers involved in project management, sales, and customer support have been aware of Salesforce existence as one of the best remote work tools.

When the pandemic struck, all existing customers and nonprofits get Salesforce collaboration software for free through the end of September. Salesforce also allowed free access to its Health Cloud service for all response teams and health systems, making it more convenient for distributed teams to work seamlessly.

ServiceNow

This is one of the most widely known software tools that help remote workers digitize their tasks. ServiceNow has developed more apps alongside the Washington State Department of Health to provide the right tools to help emergency agencies manage incident-response workflows.

Shopify

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that started offering 90-day free trials instead of a 14-day limit to help every struggling distributed team and employees working remotely.

Slack

Emerging as one of the most useful tools for remote workers since the pandemic, Slack’s premium online workplaces and communication tools are being offered as free upgrades to all organizations involved in COVID-19 research or response.

Short of practically being hailed as the best business phone solution, Slack has become one of the go-to project management and collaboration tools of team members.

Stripe

Stripe is a great tool that helps offline businesses transition to online payments. With its easy to use interface, it has tremendously contributed to fast-tracking supporting telemedicine platforms providing consultations for COVID-19.

Many businesses in the US can proactively add funds to their balance to cover refunds or chargebacks, ensuring that they are on the same page as their clients and even teams working remotely.

TechSmith

TechSmith Snagit is a screen recording software. One of the key features of the company is providing collaboration platforms for video review. These software were provided for free at the height of the pandemic, making it one of the integral tools for remote collaboration.

Threads

When it comes to tools for remote work, you can never have too many communication and project management platforms. Similar to Slack, this online collaboration tool was made available for free when the pandemic hit.

T-Mobile

In compiling a list of companies and tools for remote work, T-Mobile will always be included. When Covid-19 started, this company became more than just one of the tools for remote workers when it offered free international calling. Its initiative helped its users stay connected to everyone in their personal and professional lives.

Vidyard

Every remote worker in sales and marketing knows the significance of adding video to posts. This is where Vidyard shines. When the pandemic hit, Vidyard’s new services, a remote video communication tool meant for internal use, was offered free through June 30.

Zoho

Other than offering a project management tool and customer support to remote work businesses, Zoho has grown into an excellent CRM software with a cloud storage app, time management tool, and a quick feedback tool. When Covid-19 struck it offered to waive application fees for up to 20,000 small businesses and has created a new set of tools for online meetings, calls, file sharing, and more.

Zencastr

This is a lot like Zoom except that there’s no need for a download. Create videos as well as podcasts with their simple, easy-to-understand interface. All recording limits have been waived.

Zoom

Zoom is a go-to for many companies when managing remote meetings, and now the 40-minute meeting limit has been removed for all students and teachers in U.S. K-12 schools.

Do you have a service to add that we missed?  Reach out to us here!

Remote work is more common than ever, and it’s showing no signs of slowing. Working remotely in 2022 is more robust and versatile than ever before, and it’s changing the professional landscape as we know it.

With companies like Twitter, Nationwide, and Shopify offering remote employees work options, it’s clear that remote employment isn’t just a trend. While the Covid-19 pandemic has obviously spurred things along, the rise in remote work among in-office employees was always on the horizon. Even without the pandemic’s influence, remote working options were still projected to increase more than 80 percent by 2025.

Important remote employment statistics

• Remote workers save approximately $7,000 every year on transportation, food, and childcare (TECLA)
• Working remotely just half of the time saves people on average 11 days each year by reducing commute time (State of Telecommuting)
• Work-life balance is more achievable as remote workers are 24% more likely to report being both happy and productive at their job (Owl Labs)
• By 2028, 73% of business departments will have at least one remote worker (Upwork)

The three kinds of remote work opportunities

It’s easy for job seekers to be confused since remote work is a very broad term. Human resources typically categorize them based on the company’s demands since remote employees work or contribute differently. These positions can be fully remote, hybrid, or flex. We’ll go into each type of remote worker below.

1. Fully Remote

Fully remote is just what it sounds like: a job or business built with the intention of being remote.

These full-time jobs will already be equipped with the proper tools for you to succeed virtually. Companies and employers with fully remote positions will likely also have a better understanding of what to expect of their remote employees.

2. Hybrid

The key difference between hybrid remote work and remote employees with full-time jobs is the company. With a hybrid position, some of your coworkers work on-site, as opposed to an all-remote team. This changes the general culture of your workplace.

Regardless of the projects, organizations, and clients, practically all jobs can be turned into hybrid positions. It can be a role in customer support, sales, data analysis, or even public health-related tasks. The CFO of a large hospital may be assigned to work from home, so might an entry-level assistant position. No matter what your skills and work experience, there are remote jobs out there for you. It just depends on the employers’ or company’s resources, ability, and technology to offer location flexibility to its employees.

3. Flex

Some positions offer employees the benefits of a flex work arrangement. The idea is to let the employee choose whether to go into the office some or most of the time. It offers remote workers and employers alike the option to not work on-site and instead work from home, coffee shops, coworking spaces, or any other location.

The number of remote days for a flex position could range from one week or a full month to several months depending on the employee’s preference. While flex work still requires partially remote employees to live near to your business’s or employers’ office space, it does offer many of the other benefits of remote work like increased flexibility and the potential for greater productivity.

Another advantage of a flex job is the ability to travel more. This arrangement also allows remote employees to spend more time with family or just get away from the noise of the office every now and then.

Forced Remote

One more kind of remote work is forced remote. This is when a traditionally in-person position is forced to work from home due to circumstances. Many people are finding themselves in forced remote situations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not all companies were ready for the sudden switch to working remotely. Without the proper infrastructure, technology, and procedures in place, both employees and employers had a difficult time. Odds are you may already be one of the more than a million people forced into working remotely by the pandemic, and you may have found it frustrating and challenging.

The good news is that this doesn’t mean you aren’t cut out for remote jobs. You may just need to find an online position designed with working remotely in mind. This is where remote-first work and flex work come into play.

The truth about remote work

Remote work requires just as much dedication and skills as working in a traditional office. Sometimes even more so. You need to be self-driven and able to keep on top of your productivity, schedule, and time management.

While you can work from home or anywhere given the right resources and education, transitioning to remote work probably won’t mean you’ll be putting together that project report from your beach towel. Remote jobs, like traditional office work across all industries, require good lighting, stable internet connection, strong desire or determination to keep productivity levels up, and diminished distractions near the work site.

Is remote work for everyone?

No. As exciting as it is that more and more people are being offered the chance to work from home or anywhere remotely, some workers–like some industries–are better suited as in-office employees. According to Buffer, loneliness, communication, and the ability to separate work from one’s home life are the biggest challenges that remote workers face.

The most helpful thing you can do now is to make an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as they pertain to time management, productivity, and remote work. If you’re unsure where to start, try matching your personality type to your ideal remote career.

We also have tips and advice to help you stay productive while working remotely.

General trends of remote work

Industries embracing remote work in 2021

According to Owl Labs, the health industry, tech industry and financial services have the highest rate of remote workers. But web development, design, copywriting and finance are also big players in the remote space.

Some industries are less of a good fit for large amounts of remote workers, especially those involving events and activities. For people in these industries, there may be fewer options for remote work. Notice we said fewer, not none. You might be surprised how many traditionally in-person industries have remote options.

Remote work encouraging exodus from large cities

One of the most exciting aspects of this changing work landscape is how cities and towns are adapting to these changes. Years ago, when remote work was rare, there were many jobs that were locationally locked to certain areas. Once upon a time, your only shot in a given industry might have required you pack up your things and move. Today, this is less and less the case.

With work no longer as rigorously tied to location, we’re seeing something of a migration as people choose to move to more rural areas to save money on housing, to be closer to family or just to get out of the city.

Conversely, this leaves more of an opening in larger cities for people who truly want to live there. People are leaving San Francisco for Sacramento, New York for South Florida, and all in record numbers. According to CNBC, 14-23 million Americans are in the midst of planning a relocation thanks to more flexible remote working schedules.

Technology is innovating to support the growing online workforce

New innovations like 5g and satellite technologies are making it easier than ever to stay connected to your coworkers and career from anywhere in the world. Today, hopping onto an online workspace is quick and painless, and your team can coordinate work easy through e-mail, Dropbox, shared files like Google Docs. and the hundreds of other companies providing similar tools.

Video conferencing software like Zoom make synchronized online meetings a possibility. These technologies and remote work form a symbiotic relationship: as remote work options grow, bolstered by all these new tools, tech companies are encouraged to innovate even more to keep up with the rising demand for work-from-home software.

Remote work in 2022

• 16 percent of companies in the world are entirely remote (Owl Labs)
• 52% of employees work remotely at least once every month (Owl Labs)
• Approximately 62 percent of employees work remotely at least some of the time (Owl Labs)
• 18 percent of people globally work remotely full time (Owl Labs)
• Less than half of the world’s companies (44 percent) don’t allow any form of remote work (Owl Labs)

How to work remotely

If you’re interested in working remotely, you have three options: working from home from your current job, finding a new remote job or starting your own online business and becoming your own boss.

1. Transition your current job to remote work

Your current job may be able to accommodate a remote work lifestyle. Many companies are seeing the benefit to staffing more of their employees remotely. However, if your employer is one of the 44 percent that don’t allow any remote work, that doesn’t mean you can’t take your skills and experience elsewhere.

2. Look for a new remote position

If your job won’t allow you to transition to remote or flex work, then there’s nothing wrong with pursuing other opportunities. Go to online job boards to see what positions are available in your field. Since you can work from almost anywhere for a remote position, you’ll likely find you have more options than you would were you looking for in-person work.

You can start your job search here, on the Liveworkanywhere Job Board.

3. Start your own online business

You also have the option to cut completely free of your employer entirely and start up your own online business. The possibilities here are virtually limitless, so much so that we have an entire post on getting your remote business off the ground.

Getting ready for remote work in 2022

What do I need to work remotely?

I’ve learned that although you CAN work from anywhere, you aren’t very productive working from the beach with sand blowing on your laptop and overheating or from your car or from the rock of Gibraltar. This kind of setup puts you at risk of running out of power, losing your internet, getting distracted, or simply not having access to all the supplies you need because you left them in the other room.

A change in scenery now and then can be good for your productivity levels, but it’s best for you to set up a good home office first.

Necessary home office supplies:

• Your computer
• Comfortable/supportive chair
• Appropriate lighting
• Good internet (you can write off part of your internet bill on your taxes)

As you work, you’ll find additional home office supplies that make sense for you and your job. Do you need a paper shredder? A filing cabinet? Don’t go overboard buying too many things beyond the necessities until you know you’ll need them.

You can see our full guide on setting up the optimal home office here.

What does remote work mean for you

Your path into this new work world is yours to make. If you have the desire to embrace online work, then you may find yourself enjoying the freedoms remote work entails. You can write your schedule more freely, travel and live wherever you want to be, and accomplish all your career goals from your own home.

Even if you don’t switch to remote work, the future is still exciting. As the urban-suburban dichotomy begins to shift with remote workers relocating, you may find an opportunity to seek out an in-person job in a place you never thought you could move to before. And your workplace will likely have more remote employees in the future, even if you remain in the office.

No matter what your career, the changing work landscape may be your chance to get out there and reshape your career however you see fit.

FAQs

What specific skills do I need to work remotely? 

Remote work requires you to be self-motivated and a good communicator. Without being surrounded by coworkers or supervisors, you’ll need to keep your own schedule and know when to reach out to colleagues.

As for job-specific skills, you’ll find that nearly all career skills can translate nicely to an online career. Some of the most sought-after skills in remote workers include:

• Technical and computer skills
• Writing skills
• Design skills

Remote jobs exist for all positions, from beginner to expert, so don’t think so much about how you can gain remote work skills, and instead focus on how you can transition the skills you have to an online job.

What remote work jobs can I get?

The sky’s the limit! Whatever your passion, you can find an online job that taps into your skills and career goals. Some of the most common online positions right now are:

• Web developer
• Recruiter
• Writer
• Accountant
• Engineer
• Finance
• And even nursing!

Check out the Job Board on Liveworkanywhere to see where you might fit in.

Are remote workers paid less? 

No. Depending on your remote job, you may make more, less, or the same amount as an in-person position in most organizations. In fact, on average remote workers actually see an annual income that’s $4,000 higher.

It can be hard to say for sure whether transitioning to remote work will see you bringing home bigger paychecks or not, because there are so many variables. Some companies pay employees different salaries based on where they live, which means that if you live in a rural area but your coworkers are in the city, there’s a possibility you may be offered a comparatively lower salary. This is a company-by-company decision, however, and you also have to factor in the cost savings of remote work such as:

• No commute
• Opportunity to live in a cheaper area
• Lower childcare costs
• Home office tax deductions

How much does it cost to set up a home office?

The answer is as much or as little as you need, depending on your job. You may need $3,000-$5,000 if you’re investing in a new desk, a new computer, and upgrading your internet.

If that sounds like a lot, don’t panic. Many people start off their existing laptop and phone setup and pay very little for their home office. Doing so allows you to give remote work a try without being too financially invested. If you end up going back to the office, then you’re not out anything.

Are remote jobs less stable?

No. A remote job is no more or less stable than its in-person equivalent. How stable your remote job comes down entirely to the company you’re working for (or the industry you’re in if you start your own business).

Know your worth as an employee and always do your research into a company before applying to work remotely for them. Remote work scams are a valid concern, so make sure you’re ready to spot and avoid them.

How do you find the best remote jobs out there? The best thing you can do is connect your passion with the world’s needs. Have freedom on top of that by being remote.

“Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”

― Frederick Buechner

By the end of 2020, more than half of U.S. workers were doing their jobs remotely at least part of the time. Into 2021, the majority of those remote employees said they wanted to keep working remotely even when Covid-19 subsides.

2021 Remote Work Statistics

This isn’t shocking. Millions of people are finding they quite like working online – especially working from any location in the world online. There’s greater freedom to choose your lifestyle, from where you live to what hours you work. The ability to be closer to family and choose your work environment (and of course the lack of a long morning commute) mean that working remotely is finding its way onto people’s lists of requirements.

If you’re interested in remote job opportunities but don’t think your current position is going to stay there forever, then you may want to put together a remote work career track for yourself.

What are the best remote jobs out there?

I firmly believe that anyone who wants to work remotely and live and work from anywhere should be able to do so. Not everyone’s remote work career track may look the same. The beauty of remote work is that most skills and work experience can translate to an online position fairly well. Your offline skills, in one way or another, can translate to the online world.

If you use social media, use a computer, and have a smartphone, for example, you already have a basic skill set that can apply to get a remote job. And, if you don’t know what to do or what job type or job title to pursue, you can take a course in a field of your choice and at any level to get you on the right track for finding a remote job. It’s really just a matter of finding the best remote job or career for you.

And you might be surprised where you fit in the remote job world. Many people conduct their job search by looking for an exact analog of their current job in the online workforce, with the same work schedule and even job details salary, when really you could be looking for remote work that values your skills and passions more than your current position.

Here are some (but not all) of the positions that excel in the remote working world. We’ve compiled the best full time and part time remote jobs that pay well, aren’t work-from-home scams, offer great benefits and inclusion packages, provide healthy energy and a caring attitude toward your preferred work hours, and allow you to have a healthy income while working from anywhere. You might be surprised at the diversity of remote work.

If you’re completely new and looking to build your skill set for remote work, you can also check out entry-level courses to help you learn new skills to jumpstart your research and understanding of a remote career, guide you to write a great resume and negotiate an excellent salary package, assist you to establish a solid relationship with your chosen employer, or expand your existing knowledge base.

Writing

Writing gigs have had remote options even long before “work from home” was a phrase. Authors and newspaper columnists were mailing their work in to publishers decades before the internet. Now in the digital age, the opportunities for remote work as a writer have exploded.

Email, shareable documents, and online work platforms like Slack and Google Hangouts make writing and interviewing from home a viable career path for more than just novelists. New categories have emerged. Businesses need copy for their websites, content for their blogs and someone to draft social media posts.

And you don’t just have to look for an employer to hire you. If writing is your passion, you can work remotely as your own boss by establishing your own website or blog that’s relevant to your niche. There are plenty of ways to monetize your writing.

Find the best remote writing jobs on the LWA job board.

Sales

Working in sales is more than just sitting in a call center cubicle. Every company needs product specialists to work with their marketers to get leads through the sales funnel. As a remote sales employee, you may also be responsible for generating leads yourself.

While this might seem like more of an in-person job, online sales positions are actually common. In fact, 16% of companies are completely remote and need work-from-home employees to help them make sales.

You don’t need to be a seasoned sales veteran to sign an online sales contract. If you’re interested in sales as a career, brush up your current resume with an eye for transferable skills. “Sales” isn’t really something you’ll see many people with a degree or certification in.

Instead, people who work in sales come from backgrounds like communication, business or even customer service. Some only have a high school diploma, and still, have the ability to excel in the world of inbound and outbound calls as part time or full time employees.

A good option if you’re looking to burst onto the sales scene is to look for sales work in an industry you’re familiar with. For example, an experienced ghostwriter might excel at selling copywriting services.

Find the best remote jobs in Sales on LWA’s job board.

Tech and customer support

As companies grow or an employer expands a business, they need dedicated support staff. These positions exist to support both customers and internal staff.

“Tech support” might make you think of someone on location like a call center, wearing a headset and asking a belligerent caller to try restarting their computer without even attempting to conduct any sort of research on the issue. However, there are many positions beyond that.

Sure, there are those callers and technical issues, but companies need tech employees to handle internal support, as well.

As for customer support, it’s also about more than helping customers when products don’t work. There’s also product ordering support, which is a huge component of sites like Amazon.

Customer support has a fairly low barrier to entry and makes a good part time or starter job for someone wanting to test out the work-from-home situation. Here are some of the most common places or industries to find a remote customer support job:

• Online shopping (Amazon, eBay, etc.)
• Healthcare / medical
• The mortgage industry
• Airlines (Delta, Alaska, etc.)
• Travel agencies

Find the best remote jobs in tech and customer support here.

Software design and development

It’s no surprise that a lot of tech jobs have made the leap to remote work very smoothly. And it’s not just tech startups that are looking for remote workers, many established companies are also hiring remotely for these positions. Some of the best (and highest paying) remote jobs are in the tech industry. So if you have a desire or knack for tech, long for a high salary, enjoy challenging tasks, and feel comfortable in an industry that is always changing, look no further.

Also, there is a definite increase in software engineering teams going remote. Prior to 2020, before Covid, 13% of engineering teams were fully remote. As a result of the pandemic, that number has increased to 74% and now 66% of engineering teams believe they will continue to allow remote work even after Covid has subsided.

You have options when it comes to remote tech jobs. It’s not just late-night coding with three big screens, no lights, and a giant pizza box next to the always-full coffee mug at your side. You can also work in design, create innovative tech solutions, and handle product management or project management.

Design

There are various forms of design to create and explore in the tech world. This creative task covers anything and everything from graphic design and illustration to user experience and user interface design. We talk about this a little bit more below for front end developers, which can also be called front end designers.

Product Management

Every product that’s created needs someone conveying critical information on factors like how to manage the flow of tasks, project deadlines, and features being released.

A product manager makes sure that the software developers are producing what the customers want and demarcating the relevance of each phase to ensure the timely delivery of a project. This is different from a project manager who makes sure things are getting done on time. Product managers are closely tied into the development process.

Development

If you’ve got some development experience already, you may be wondering where to focus your skills to land the best jobs and sign the best contract that offer the best salary.

Determine which coding languages you should master to know the kind of development you want to pursue. For example:

• Front end developer

JavaScript, Elm, TypeScript.

• Back end developer

JavaScript, Scala, Python, Go, Ruby

• Game design

Unity, TypeScript

• Mobile app development

Swift, Java, Objective C, JavaScript

Other than keeping calm under pressure, your most sellable trait in the online development space is adaptability. Make sure you’re learning and growing with the times, keeping up with the latest advancements and newest technology. Even if you’ve got past experience, it’s a good idea to brush up on your skills.

There are many programming and coding schools that will offer courses for more experienced developers as well as complete beginners. Codeacademy is a good example. If you’re not able to invest a lot of money into learning coding right now, you may consider options like Lamba School or Microverse, where they offer the education for free upfront and you pay them back after they help you land a job.

A coding school is a great way to get started in coding for little to no money and have a nearly-guaranteed high-paying job once you graduate.

You can find entry-level software jobs on Liveworkanywhere. Already a senior-level engineer and need to be matched with the best remote jobs on the planet? Go to our partner site, fullstackremote.

Operations

This is a good category for anyone with strong basic office skills and business experience. Operations is just career lingo for every position that works behind the scenes to make sure business processes run smoothly.

This can be program coordination, office administration and much more. For example, a company may have an operations team that focuses on creating internal training materials and building in-depth client onboarding experiences.

General positions in operations can include everything from a business operations manager all the way up to a COO.

If you’re just starting out, you can look for an entry level position as an executive or administrative assistant. These positions are looking for people with a strong grasp of basic office suites like Microsoft or Google products.

A general operations position might be that of a business operations manager or a company executive. You’ll need more experience and a solid resume for this position, so if you’ve got your sights set on a high remote work position, you may want to get your feet wet in a lower level assistant position first. This will give you a good opportunity to explore a new industry at relatively low risk.

Find the best remote jobs in operations. 

Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant is another term for an admin or executive assistant, but, of course, virtual. And again this can be anything from entry level to more advanced. This is one of the best starter jobs for people who want to enter the virtual workforce but aren’t sure where to start or get experience.

How does a virtual assistant job differ from the admin assistant positions we just talked about? A virtual assistant involves freelancing multiple clients whereas an operations admin assistant is a remote job where you’ve been hired by one company. There’s even the possibility that a freelance VA gig could turn into a permanent remote position.

Search for the best virtual assistant or admin assistant remote jobs here.

Freelancing

The gig economy is growing. Even prior to the pandemic, freelancing was projected to make up more than half the workforce by 2027. So if you have specialized skills, you can get started working for yourself. You’ll need to brand yourself and gather clients. We talk more about this process here.

If you don’t have the time to invest in becoming a completely independent freelancer, you can go to a business for help. Freelancing for a company like Upwork or Fivrr can help get you work fast. There are more specialized sites, as well, like Behance, Textbroker or Content Cucumber.

Marketing

Every company, non-profit and brand out there needs marketing, and marketers have traditionally fared pretty well in online spaces. With tools like 5g tech and the near omnipresence of Wi-Fi, many marketing positions have dropped the in-person requirements.

You’ll find that many smaller companies are on the lookout for a “jack of all trades” or “full stack” marketer who can do a little bit of everything, from social media, to brand design, lead generation, advertising, messaging and content creation.

Once you move up towards the larger businesses and corporations, they’ll be wanting marketing specialists. These are marketers who focus on one area, such as social media. You may see these two types of marketing jobs referred to as generalist marketing and specialist marketing.

If you’re just starting out, you may want to cut your teeth on several varieties as you figure out what best aligns with your skills as passions. Then you can focus in on that specialization. In other words, start off as a general marketer and move towards a specialist track later on.

Having a wide variety of skills is great, but in order to move up in your career you’ll want to focus in on an area of expertise and develop that more fully.

Find the best remote marketing jobs on liveworkanywhere.

Finance

You may be surprised just how many remote finance jobs are out there. While the traditional image of a finance employee might be someone locked in a small work cubicle in a suit at the back of the office building, more and more companies have been hiring out their financial needs to remote workers or even remote finance companies.

In fact, more than 70 percent of financial executives outsource at least some of their work remotely.

There are a few paths for a remote career in finance: you can look for remote accounting or bookkeeping positions, a Controller or even a CFO. You can work for startups providing accounting services or even more traditional accounting firms.

Find the best remote finance roles on our job board.

Human Resources 

The more that companies go remote, the more support they need for things like hiring and managing remote talent. This means handling benefits, salaries, payouts, employee training materials, onboarding processes and more.

Human resource jobs can also earn you a nice stable salary, anywhere from 30k-100k/year.

And of course, many companies are looking for H.R. specialists to manage their increasing number of remote employees. Facebook recently hired their first Director of Remote Work to do this very job.

Find the best remote jobs in Human Resources. 

Legal services

If you have a background in law, there are a lot of opportunities to take those skills remote. Paralegals and attorneys both fit nicely into the remote landscape, particularly for consultations and other services that can be offered over the phone or via Zoom.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, many legal services (and even full court cases) transitioned to videoconferencing.

And while in-person trials and consultations will resume again once things have calmed down, many law firms are finding that keeping remote options available to clients allows them to connect with global legal teams, reach out to more diverse clients and ultimately serve their communities better.

There’s good room for crossover here, as well. For example, if you have a legal background and writing skills, you may be perfectly suited to an online legal writing position.

Paralegals and legal support can earn 40-60k/year and attorneys can earn well into 6 figures.

Find the best remote jobs in legal professions on our job board.

Medical

Telehealth options have risen more than 50 percent since the CDC recommended these options to areas affected by Covid. However, telehealth was already a rising trend before that.

While it’s not projected that telehealth will replace in-person care, it is a helpful tool for hospitals and clinics to have, and many of them are investing long-term.

This is because telehealth options help doctors and other medical professionals reach a wider audience, including lower-income patients and those who cannot travel.

Remote medical jobs exist for licensed medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, counselors, and physician assistants, but you can also work in this field doing the “behind the scenes” work. This includes scheduling, claims reviews, insurance work and more.

Go to Remote Medical Jobs to get an idea of what telehealth jobs are out there. Or search for the best remote jobs for medical professionals on our site.

Teaching

Nearly all schools had to transition to online when the pandemic hit, but we’re not talking about that. There are many teaching positions that are permanently remote, and were long before Covid struck.

Of course, if you’re already a seasoned teacher or professor, you can look for remote teaching positions at universities or even high schools. But even if you don’t have a long background in teaching, there are jobs out there that make great side hustles (and can even transition to full time careers).

Most common are tutoring and teaching English as a second language. The demand for native English speakers who are available to teach remotely is incredibly high. The pay can range anywhere from $10/hour to $40/hour or more.

How much you make will depend on who you work for, what experience you have and even what hours you choose to work. Some of these positions may require that you have a TEFL certificate, and these are usually the ones that have higher pay.

You can often set your own hours for these kinds of positions. However, keep in mind that many English teaching positions might need you to be working early in the morning or very late at night due to the time difference between Asia and North America or Europe.

Next steps: How to Get Started with Working Remotely

All this might seem overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the remote work scene. To start making progress towards your dream job, you’ll need three things:

1. Be remote ready
2. Know your strengths
3. Know what job you want

1. Remote Ready: How do I prepare for remote work?

Home office

Set up a home office or workspace that’s going to help you be productive. Whether this is a dedicated room in your house or just a desk in the corner is up to you. However, all home offices need strong Wi-Fi and a steady source of power.

Ready to take your remote career on the road? First be sure to check out our Mobility Criteria to make sure you can successfully live and work from anywhere in the world.

Tools

Your job may supply you with work from home tools or it may not. Applications like Slack, Zoom, and others allow you to be connected with your team and keep on top of your work. You will want to look into which pieces of software are most necessary for your position and then familiarize yourself with how they work.

Communication

Over-communication is the name of the game here. If you’re silent, your clients or teammates won’t know what you’re up to.

Be extra responsive to emails, don’t leave messages on read and reach out to those you work with regularly. It takes motivation to succeed in remote work, so be sure you’re ready to take initiative.

Limited distractions

Working from home can be distracting for some people. Here’s how you can identify and prevent common distractions:

• Set up your office in a low-traffic area of your home
• Talk with your housemates or family and explain what your availability will look like on work days
• Consider getting a dedicated work phone

Calendars and time management

If you’re new to remote work, don’t jump into it without first preparing for a major shift in time management. You’ll be on your own getting your work done with no coworkers or a boss to look over your shoulder. Some people thrive in a self-starter environment and others need a little extra help.

Give yourself every advantage by:

• Over-communicating
• Setting up a work calendar
• Testing your internet and power supplies
• Practicing using remote collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.

Not sure if you’re ready for remote work or not? Take a moment to really analyze your passions and your career strengths.

2. Know Your Strengths: What are one of the best remote jobs for me?

Looking for remote work but not sure where to start? It can be overwhelming, but the key is to zero in on what you need. Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I looking to transition my current career online or start a new one?

It is easier to search for a new remote position that matches your current one because you know exactly what you’re looking for.

But you shouldn’t be scared to jump into something new if that’s what’s going to keep you happy and motivated.

• Do I want to be my own boss or work for someone else?

There are varying degrees of independence within remote work. Finding a remote job in an existing company is usually an easier path but may not give you all the freedom you want. For example, you may still be tied to traditional office hours and availability.

Embarking on a truly independent remote work track means going into freelance work or starting your own online company. Both of these require a bit more of an initial time investment on your part.

A freelancer needs to establish credibility and start selling their brand. Starting your own business means coming up with a product, developing your brand, setting up a website and more.

It all depends on what you’re looking for. Which of these paths is going to be the most rewarding for you? Answer that question, and then don’t settle for anything less.

Looking into building your own startup? Go to Anywherestartup.com for more help.

• What are my current skills and what skills do I want to improve or learn?

You want a job that’s a good fit now but with room to grow. Identifying your strengths as well as weaknesses you want to work on will help you narrow down your search. We’ll go into more detail about skills and personality below.

• What excites and motivates me? 

You’re transitioning to remote work because of the freedom and flexibility it offers, but it’s not just the “remoteness” of the job that’s important. The work you’re doing matters, too.

Settling for a position you’re not interested in just because it’s remote will not make you happy in the long run. Instead, identify your passions and find remote work that lets you utilize them.

How do I assess my skills?

“What are you good at?” is such a daunting question. If you’re struggling to pinpoint your professional skills and goals, you’re not alone! It can be tricky to identify just what you’re good at and even trickier to match your answers to the language you find in job descriptions.

An online skills assessment can help you crack the surface. And once you get going, you’ll find that figuring yourself out is an exciting, lifelong journey.

What’s my work personality?

“What’s your personality?” is even vaguer than the last question, but equally as important for finding your ideal job–online or otherwise. People are diverse and no one fits perfectly into any single category. However, an online personality test might be a good place to start if you need a general idea of the work environment where you’re most likely to thrive.

3. Know What Job You Want: Where can I find the best remote jobs?

You can find remote work positions practically anywhere jobs are posted. All the common sites like Monster, Flexjobs and Indeed have remote work and you can usually filter your search to find just these positions. You can also take a gander at the Liveworkanywhere job board for remote positions in different fields.

Still feeling lost?

You can start by taking some courses and dig in a bit more into skill development to see which path suits you best.

A career coach may be able to help you get started. If you’re dedicated to finding a new online career but still feel overwhelmed by the scope of your options, talking through your needs with a professional might be the jumpstart you need. However, to make the most out of a career coach, you may want to first identify your skills and basic job needs and go to your coach with these answers already in your mind.

WiFi is the lifeblood of any digital nomad, but it’s often the most challenging to access. After all, how will you stay connected with your clients and deadlines if you don’t have a reliable internet connection? That said, though, finding good signal can be challenging even in more developed areas like cafes or hotels. Meanwhile, that becomes downright virtually impossible when you travel to remote villages. This is where mobile hotspot devices come in.

Best Portable Wifi Hotspot Devices for Traveling and Working Remote [2022]

For digital nomads and remote workers, stable internet access is a must. Whether you’re working on a laptop at a cozy coffee shop or trying to get some tasks done on your mobile phone during your commute, being able to connect to the world wide web is a gamechanger when it comes to productivity.

Mobile hotspot devices provide a great option to ensure a reliable internet connection. These devices create a small wireless network that you can connect to with your devices.

As a digital nomad, you may benefit from mifi device features such as a battery-saving mode and the ability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously. You can gain a more in-depth understanding of global wifi and mobile hotspots in our Ultimate Internet Guide for Digital Nomads.

Mobile hotspot devices can connect more than your laptops to the internet. These can also work just fine with your tablet, camera, and pretty much any gadget that’s wi-fi enabled. These can support multiple connections better compared to your phone’s mobile wifi hotspot mode as well as ensure that you don’t drain your phone battery.

In certain countries where cellular coverage might pose a problem and you might be worried about getting a secure connection, you can hook up these portable wifi hotspot devices to antennas to achieve better internet connection.

When looking for a mobile hotspot for digital nomads, keep the following factors in mind:

Battery life

A vital consideration when it comes to choosing a mobile hotspot device for international travel is battery life, which can range from lasting a full day on a single charge to a measly few hours. Some devices provide extra portable batteries, while others allow you to even use the mobile hotspot as a powerbank.

Determine your expectations about your wifi connection. If you plan to use the internet all day long and need to be constantly connected to search for restaurants or museums, you might need a mobile hotspot device with a longer battery life. Meanwhile, if you don’t really need wifi connection for the entire day or only need WiFi for a handful of hours, then splurging for an extra battery might not be worth it.

Budget and data allowance

The price of the device isn’t the only consideration when it comes to portable WiFi for travel. Depending on your provider and chosen mobile hotspot plan — whether you’re opting for international roaming plans or buying a local sim card when you visit other countries — you will probably have a limited use rate monthly or even daily. On top of your general mobile plan, this will also determine how much data you can use. This would also most likely affect your data speed.

If you’re under a tight budget, you should figure out how to compromise with regard your plan’s speed or data cap. Generally, though, the longer you avail of the hotspot plan, the lower the costs.

Size and weight

Mobile hotspot devices need to be exactly that: mobile. Your device needs to be portable and easy to pack. While opting for the more compact devices is the norm these days, the decision is dependent on your needs and how you envision your days.

If you’re mostly on the move, particularly on foot or use public transport, then choosing a smaller mobile hotspot device for international travel would be better for your needs. On the other hand, if you’re one of the remote professionals who plan to use the wifi device for business or corporate trips and have remote jobs requiring you to spend most hours in a single location, then a bigger hotspot device that offers longer battery life or a portable battery would benefit you more.

Check out our list and find the best mobile hotspot that suits your needs.

Best overall mobile hotspot: Skyroam Solis X

Skyroam Solis X is a new addition to the Skyroam family of mobile hotspot devices. This Skyroam device is different from its predecessors. This sleek little gadget, which basically looks like an orange puck, offers lightning-fast wifi speeds, allowing you to stay connected anytime, anywhere. Plus, the Skyroam Solis X comes equipped with a built-in power bank to keep your devices charged while you’re on the go. Simply plug your gadget in the allotted USB port, and you’re good to go.

The Skyroam Solis X wifi Smartspot sold out within the first day of its release. In fact, there were overwhelming positive Skyroam Solis X wifi Smartspot reviews from those who were able to get their hands on one. Now that the Skyroam Solis X wifi Smartspot is back in stock, I decided to take a closer look at this Skyroam device and see if it lives up to the hype.

The power button can be found at the top part of the device. A white stripe serves as the indicator for your remaining battery life, while three blinking indicator lights will tell you whether you have a good data connection.

One side of the Solis X is equipped with an 8MP camera, while the other side holds the USB-C port that you use to charge the mobile hotspot and connect your gadgets when you need a powerbank. While this is a great feature, one concern is that the powerbank can be very slow in charging your gadgets.

At the bottom, you can find a QR code. Scanning this will lead you to the Solis app, which you can connect to your smartphone. If that’s not enough, the Skyroam Solis X’s LED display can also be used as a flashlight or an emergency beacon.

Skyroam offers multiple plans depending on your needs, ranging from a single day pass to month-long contracts with unlimited data. Check out the pricing plans here.

The expected battery life for the Skyroam Solis X is 18 hours, but it only lasted roughly 10 hours when I used it. Considering that I tested it by connecting my two smartphones and laptop while also using it as a powerbank, this is pretty impressive.

With that in mind, one thing I found challenging with the Skyroam Solis X is the design of its charging port. The USB-C charging port for this device has a tiny ridge that makes it incompatible with many types of USB-C cables. Skyroam solves this issue, though, by including a USB-A adapter in the package.

After testing the Skyroam Solis X wifi Smartspot, I can say that it is an impressive device that offers excellent value for its price. Although it doesn’t come with a rental option, this device works in more than 130 countries covered. So, the Skyroam Solis X can be considered a worthy investment for digital nomads.

Best no-frills mobile hotspot: Skyroam Solis Lite

For those who don’t need the bells and whistles offered by Skyroam Solis X, there’s Solis Lite. Like the Solis X, this portable wifi device can also support up to 10 devices. It’s also small enough to easily fit in your pocket and weighs roughly the same as a regular smartphone. Considering that this gadget offers a rental option starting at $9 per day, this is a great alternative for those who want a no-frills Skyroam device.

It has the same look as the Skyroam Solis X, including the convenient QR code at the bottom for the mobile app and the problematic USB-C charging port that makes it challenging to use third-party cables. It also works as a powerbank, but likes the Solis X, it charges devices quite slowly at 5V/1A.

What differentiates the Solis X from the Solis Lite is the absence of the remote-enabled camera, speaker, and microphone, which are used for the built-in smart assistant. That means the Solis Lite is simply your basic international hotspot device with no special features and focuses solely on providing internet access. Truth be told, I didn’t really miss the smart features of the Solis X and actually prefer this option for my digital nomad needs.

Best 5G mobile hotspot: NETGEAR Nighthawk M5

NETGEAR’s Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro is one of the latest mobile hotspot devices to hit the market. NETGEAR is known for its high-quality router products, so I was curious to see how its portable wifi device would perform. The Nighthawk M5 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro did not disappoint. The device is easy to set up and use, and it offers fast reliable connectivity. I was also impressed by the Nighthawk’s battery life; I was able to use it for several hours before needing to recharge.

Theoretically, 5G can go as fast as 10 to 50 Gbps, but that’s a long way off. 5G mobile broadband should be 11 times faster than 4G if the signal is strong enough. However, there’s a catch: the Nighthawk M5 will only run at 5G speeds if you have a strong 5G signal. If you are in an outlying area, you may only get 3G or 4G speeds.

In real-world testing, I was able to consistently get speeds in excess of 100Mbps on both bands. The Nighthawk M5 also supports up to 32 concurrent connections, so you shouldn’t have any trouble connecting all your devices. It’s ideal for teams or small groups.

One of the best features of the Nighthawk M5 is its battery life. NETGEAR claims that the Nighthawk M5 can last up to 13 hours on a single charge. In practice, I discovered that this varies greatly; Wifi-6 and 5G / LTE are simply power hogs. Nonetheless, a realistic time frame of 6 to 9 hours is still good value.

However, what makes the Nighthawk M5 stand out is the fact that it’s the first C-Band hotspot in the US. Let me offer a bit of context to explain why this is a great feature. While the services of the 5G networks aren’t exactly noticeably faster than 4G networks these days, this situation will change in the coming years. When this happens, you will need a C-Band gadget to be able to take advantage of the additional capacity.

Actually, the iPhone 12 and up phones, the Samsung Galaxy series starting from the S21, and Google Pixel 5 and above are already using C-Band. Before the Nighthawk M5, no mobile hotspot has ever supported this technology.

All these features come at a steep price of $699.99. This is generally more expensive than most mobile hotspot devices and plans.

Before you get one, make sure to check the model you’re buying. The US version doesn’t seem to support 5G outside North America, which means it’ll only work as a 4G hotspot abroad. According to Netgear, this hotspot device is most compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile. If you get the international version, you’ll be able to take advantage of a different group of 5G bands in most countries.

Best plug-and-play mobile hotspot: GlocalMe Mini Turbo Wi-Fi Hotspot

You can say goodbye to expensive international roaming charges and spotty public Wi-Fi with the GlocalMe Mini Turbo Wi-Fi Hotspot. This handy little device offers fast connection and dependable LTE coverage in over 140 countries, making it an indispensable travel companion for the modern digital nomad.

I had never used a touchscreen portable wifi before the GlocalMe G4 Pro Smart 4G Mobile Global Wi-Fi Hotspot. The previous mobile hotspots I used made the apps linked to the devices indispensable, which means I needed them whenever I had to check my remaining data or battery life. This made this particular mobile hotspot different. All those information are readily displayed on the 5-inch touchscreen of the GlocalMe G4 PRO as well as in its user friendly app.

The touchscreen makes it easy and convenient to add data. Plus, it already has Google Maps, voice recognition translator, and TripAdvisor installed. Its straightforward interface and limited but essential options almost feel like a user-friendly apps on my smartphone, so there is an innate comfort in using it to set things up.

The GlocalMe Mini Turbo is also extremely simple to use; just insert a SIM card and connect up to 10 devices to the hotspot. With a battery life of up to 10 hours, you can be confident that you’ll always have a reliable connection, even on long trips.

Best unlocked mobile hotspot: Huawei E5576-320 Portable 4G

The Huawei E5576-320 Portable 4G is one of the low-cost options for mobile hotspot devices on the market. I was curious to see how this device would perform and how it would compare to the more expensive options, so I decided to put it to the test. I have to say, I was impressed with the Huawei E5576-320 Portable 4G.

With 150Mbps download speeds and 50Mbps uploads, this is a great mobile hotspot option that’s tiny, lightweight, and easy to transport. You can also connect up to 10 devices to this 4G mobile router, which has a standby time of 350 hours and a working time of 6 hours, thanks to its 1500mAh battery.

The Huawei E5576 was easy to set up and use, and it provided a reliable connection even in areas with poor cell coverage. Unfortunately, this device only works in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. For countries outside this list like the US, Canada, and Mexico, you’ll need to get a separate Huawei hotspot device.

Overall, the Huawei E5576-320 Portable 4G is relatively affordable, making it a great option for budget-conscious digital nomads. Like the Skyroam Solis Lite, the Huawei E5576-320 Portable 4G is simply a no-frills low-cost mobile router. Basically, this mobile hotspot device focuses solely on connecting your gadgets to the internet, no matter where you are.

Best mobile hotspot for remote areas: Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L Wi-Fi Hotspot

Verizon’s Jetpack MiFi 8800L is one of the best mobile hotspot devices on the market. Like the previous models, this one also comes in matte black and gray and is a plastic oval that’s about the size of a deck of cards with a touchscreen front. It has two external antenna ports plus a USB-C port.

It can connect up to 15 devices at once and has a built-in battery that lasts up to 15 hours. On top of these, the Jetpack MiFi 8800L also works great for digital nomads who want to explore extremely rural areas. This is because unlike other units that can only see 3G in these remote places, Verizon’s wifi hotspot can actually still offer 4G LTE.

If you’re worried about data overage charges, don’t be – Verizon offers unlimited data plans for Jetpack MiFi 8800L devices. So whether you’re working on the go or just want to stay connected while traveling, Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L is the perfect solution.

Best low-cost prepaid mobile hotspot: ZTE ZMax Connect MF928

As long as you have a compatible AT&T or T-Mobile prepaid service plan, you can use the ZTE ZMax Connect MF928 hotspot. Like most low-cost mobile hotspots, this device also comes in the form of a tiny black box that’s roughly the size of a playing card. Unlike the more expensive options like the Skyroam Solis X, it has no dedicated indicator for battery life or signal strength.

However, the ZTE ZMax Connect MF928 offers a special feature. It has a pair of TS9 antenna ports, which could be used to attach an external antenna to boost the signal. Its LTE covers AT&T and T-Mobile but doesn’t include Verizon and other foreign providers. Moreover, the hotspot’s internet speed tends to flounder when it reaches LTE performance. It becomes more problematic when additional you try to add more than two devices at a time, with the issue being more obvious when you’re having Zoom calls.

I appreciate the wifi management options, though. I like the accompanying mobile app, which sends me updates on data usage and allows me to tweak the hotspot’s settings.

The ZMax Connect MF928 supports up to 10 devices at a time and can last up to 10 hours, making it ideal for international travelers and digital nomads who need to work remotely while on the road. Overall, the ZTE ZMax Connect MF928 is a great option for those who need a reliable and affordable mobile hotspot device.

How to maximize your mobile hotspot plan

Mobile hotspot plans evolve all the time. If you add a hotspot data plan to an existing “unlimited” phone plan, Verizon gives you up to 50GB of high-speed data, 40GB from AT&T, and 40GB from T-Mobile. Once you consume that, the carriers tend to “deprioritize” your data or start to throttle it randomly.

So if you’re an AT&T or Verizon subscriber, the best way to make the most of your mobile hotspot data plan is to add your hotspot line as a separate line to your pre-existing phone plan. That offers you the most data for your budget.

Reality check

Admittedly, some of the devices listed here are pretty old. That’s because mobile hotspots have not exactly progressed as quickly as other technologies. While I’m not thrilled over this lack of innovation, I’m still grateful that these mobile internet devices are available to make our lives easier. However, I’m hoping to see more wifi hotspots with the most advanced 5G technologies out in the market soon and making our digital nomad life easier and more convenient!

Conclusion

Talking about portable hotspot devices brings back memories, particularly one that started out cold and daunting. I was driving around the Ring Road in Iceland when the roads got narrower and icier. Everything was foggy, and I had no idea where I was since I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t tell where I was going. Eventually, I realized that I had been driving in circles for hours on end, and it felt like there was no way out.

Thank goodness I had my mobile hotspot device with me, which turned out to be a lifesaver. I used it to help me navigate the Ring Road. The fact that I had something with me that allowed me to still be able to communicate with my family and friends as well as help me navigate the unknown place offered me an invaluable sense of comfort and relief.

Truth be told, I would have felt a lot less safe traversing that road in Iceland without my mobile hotspot device. It just felt better because I knew I could rely on something in case of emergencies–or in this case, led me to a spectacular town with hot springs that soothe my frayed nerves and sore muscles.

These days, it’s hard to imagine life without the internet. Whether I’m working from a cafe in Barcelona or a hotel in Bali, I need to be able to stay connected. Plus, mobile hotspot devices have been a lifesaver. On more than one occasion, I’ve been out and about without any wifi, only to find that my mobile hotspot device has come to the rescue.

I’ve also used mobile hotspot devices to stay connected when travelling through remote areas where there is no cell service. So if you’re looking for a way to stay connected while on the go–whether you’re trying to check directions, find a nearby restaurant, or just stay connected with friends and family–I highly recommend investing in a mobile hotspot device. You’ll never know when you’ll need it!

Are you tired of the 9 to 5 grind? Are you longing for a more fulfilling work life balance? Do you want to leave that draining office job to see the world and experience new cultures? Living as a digital nomad and pursuing remote work can give you the freedom and flexibility to live and work online anywhere in the world and follow your own schedule. With so many benefits, the lifestyle of a digital nomad is definitely worth exploring.

In this blog post, we are going to discuss 10 digital nomad tips for living your best life as an escapee who is now working online without having any fixed location or office space at all times.

Create a daily routine that works for you.

If you want to be productive and organized, it is important that your daily routine works for YOU. Whether you are your own boss in your own business or work remote for a different business or many offices, you still need to a work schedule if you want to sustain your digital nomad life.

An effective way for most digital nomads is to create a daily routine where all tasks are completed in order each day. This is a great productivity tip that could help keep remote workers on track with all projects while also allowing enough time between meetings or deadlines, so you don’t get stressed out!

Make sure you have a good internet connection and strong power wherever you go.

Living a digital nomad lifestyle can be tough without the right tools. While it’s amazing to travel around the world, digital nomadism doesn’t mean stopping working your remote jobs or growing your own company.

That means you need to have reliable wifi and enough power to get stuff done from wherever you’re working! Digital nomads favor coffee shops and co working spaces since these typically offer good wifi and even power sockets.

For a more comprehensive discussion, check out How to Become a Digital Nomad & How to Live/Work Anywhere.

Pack light and invest in a good travel backpack.

We all know the feeling of carrying around heavy bags, especially after a long day. It’s no fun! To avoid this from happening to you on your trip, break up everything into smaller packages and take only what is necessary for each destination. Do NOT overdo it with souvenirs or other goodies that might end up taking up space in an already full backpack/suitcase combo. You’ll thank yourself later when walking through airports, terminals, and arrival halls.

Always keep in mind that the key to a successful trip is packing light. You’ll want your bag as small and portable as possible so you can move quickly and explore on foot instead of riding in cars or buses all day long!

Create a budget and stick to it.

Your budget should serve like a leash – you don’t want to get too far away from it or else your spending could spiral out of control. Mindful spending is one of the keys to financial freedom, especially as a digital nomad.

If you want to stay on top of your finances and save money, create a budget and do your best to only spend on things you planned for in advance. There are plenty of ways for you to get creative when staying within the realms of reality-based spending habits!

Just sit down with pen in hand, or better yet pencil—whatever works for your particular style. Start writing out all the things that are going into each category like groceries, transportation, accommodation, foreign transaction fees, travel insurance, and communication expenses. Accidents happen, so don’t forget about emergencies either.

Once those numbers are set, stick with them like glue because any change will throw off everything else if it isn’t intentional. Make sure that whatever money is going into the bank account has been planned for in advance, so you keep the surprises to a minimum!

Find like-minded people to travel and work with.

Travelling can often be a solo affair, but it can also be an incredible time for making connections, mingling with fellow travelers, and meeting other digital nomads every now and then. You can join online and offline communities of likeminded people to share travel tips and experiences. For example, you can search for Facebook groups that cater to like-minded fellow globe trotters or digital nomads for some company on future adventures or simply share tips about how not to get lost in any foreign country.

Explore, relax, and recharge.

Traveling and leading a digital nomad life don’t need to be an exhausting, whirlwind experience. It can also provide you with some much-needed rest and relaxation time to simply enjoy the traveling process and achieve a better work life balance.

Take this period to discover what makes your heart sing, such as an activity that can teach you new skills or attend local events. Find out what makes those endorphins going. You might even want get off the tourist trail or popular digital nomad destinations and go sightseeing at local hotspots that are visited less by others!

Document your journey.

I know that sometimes, like with memories or experiences (or both!), there is a feeling of fleetingness. As digital nomads, it’s easy to forget all the fantastic things we’ve seen in our lives when it happens so fast. Documenting your journey can help! It’ll ensure that each adventure you get into has its own place and turns into an unforgettable story.

Keep a journal of your adventures. Take pictures of the wonderful places as well. That way, you’ll be able to look back on all the different locations that molded you into the person you are today. These will also help you remember (or even relive!) what it felt like when things first started getting interesting in your journey.

Learn some basic phrases in the local language.

The local language is key to understanding the culture and making new friends in the community. Learn some basic phrases before you go, so that when people are trying their best to speak to you in English (which everyone mostly does), they’ll be pleasantly surprised by your effort and interest in their own language.

Be respectful.

Not everyone has the same experience or culture as you do, so be open-minded when you travel, attend events, and meet locals in a new destination! Remember that people are different. Embrace those differences rather than judge them. You will appreciate and learn more about people and yourself by being receptive to fresh ideas and new things.

Be open to new experiences.

What is the one thing every person should do before they die? It’s not eating chocolate cake, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs. The answer to life’s most important question — what makes you happy – lies within embracing new experiences. As cliché as it sounds: diversity really does = strength!

Learn about other cultures by traveling outside your comfort zone. The world is a fascinating place, and there’s no better time than now to explore it. You will learn about yourself by experiencing something new each day of your journey. Don’t be afraid to become untethered. This is how you grow and learn.

Whether you’re just starting your journey as a digital nomad or looking to change careers, check out our article on How to Become a Digital Nomad to help make your transition into this path easy, efficient, and successful.

Because no two digital nomads are the same, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and the learning curve can be different for everyone. However, a few general tips about the digital nomad lifestyle can make it a little less daunting especially in a new location. What about you? What tips can you share with the digital nomad community?