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The days of being tied to your desk from nine to five are numbered. Employers are becoming increasingly flexible when it comes to remote working thanks to technology and in the ever-growing, ever-global translation and localization industry, working in a different location is often the norm. The benefits of remote working include a boost in productivity, reduced stress, and fewer distractions.
For most, remote working means working from home or in a location away from your company’s head office - but it can also mean working while traveling. In a report published by Buffer, 44% of the remote workers surveyed spent between 1-4 weeks working while traveling. Remote working allows you to explore new places and cultures while maintaining a regular work schedule.
Working this way may be challenging at first, but it can be very rewarding. We have put together a list of ways to help you maximize productivity wherever you are working from.
Be Connected
A stable internet connection is, of course, essential when you are working remotely - and if you are traveling to more isolated or exotic places, you need to make sure you know the internet situation before traveling. Whether you are a project manager or a translator, you have to stay in touch with your team and clients and you definitely don’t want to miss a deadline or a client meeting because of patchy internet. Before hitting the road, find out if your accommodation offers decent Wi-Fi and search your location in Nomadist. If you know there may be no reliable Wi-Fi around, consider purchasing an internet package or a dongle.
Plan Your Day
It may sound obvious, but sometimes setting a clear schedule, and sticking to it, is harder than it sounds, especially while traveling. Set your work hours in advance and plan frequent breaks to stay fresh and motivated. When your workday is done, be done. Keep clear boundaries between work and play so that you are making the most of your time in a new place. When planning your schedule, take advantage of commuting time. Maybe you have a five-hour train ride or a long airport layover - you can use this time to answer emails, schedule meetings, and even manage or work on translation jobs.
Get Your Timing Right
When working from new locations, remember which time zone you’re in - especially compared to your colleagues. Trying to stay in contact with your team or clients around the world can be complicated, and your peak working hours may not align with theirs. World Time Buddy is a great tool for keeping track of your global team. You can also use it to find the best time for scheduling meetings so that you are not getting up before dawn for a client call. And remember, different time zones will also affect your deadlines so if you have a project due, be sure you are able to deliver it at the right time.
Scout for a Workspace
Whether you prefer a cozy coffee shop or a modern co-working space, you need to find somewhere you are both comfortable and productive in order to make the most of your working hours. Avoid having to hop from café to café looking for decent Wi-Fi, try researching some spots beforehand. If you are planning a long day at your “travel office”, and a coffee shop won’t do the trick, try Coworker to search for global co-working spaces.
Find the Perfect Tools
Among the organizational online tools you may be using, such as Slack, G-suite, or Skype, you should also make sure your translation management system (TMS) and CAT tool are optimized for online, offline, and on-the-go working. Cloud-based TMSs enable you to work anywhere, from any computer, and if there are times when you don’t have Wi-Fi, some CAT tools offer offline translation environments - like the Memsource Editor for Desktop - that enable you to work on projects without Wi-Fi and will update your translation projects the next time you connect to the internet.
And in some cases, you don’t need your laptop at all. Translation management has evolved beyond computers and is now even available on your smartphone. Memsource Mobile not only enables you to manage your translation projects, but it also includes an in-built comprehensive CAT tool, the first of its kind, letting you work on your translation projects from anywhere.
With these tips, you’ll be able to maximize your productivity while working remotely and have time to enjoy your surroundings.
Happy traveling!
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Creator, star-gazer, and Content Manager at Memsource
