If you think there are problems telecommuting from home — Âthe distractions, setting up a home office, communicating with coworkers — consider the potential hang-ups when you’re telecommuting from Bolivia to Buffalo. Most telecommuters work from home one or two days a week. You’re gone for weeks, months or even forever. Nomadic telecommuters do not have a cozy home office to work from. Their office changes from hotel to hotel every day. You can dispel any thoughts of amenities such as ergonomic chairs and office romance. I sometimes stick a pillow behind my lower back when using straight-back chairs without a cushion.
Obviously, an office in most affordable hotels, recreational vehicles or campsites is not for people who require a strictly ergonomic work environment. I’ve typed on my laptop computer several hours a day for years on plain old tables without any physical problems. Ergonomic experts claim the arm should be at a 90 degree angle when typing at a keyboard. You might be able to improvise by resting your arms on a rolled-up towel in front of your laptop while typing or sitting on pillows to elevate you closer to the keyboard. Few less than world class hotels in developing countries cater to business customers with amenities like data lines and office chairs, and they are usually too expensive for a nomad.
Hotel room selection is an important decision. You need at least a chair with a back and a table you can work at. A telephone may or may not be essential, depending on how often you have to contact your clients. Some cheap hotels have in-room Internet but no phone, and that is much preferable to a phone but no Internet. Try to get a place with in-room Internet, either cable or wi-fi. If I can’t get that, I often choose a hotel because of its proximity to an Internet café. Another option is to use space in the hotel office for a few hours day (at an extra fee, of course). If you’re going to stay in a place for longer, rent a place where you can get broadband.