Check out our guide to everything you need to be a remote worker – from the apps that make life easier to the kit that’s essential when working on the move
Working remotely provides plenty of flexibility and the chance to adjust your work/life balance.
But you’ll need a helping hand to become a productive and effective remote worker. Our toolkit gives you everything you’ll need to set up and succeed.
Equipment
• Smartphone. You could almost run your whole world from a high end smartphone – it’s a vital tool. Be sure to get a good contract with insurance.
• Laptop. If you’re going to splash out on one area, we’d suggest it’s on a top end laptop. It could save you time and money by not needing constant repairs. And go lightweight – you’ll be on the move a lot.
• Headphones. Opt for noise cancelling headphones so you can focus on the task at hand when working in noisy environments.
• Webcam. You might have one on your laptop or phone, but investing in a high quality separate webcam will make your Skype chats and video conferences feel more professional.
• Note pads. They might be low-tech but there’s still nothing quite like writing down notes by hand.
• Dictaphone. For meetings, interviews and dictating notes. Go for a digital one so you can download the files to your phone or computer.
• External storage. Don’t risk having everything on your laptop – back up to both cloud services (see below) and a good quality hard drive with security encryption.
• A strong bag. As a remote worker, you’ll probably travel a lot – so get a good bag to lug around your equipment in.
Services
• Strong WiFi and 4G. If you’re working from home a lot of the time, make sure you’ve got the best WiFi speeds and add to this any optional service adds on so you get the best service if the WiFi goes down or breaks.
• Cloud subscriptions. While there are free options, it’s worth paying for the business versions of popular cloud services like Dropbox and Microsoft Word so you get the full range of services available.
• Antivirus. Your laptop is everything as a remote worker – so don’t risk losing it to viruses. Again, pay for the best options available.
• Travel card. If you’re moving about a lot, look into advance travel cards – paying up for a year in advance is not only cheaper but also easier.
Apps
• Slack. The ultimate in collaborative working, if you’re working remotely but are in constant contact with a central office, this app is a must.
• Skype. Not only can it give you face-to-face contact with people across the world but you can also buy credits to call landlines from your laptop if you’ve got WiFi but no phone signal.
• Google Hangouts. A simple way to hold meetings remotely
• Evernote. This allows you to keep all your notes in the cloud so you can access them no matter what device you’re on.
• WorkflowMax. A great project management app and website that allows you to monitor and control a project from start to finish from your phone or laptop.
• Pocket. Got an article you want to read but don’t have the time – save it to your Pocket app for later. Great for keeping up to date with industry news.
• LinkedIn. Not only is it great for keeping track of industry influencers, but it’s a great way to showcase the work you’re doing.
Posted by the Secret Businessman