Thanks to the array of devices now available, it’s easier than ever to work outside of the office. It should come as no surprise then that an increasing number of people are operating remotely. According to an analysis of official figures conducted by the Trades Union Congress, there has been a 13 percent rise in remote working over the last five years. However, there’s a knack to getting this right. For example, if you’re away on business and you need to work from your hotel room, you must ensure you’ve got all the necessary equipment.
Here are five handy gadgets that should help you to complete your tasks.
WiFi
Ideally, you should opt for a hotel that provides free WiFi. Public WiFi specialists like Airangel for example offer fast and effective internet solutions for hotels that make connecting to the web from your room easy.
Of course, it’s not always possible to find accommodations with WiFi provisions. If this is the case, you can go for the next best option and take a WiFi router of your own. You can hook these devices up to wired web connections and create a WiFi network. This isn’t as convenient as using WiFi provided by hotels, but it’s better than having no wireless web at all.
Universal adapter
If you’re heading overseas on your business trip, you’ll need to make sure you have suitable power adapters with you. If you don’t, you’ll be limited to working until the batteries in your smartphone, tablet or laptop die — which might not be very long at all.
For total convenience, it’s best to have a universal adapter featuring multiple USB ports. Keep this crucial item in your travel bag at all times so that you never forget it.
Extension board
Even the swankiest hotel rooms can be limited when it comes to power points. Or, if they do have enough of these points, they may be located in all sorts of seemingly random and inconvenient places around your room. If you want to be confident that you can plug in multiple devices at the same time, it’s a good idea to take an extension board with you.
External tablet keyboard
Tablets are great and you might use yours for a variety of work-related tasks. However, if you’re planning to do a lot of writing while you’re in your hotel room, it’s helpful to have an external keyboard to go with this device. There are now plenty of these products to choose from, and options like the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard, Zagg Cover or Kensington KeyCover Plus for example double up as a protective case for your tablet too.
Alternatively, you might want to opt for hybrid tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro that come complete with keyboard covers. These products blur the line between tablets and laptops and they can be ideal for business use. They’re especially handy if you have to create lengthy reports or documents.
Noise-cancelling headphones
You might not be able to guarantee peace and quiet in your hotel room, but you can do the next best thing. Noise-cancelling headphones like Lindy’s NCX-100 Cromo will help to drown out distracting noises while you’re working. Listening to music that helps you concentrate is much better than putting up with street sounds, the drone of traffic or noisy neighbours. These products also come in handy when you’re travelling by train or plane.
Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of the gadgets that can help you to work successfully from hotel rooms. However, these five devices are well worth packing next time you set off on a work trip.
Featured image courtesy of andrewrennie
