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I learned one of my biggest remote work lessons in Sri Lanka. What looked like the perfect coworking space had too few power outlets and doubled as a yoga studio where travellers taught live online classes.
Since then, I've never travelled without three things: an extension cord, a portable hotspot, and noise-cancelling headphones.
The accommodation had a dedicated workspace for guests, but there weren't nearly enough power outlets or extension cords for everyone working there. If you weren't one of the first people to arrive, you could easily end up with a dead laptop simply because you couldn't reach a power outlet - and even if you did get a spot, it wasn't guaranteed to be quiet.
That experience taught me the importance of carrying an extension cord and noise-cancelling headphones wherever I work.
As I continued travelling and working from cafés, Airbnbs, hotels, and coworking spaces in other countries, I learned another valuable lesson: never assume the internet will be reliable. Even when accommodation advertises "high-speed WiFi," the connection can be inconsistent, especially when multiple people are online. Carrying my own portable hotspot means I always have a backup internet connection whenever the local WiFi lets me down, giving me peace of mind during meetings, deadlines, and client calls.
Since that first lesson in Sri Lanka, these three items have travelled with me everywhere. They don't take up much space in my bag, but they've saved me from dead batteries, dropped connections, noisy workspaces, and countless stressful workdays.
If you're planning to work while travelling, don't underestimate these small essentials. They might not seem exciting to pack, but they're the items I rely on most.
