Working full time on the road as a vanlifer
I’ve worked full-time from a van for four years. Here’s how I do it.
Since January of 2020, I’ve called the open road home. My husband and I left Ohio in our converted shuttle bus to travel the US for what we thought would be a year's sabbatical.
It was only days after we left that we realized how much we loved life on the road and it wasn’t long after that we started to apply to remote jobs to make this lifestyle sustainable for us financially long term.
I’ve been working remotely ever since April of 2020 and have learned a thing or two about how to make this nomadic lifestyle work and I’m excited to share it with you.
Photo by Fiorella Yriberry
A remote job suitable for van life
Not every remote job is van-life friendly. Trust me, I learned the hard way. It’s easy to get caught up in the “home on wheels” concept and not realize that a small space will make having a full-time job challenging.
Without a designated work space or a door to close for privacy jobs that require confidentiality or lots of phone time are difficult to keep (specifically with a partner/family). Also why it’s even more important that you take time to learn about the different RV classes and intentionally pick the right RV for you. When searching for remote jobs for life on the road, take a detailed look at the workload and the company’s work environment and compare it to your lifestyle and space.
Work from home jobs are not the same as working for a remote company
I started off my remote career at a translation company with a work-from-home position that had me on the calls for most of my work day and after a few months it became too difficult to manage.
That’s when I started looking for fully-remote companies and found RVshare, a peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace. Not only did RVshare provide me with a compatible work environment to my lifestyle; I also loved its mission: getting people outdoors and giving them a chance to experience a similar space and lifestyle to mine.
I won’t sugar coat it, the remote job search was difficult given its rise in popularity. I applied to many jobs before finding RVshare.
Some considerations for your search
Some remote jobs require you to have a fixed internet provider meaning they won’t accept satellite or other wireless internet options.
I mostly avoided “work-from-home” jobs and instead focused on remote companies. “Work from home” usually means customer service positions with lots of phone time whereas remote companies tend to have a wide variety of positions.
Maintaining reliable internet on the road
Now one of the most asked questions: internet. Two years ago my answer to this question would have been a lot longer and complicated. Internet on the go for a full-time job was hard. The only options were hotspots or remote routers from SIM cards which limited you to locations with full service.
Today, I can work from pretty much anywhere, as long as there is a clear view of the sky thanks to Starlink. Starlink is a satellite internet provider, with a personal satellite and modem you plug into a network of high-speed, low-latency internet that has revolutionized remote work.
It costs $150 a month for the RV service plan and you have to purchase the hardware (costs vary depending on the model). I couldn't recommend this internet option more, it’s been not only a game changer for me but also has enabled me to continue traveling (wherever I want to go) without having to worry about cell service.
Photo by Fiorella Yriberry
How I find work-life balance living and working in a small space
Lastly, I wanted to touch on balance because I believe it’s the most important part of keeping a remote job on the road long-term. In a small space, things add up quickly, which is why it’s super important you have a designated space for work: a desk and a comfortable chair/couch/sitting arrangement. This 360-degree telescopic laptop stand is a great gadget to have around, highly functional and compact enough to keep in a small space:
Photo by Fiorella Yriberry
When it comes to work-life balance I have three rules to make this arrangement sustainable:
Pack away all your work equipment at the end of your work day. By away I mean completely out of sight. This makes the separation of work mode and living mode much easier.
Time block work and include small walks or stretches in between. No matter how much of an office space you might be able to have in your RV/van chances are it still won't be the most comfortable. Avoid sitting for long periods without breaks or movement to keep your body healthy.
Lastly, plan travel according to the work schedule. There is nothing more stressful than having a busy work at week while also trying to move around.
Working full-time from a van has certainly brought challenging times but the benefits and rewards highly outweigh the drawbacks. It goes to show that you don’t have to pick adventure or your career and can enjoy both!
Photo by Fiorella Yriberry
