Working From Coworking Spaces While You Travel: A Practical Plan
Traveling with a laptop job works better with a reliable desk. Here is how to pick coworking spaces, set up a healthy workstation quickly and keep a steady routine.
In this article
If your job moves with you, the most dependable thing you can carry is a routine, and a coworking space is the easiest way to anchor one. Pick spaces by how well you can work in them, test with a day pass first, and set up your desk the same way every time.
Why use a coworking space when your location keeps changing?
A rented room, a hotel lobby or a cafe can all work for an hour or two. For a full week they tend to let you down: the table is the wrong height, the connection drops during a call, or the noise level changes by the hour.
A coworking space gives you a few things that are hard to get elsewhere:
- A proper desk and chair, so you are not hunched over a laptop on a sofa.
- A connection shared by an operator who has a reason to keep it running.
- Quiet areas or booths for calls, and often meeting rooms for the occasional client session.
- A set time to start and finish, which protects you from working all day and all evening.
What should you check before you commit to a space?
Do not judge a space from photos. Ask the operator or visit, and go through this list.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Internet | Run a speed test at your desk, and join a test video call. Ask whether there is a backup line. |
| Seating | Adjustable chair, a desk you can sit at with your forearms level. Ask if a monitor can be borrowed. |
| Noise | Visit at the busy hour. Find where calls are allowed. |
| Hours and access | Do the opening hours fit your clients' time zones? Is there out-of-hours access? |
| Rooms | Can you book a meeting room, and how is it charged? |
| Terms | Day pass, weekly or monthly plan, and how to cancel. |
Is a day pass better than a membership?
For a space you have not used, yes. Take a day pass on a day with a call and a block of focused work, because that is when weaknesses show. If the space still suits you after a few different days, a weekly or monthly plan usually makes sense. If you are working with clients, a space that also hosts events can be useful too, as our post on using coworking spaces for workshops explains.
How do you set up a healthy desk in a new space?
Laptops put the screen and keyboard close together, which pushes your neck and wrists into awkward positions. The fix is mostly about adjusting what you have. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration's computer workstation guidance covers chair, keyboard, mouse and monitor positions in detail.
A quick routine for every new desk:
- Adjust the chair so your feet rest flat (use a footrest or a bag if they do not).
- Bring the chair close enough that your elbows sit near 90 degrees and your forearms are level.
- Raise the screen so the top is about at eye level. A folding laptop stand does this.
- Use a separate keyboard and mouse so the laptop can sit higher.
- Get up and move regularly. The CDC's NIOSH ergonomics page explains why fitting the work to the person matters.
If you have pain that does not ease, ask a doctor or an occupational health professional rather than trying to fix it with gear alone. For a compact kit that does the job, see our portable home office guide.
How do you keep a routine when the place changes?
Productivity on the move comes from what stays the same. Keep these fixed wherever you are:
- Start time. Begin at the same hour in your own time zone, or at the hour your team expects.
- A short daily plan. Write down the two or three things that must be done before you open email.
- Deep work first. Do the task that needs focus while the space is quietest.
- A shutdown ritual. Close tabs, write tomorrow's first task and leave. Leaving the building helps you stop.
Tell your team where you are working and when you are online, so a time-zone change never surprises anyone.
How do you avoid isolation?
Working alone in a new place can be lonely. One benefit of a shared space is that people are around without any pressure to talk. Say hello, go to a community lunch or event if there is one, and ask what other members recommend nearby. For a wider view, our piece on finding community through meetups has ideas for meeting people who work like you.
What should you remember?
- Test a space with a day pass before paying for more.
- Check the connection, seating, noise and hours yourself.
- Set up the desk the same way every time, with the screen at eye level.
- Keep your start time, plan and shutdown ritual the same.
- Tell your team when you are online.
A good space will not do the work for you, but it removes the daily friction that makes remote work harder than it needs to be. Choose carefully, keep your habits steady, and the location matters much less.
