There are many situations in the US where individuals traveled from one end of the State to another with the aim of living in an acquaintance’s minivan, and got stuck there due to the international lockdown. Such people are not left with many options other than using the available network connections in that area. In such a case, if availability of cellphone signals is low, then so be it.
Initially it may take some time to get you set up to work from the car, but eventually things start looking up. Of course, it may not be possible to try out such adventures in heavily populated areas, but you can certainly try them in offbeat Indian cities such as Narkanda, Pangot, Kanatal and others which have decent network coverage.
Here are some tips on using your car as an office:
- Buy a cellphone booster- Mobile signal boosters can now be purchased off Amazon and Flipkart. However, check with your vendor if they will work in your area or not.
- Ensure that devices are adequately charged- If you are spending a maximum of only 5-6 hours in your car, then it would be wise to have your mobile phone and laptop charged beforehand.
- Set up a work station- In a caravan, you will need to have a work table and chair as part of your station. You may just want to set them up on a hillock in Uttarakhand, for which you would have to fold and carry them around in your vehicle.
- Think about food and drinks too- You could either carry packed food to sustain the day or carry some raw materials to stir up sandwiches. It may be a good idea to install a coffee machine (a Maruti Van or Maruti Eeco would do well for this purpose!)
- Do not sit in the driver’s seat- If you sit in this seat, you will constantly be battling with the steering wheel. Sit in any other seat apart from this.
- Move to different spots- You can choose different spots if you wish to change your scenery after a few hours
- Recharge with naps- In case you feel you head is hurting after a few hours of concentration, it would be a great idea to recharge yourself by taking a nap in the gorgeous natural environment
- Ensure adequate fuel- The car must be maintained well and you ought to have adequate fuel in the tank
- Use extra gadgets to spruce up work- You may get an emergency light, or even a high power inverter for best results
Most vehicles are good enough for you to work from them. Of course, vans and minivans do have extra space to stretch out, but you could do by going outside anyways. Also, it wouldn’t be a great idea to work in the car if it’s too hot, possibly around 35 degrees C in India.
