3 Simple Questions to Help You Shrink Your Work Space for RV Living
Whether they earn their livelihood on the internet, do workamping, or enjoy their retirement, about a million Americans do it full-time from their RVs. Among the 1.9 million digital nomads in the United States, 17 percent are van dwellers.
Preparing for full-time RVing or vanlife means downsizing what you have and doing more with less. Also, if you’re one of the 17 million people who aspires to be a digital nomad, one task is to downsize your on-the-road work space.
Feel overwhelmed at the thought of shrinking your work area? No problem; just ask yourself three simple questions:
What will I do in my work space?
How do you earn your cheddar? Do voice-over work? Write web content? Create stained glass? Read tarot cards? All work is dignified if it’s legal and doesn’t hurt anyone.
Figure out what kind of work you’ll be doing, how much space it requires, and what kind of equipment you typically use. Most of my current income is from content writing, and I plan to continue doing it when I’m on the road. This means a lot of sedentary work, but I don’t envision my laptop taking up a lot of surface area, especially since my clients are online.
What will my work space look like?
Given the kind of work you’ll do, envision how you should set up your RV space to optimize creativity and productivity. Also arrange the area to maximize comfort and safety. Your work space shouldn’t lead to sitting or standing positions that cause strain on any part of the body.
I want my work space to be comfortable, allowing me to sit upright. I need just enough surface area for my laptop, handwritten notes, and a few office supplies. I also maintain adequate lighting, and I want to get up and move around to avoid the health risks of long-term sitting.
How will I store my equipment?
Your work space should accommodate both use and storage of your work equipment. Looking ahead to my nomadic life, I’ll need a place to keep my laptop out of sight when I’m not working. I don’t want it out when I’m enjoying a meal or have it visible to snoopy people looking for a five-finger discount.
Shrinking down your work space for RV living is not so difficult if you just ask yourself these three simple questions. You really don’t need that much to create a comfortable space where you can be creative and productive.
Juliann Scholl, PhD, is a former professor and public health researcher who is now a freelance writer and digital nomad in training. She enjoys writing about wellness, travel, work, and making life changes. Read more of her content at www.unsettledessence.com.
