5 Ways to Go on a Months-Long Trip—and Still Keep Your Job

Whether you’re looking for a quiet space with Wi-Fi to get a few things done on your next trip or you’re traveling with the intent of creating business contacts, hosting meetings, and working away from home, these resources will help you get started by finding the space you need.

It’s the dream: Take a three-month-long trip, and still have your job when you’re back home. While that may have been but a fantasy for most U.S. workers a few years ago, many more workplaces are allowing its employees to work outside of the office. But even if your job allows for it, working remotely can become impossible, especially when that dream trip involves hunting for Wi-Fi and a good place to sit in destinations that you’ve never visited before.

Good news: It doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact, websites now exist to help travelers find viable workspaces, regardless of where they are. No more struggling to find a distraction-free place work before exploring a new city: Here are five tools that will help you work remotely while you’re traveling.

1. Desks Near Me

Desks Near Me offers a pretty ideal solution for solo professional travelers, and those traveling together, especially for extended periods of time. The website—also available in app format—allows travelers to search for desks that aren’t being used in offices around the world, all based on their current location, how many desks they need, and their budget. Options exist on an hourly, daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. If you’re the kind of person who needs an office environment to get things done, this is your godsend when working and exploring a new city. Setting up an account is free and spaces start at around $20 an hour, with a different scale for longer periods of time.

2. ShareDesk

ShareDesk operates much like Desks Near Me. By inputting their current location, users can find workspaces that are available for rent on an hourly to monthly basis. Spaces can be booked and paid for online and are pre-verified by the website. An added perk: a 24/7 service team is available to ensure that all rentals go smoothly and that any problems are solved efficiently. ShareDesk offers more than 3,000 workspace venues in 70 countries and is growing on a daily basis. If you’re traveling—even to a remote area—and need to get work done, this website should be able to help you find a good temporary working environment.

3. WorkSnug

For those who love working in a very caffeinated situation, WorkSnug might be a better fit. The service is designed to help traveling professionals find locations to get work done that may be outside the realm of a traditional office setting—like a café or a park with access to Wi-Fi. Think of it as the Yelp for workspaces, where users are able to list where they’ve been able to get work done along with reviews, while those looking for work can run a search for a location near them. It’s free, so you can spend more money on cappuccinos.

4. Deskcamping

More limited as far as locations go—only available in London, Berlin and New York for the time being—Deskcamping is designed to help freelancers find desk space on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Think of it as the next big thing in the sharing economy culture that has cropped up online. Much like websites that allow homeowners to rent their spaces out to travelers—like Airbnb—Deskcamping allows businesses and building owners to post photos and descriptions of their spaces, to set their own rates, and to contact freelancers directly without outside involvement.

5. Liquid Space

Ever dream of launching a startup in a foreign country? Click onto Liquid Space, a service designed to connect small businesses with affordable spaces around the world. Scope out locations, contact owners, and book by the month online—all without going through a third-party realtor. The site offers a variety of spaces including standard offices, meeting rooms, or single desks. Prices vary depending on the needs of the traveler, and spaces are available around the world.

Kayla Matthews is a researcher, writer and blogger covering topics related to technology, smart gadgets, the future of work and personal productivity.
More from AFAR
AFAR Journeys
Journeys: South America
Journeys: History