Want to Work in the Great Outdoors? You May Need Some New Gear

(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- If there’s one pandemic culture shift to milk for all it’s worth, it’s working outside. Now that summer’s here, everyone wants to be in nature. “Recently, I was doing a business call with birds singing loudly,” says Marty Fahncke, president of Adventurist Inspired Marketing. “I muted my line when I wasn’t speaking, but the rest of the people on the call begged me to stay unmuted. The bird calls were adding a sense of peace and creativity to the conversation.”

Bird chatter notwithstanding, here are some do’s and don’ts before you take to the hills:

Can I take video calls outside?

You probably shouldn’t. Although it seems like your laptop and phone put video in the palm of your hand, they really just provide a video feed—with none of the other dozen pivotal factors (light, sound, connection speed, etc.) addressed. The great outdoors detracts from your professional demeanor, too. “Professionals working outside must consider how the location impacts their business communication,” says Janet Moore, director of the communication program at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. That impact is usually a negative.

So what video calls can I take outside?

Short ones with peers or underlings. “Think about who the call is with, what your relationship is, and how long the call will be,” says Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster. “If it’s a quick call to go over something with a peer, then it could be feasible.” The key, says tech entrepreneur Darshan Somashekar, is to set expectations. “If your boss knows you’re on vacation but requires a few minutes on video chat,” he says, “explain that you have your laptop on the beach.”

What do I need to get started working outside?

The farther you stray from home, the more gear you’ll need. Try to start on your porch, roof deck, or maybe in a neighbor’s backyard. Here are some essentials:

Wi-Fi range extender. Plug in the TP-Link RE200 near the doorway, or if you’re heading into a yard, try the TP-Link RE450.

A Bluetooth speaker or headphones. While it’s marketed toward twentysomething skateboarders, the Wonderboom 2 is portable, rainproof, and loud. If you’re around others, Ultimate Ears 18+ CSX earphones are molded to fit your ears and offer noise cancellation and customizable sound profiles. They’re pricey—but, hey, you may be working from home for a while.

A power bank. Jackery’s Explorer 500 Portable Power Station will keep you and a work buddy charged all day, and it can be hooked up to a solar panel.

A lap desk. There’s no need to juggle your laptop, mouse, phone, etc. Put what you need on the desk and move it aside when you want to stand. We like the LapGear Home Office Pro.

A fan. This will help solve bug and temperature issues. You can’t go wrong with the Lasko Wind Machine. Plug it into your portable power bank.

Shade. Umbrellas can be unwieldy. The Under the Weather one-person pop-up tent is a better solution—even if it does sort of make you look like you’re in timeout.

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