The recent pandemic was no fun, but I can think of one good development: working while RVing is now easier than ever. If you’re also thinking about trying the lifestyle, don’t turn the key just yet. My five best tips for working while RVing from anywhere are critical reading before you give it a try.
The 5 Dos and Don’ts of Working While RVing
Many aspiring nomads enjoy browsing the social media profiles of full-time RVing influencers. It’s a fun way to daydream and do your research, but be warned: you may only be seeing the extremes of nomadic living. Most profiles tend to focus on the good days of this lifestyle. Some like to share a gritty story, but rarely do full-time RV influencers expose the whole truth about living and working on the road. If you’re planning to travel and earn money, my five reality checks about combining work and RV travel will put you on the best path forward.
Don’t Let Work Take Over Your RV Adventures
Work isn’t always a four-letter word. My husband, Jim Nelson, and I have spent the last 15 years working on the road and it pays for full-time RV travel and living expenses. We don’t work every single day, but as two self-employed people in a 27-foot fifth-wheel, the line between work and home life is razor thin — even more than when we had a sticks-and-bricks business in Northern California. We’ve discovered that separating work and play on the road is difficult at best. But when we prioritize fun at great destinations, our effort to clock out reminds us why we full-time RV in the first place. For instance, a trip to Dinosaur National Monument in Utah reminded us that walking away from work a little more than usual rewarded us with unforgettable experiences at park attractions, like Dinosaur’s gorgeous hiking trails.
Mobile Workspace. Office setup at Crowley Lake, California.
Have Multiple Ways to Get Online
New nomads working on the road quickly discover that relying on RV park and campground wifi is a fool’s game. Although many top-rated RV parks have installed wifi networks throughout their campsites, the sad truth is that rarely does the technology keep up with everyone’s needs — especially now that more of us are working online. So if your job or nomadic business depends on internet access, don’t leave home until you buy the best RV internet connectivity hardware and service plans you can afford. And always have service with at least two different providers. That way, when (not if) one service goes down, the other is your backup way to get online, so you can keep bringing home the bacon.
![Dinosaur A man in red shirt examines trees in a ravine.](https://blog.goodsam.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DinosaurNM_LO.jpg)