In today’s digital age, more and more entrepreneurs are taking their online businesses to the road and embracing the freedom of being digital nomads. As a digital nomad entrepreneur, having the right gear can make a significant difference in your overall productivity, efficiency, and success.
Because once you start traveling, it completely changes your day to day routine. You’re not waking up in the same home with the same coffee machine everyday. Which is a beautiful thing, but it does ‘wake up’ your brain and require you create different habits or routines that match this lifestyle.
Here are 11 essentials that every digital nomad entrepreneur should consider investing in. From portable workstations, to travel-friendly gadgets – these tools will help you remain productive while on the move!
Essential #1: Your Laptop
You guessed it, the backbone of any digital nomad entrepreneur’s toolkit. This is the bread and butter of your business. And you can’t be traveling the world stressing about whether or not your laptop will survive the trip.
Investing in a good laptop will save you thousands of headaches in the future. You’ll want to prioritize a laptop that’s easy to pack (and not too heavy), and has a long battery life. Nothing is worse than having to chase down outlets. Trust me.
Check out this blog post with a comprehensive list of the best laptops for Digital Nomads in 2024!
Essential #2: Power Bank
Whether you’re spending all day exploring a city and cafe hopping with your laptop, or you’re having an 8 hour travel day to get to your next destination – a power bank is not a want, it’s a need. Nothing is worse than stressing about your phone dying. And again, we don’t want you to be chasing outlets all the time.
Make sure your power bank has all of the outlet types that you need, and bonus points if there’s multiple plugins. This power bank has both a USB-A outlet and a USB-C outlet, making it handy to charge whatever device you have!
Essential #3: Ear Plugs and Eye Mask
Constantly changing your home and sleeping environment can be a lot for your brain to process. Especially if you have issues falling asleep normally. I have been using ear plugs and an eye mask to fall asleep for the past 3 years on my travels, and let me tell you it is a game changer. I swear, my brain just knows that the moment I put on the eye mask and plugs in my ears, it’s time to sleep! Don’t just save this sleep set up for hostels, it works in co-living dorms, noisy city apartments, or new homes where you just can’t seem to fall asleep.
Essential #4: Cloud Storage
Being constantly on the move, it’s really helpful to minimize the physical things you have to keep track of. One less thing to lose, you know? I strongly recommend a good cloud storage for you to store all of your ‘paper work’ information in. Security is incredibly important with this, so make sure to look into the different options you have! Evernote is a great option that I’ve used for years.
Essential #5: A Good Laptop Case
When I tell you this is my favorite purchase I’ve ever made – I’m not joking. I was searching for a small bag that I could bring with me on days I wanted to work from cafes, but I knew I didn’t want just a tote bag. This laptop case AND shoulder bag was exactly what I needed. I’m able to travel with my laptop secured, but I can easily whip out the case and strap if I don’t want to bring my main weekender bag around town. And it holds TONS of stuff inside. I could not recommend this item more!
Essential #6: A Day Bag
One thing I always bring with me everywhere I go is a tote bag. While I don’t always love using it for carrying my laptop in (tote bags don’t feel the most secure in my opinion), you’ll want one for everything else that may pop up. Beach bag, grocery bag, shopping bag, the list could go on. Also make sure it’s washable, because things get dirty when you’re traveling all the time!
Essential #7: Universal Travel Adapter
Depending on the country you visit, you’ll need to have adapters for your tech to work on the outlets. You can find universal adapters that work in all countries. I recommend getting these if you plan on going to a ton of different countries. If you plan on using big appliances with it (ie, your hairdryer) – make sure to check the voltage. I also strongly recommend getting one that has USB ports in it, like this one, so you can charge multiple things at once. It can be really frustrating if you only have one converter and you’re trying to charge several things at once.
Essential #8: Noise Cancelling Headphones
You need good headphones. Especially if you plan on working in a lot of public places like cafes, or coliving places. Invest in a pair of noise-canceling headphones to make sure you stay focused, which will enhance your concentration and productivity. I’m a sucker for all things Apple, and the Airpods are a tiny option that are easy to pack (while still being noise cancelling!)
Essential #9: Good Luggage
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to luggage. Some people like backpacks. Some people like weekender bags. Some like carry ons. Some like checking their bag. It’s really all personal preference.
Personally, I’m a weekender bag and carry on girlie. I recently purchased the Monos Carry-On Pro and Metro Duffle, and I’m absolutely obsessed with them. They’re so cute, sturdy when traveling, and plenty of storage. I use the front compartment to store extra cords and my tote bag, as well as paper copies of my passport because idk you never know lol.
Essential #10: Passport Holder
This has honestly turned into my wallet at this point. For my American readers, here’s one for the United States Passport. They’re great to hold your credit cards, your passport (duh lol), your COVID-19 vaccination card if you need it, and sim cards too.
Essential #11: AirTags
Yes, another Apple recommendation lol but with good reason. AirTags are an easy gadget to have to make sure you never lose anything! Especially if you check your bags. I always have one in my luggage and my carry on, because you never know!
And there you have it! As a digital nomad entrepreneur, it’s going to take some practice with figuring out exactly what kind of gear is best for your style of travel. But once you’ve found your perfect mix (I will admit, this will take some trial and error!) – you’ll seamlessly be able to travel all over the world, without sacrificing your productivity. Safe travels and best of luck on your digital nomad journey!
