Steering your success: Drive your business like a pro from your car office

The key to being successful in today’s business world is flexibility. Gone are the days of a strict nine-to-five gig. Here to stay is remote work, mobile working where you are, and working on the go. And what that looks like is constantly evolving.

Enter your vehicle. No, we’re not talking about working from anywhere in the world as a digital nomad. We’re talking about the need to squeeze in some mobile working between sales appointments and driving your teens to and from activities. Got 30 minutes to kill in the parking lot of an athletic field? Work from your car. Waiting at the airport to pick someone up? Use your car office. Need to answer some emails between appointments? Pull off at the nearest rest stop and get out your car office. A lot of people do. A recent survey of 2,000 remote workers found that have worked from their car. Here’s how to make the most out of working from your car when you’re constantly on the go.

Types of jobs to do from your car

Unless you’re doing manual labor, mobile working is possible for most jobs. With tools like Google Workspace, hotspots and numerous apps, remote workers are empowered to work from anywhere, cars included. But some jobs – hello, delivery driver and rideshare driver — lend themselves to working from the car more than others. Some jobs that you can also do from the car include:

• Social Media Manager
• Writer and Editor
• Marketing Manager
• Sales Executive
• Real Estate Agent
• Business Development Manager
• Virtual Assistant

Safety first

First and foremost, when you think about working from your car, you must consider safety. Of course, that means you’re not actually driving your vehicle while working. Otherwise, your car is parked and off when you employ your car office. Other safety tips include:

• Pull all the way off the road (a parking lot is definitely the best option), where moving cars can see you clearly.
• Park in a lit space and lock your doors.
• Back into a parking spot so you can be more aware of your surroundings while you work.
• If you plan to be in the car for a while, consider keeping the air conditioning on so you stay cool – especially during the summer months.

Plan ahead

As with everything in business, planning is key. If you know you’ll have the opportunity for mobile working in your day, set aside some tasks that fit into remote in-car work. Some things are easier to do from your car office than others. For example, anything you can do from your phone should be delegated to your work in the car list. Other items for that list include making calls, clearing out your inbox, responding to messages, dictation, brainstorming and creative tasks and attending hybrid workplace meetings.

If you find yourself mobile working every day, build some of the above tasks into your daily routine specifically for your car office time.

Ensure you have access

Another key ingredient to mobile working is ensuring you have access to everything you need in your office in the car. For starters, make sure your hotspot works so you have reliable and secure internet access. Send yourself digital files of what you plan to work on. Using a tool like Google Workspace makes your digital files accessible from anywhere, even your phone, if you don’t want to pull out your laptop. And you can seamlessly move from mobile access to desktop access when you get back to your office. Finally, keep your apps and technology updated so access is immediate when you get a moment in your car office.

Get the right accessories

There are many accessories to help you stay focused while working remotely from the car. Think things like portable chargers, a desk for a car–some attach right to your steering wheel, a phone holder or stand, a seat organizer and consider an expandable file folder that you can easily move from the car to your home office and back.

In the end, as a professional, you must do what you have to in order to get your work done, whether mobile working or in a comfortable home office. Often, we don’t have the choice. You’re on the go, and work still needs to get done. Ooma has an option to help: the Ooma Office Mobile app. Using it will help you make and record important calls and send texts, photos, and PDFs, allowing your car office to be a productive, comfortable and effective place to work when duty calls.