The lockdown has been relaxed in Nigeria and some countries but some other countries are still experiencing total lockdown. This should not be a problem since you are getting used to working from home. But there seems to be a problem now. Yes, it is true that there are some advantages to this work-from-home thing. What about the cons? The whole home office thing worked for a while, but now your kids: Junior and Ada, have figured out how to open the lock, and their new favourite activity is bombing your Zoom meetings and singing their favourite cartoon songs in the background of your live video calls.
We are guessing it’s time you start considering the office that’s parked in your driveway.
Turning cars into mobile or home workspaces is really not new, started in the 1940s with those massive car phones. It is even quite easier now to outfit your current car with more work-friendly functionality, like Wi-Fi, coffee, and a desk. Here are a few tips on how to turn your car into your own personal office.
Desk in the Car
LAPtops; as the name denotes should be able to rest well on your laps, right? Despite their name, laptops do prefer a flat surface to rest on, so your next addition to the car office should be a desk of some sort. Sitting with a computer on your lap for hours can cause a lot of discomfort due to the heat coming from the laptop and also the weight of the laptop.It gets even worse in the cramped interior of a car. A simple (and small) lap desk helps with both of these problems.
Go for a model that’s padded underneath, and not so big that it’s hard to stow or move around. Not only is it more comfortable, but you’ll be far cooler when you don’t have a hot laptop pressing into your legs!
Pro tip: you will have your whole “office” to yourself, so we recommend one that works well in your (hopefully) spacious back seat. Why feel cramped when you’re at work?
Mobile Hotspot
The most important part of today’s office is, most likely, an internet connection. If you’re living in a country like Nigeria where internet service reliability is next to zero, you’ll likely find places where your usual cell carrier has poor (or no) service, but there’s plenty of signal with a different company.
Rather than just put up with it, invest in a mobile hotspot or dual-SIM phone. Stick a prepaid SIM card from a different carrier inside, and you’ve instantly got better service in more places.
Car Charger or Power Bank
Many recent cars have 110V AC power ports, and if you have one, more power to you! Oh, you did not know this? Ok!!, I know this is not an article about cars that have AC power ports but you just need to know them. Here is a list of those car models.
- Cadillac: ATS, CT6, CTS, Escalade, XT5
- Chevrolet: Express, Impala, Malibu, Silverado, Suburban Tahoe, Traverse, Trax
- Chrysler: 200, Pacifica
- Dodge: Durango, Journey, Grand Caravan
- Ford: CMAX, Edge, Escape, Expedition, Explorer, F-150, Flex, Fusion, Transit
- GMC: Acadia, Savana, Sierra, Yukon
- Honda: Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline
- Hyundai: Santa Fe, Veloster
- Infiniti: QX60, QX80
- Jeep: Cherokee, Compass, Grand Cherokee, Patriot, Renegade, Wrangler
- Kia: Sedona, Sorento
- Lexus: GX 470, LX 570, RX 350/450h
- Lincoln: Continental, MKC, MKT, MKZ, Navigator
- Mercedes-Benz: E-Class, GLC, GLE, GLS, S-Class
- Nissan: NV, Pathfinder, Quest, Titan
Carmart.africa has most of the cars listed above. You can check our review section to see which of our preferred car models have AC outlets.
If you do not have any of the cars listed above, you may need a power inverter or a power bank.
Cell signal booster or wifi booster
Boosting both incoming and outgoing signals, you’ll get better data speeds and fewer dropouts and missed calls. In low-signal areas, you’ll also get longer battery life, since your phone isn’t constantly struggling to maintain a connection.
Sustenance and Caffeine
We realize that you’re already in a prime position to get a drive-through coffee when you’re working in your car, but if you want to minimize your interaction with others right now and can plan ahead a bit, you can get an in-car coffee maker or even an espresso machine that will brew up a fresh drink whenever you need some caffeine.
If you’re going to be spending 8-12 hours working in the car and don’t even want to exit for lunch, a 12-volt car cooler/warmer could find a place in your daily routine to keep your food at the right temperature. You can also decide to raid the home refrigerator once in a while. This will help stretch your legs and give you a chance to use the restroom as well as refill your water bottle using the home water storage cooler.
Final Words
Since space in a car is so limited, you’ll need to pay extra attention to your posture. Bad posture can lead to negative health effects, including back and neck pain and overuse injuries. The lack of a proper desk is likely to make you hunch over, and the confined space makes it hard to stretch out and keep the blood flowing. Laptop desk or not, make sure you take regular breaks to stretch and change positions. Your body will appreciate you
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