For the past six years, travel planner Cassandra Santoro has split her time between New York and Italy. She spends summers on the Amalfi coast, travels throughout Italy in the fall, and then returns to the U.S. for the spring.

Sounds pretty great, right? 

Cassandra isn’t on vacation 24/7/365, though. She’s a successful entrepreneur and CEO of Travel Italian Style. She’s become an expert at working remotely from all over the world.

Now that the pandemic has opened up remote work opportunities for so many people, this lifestyle is more and more feasible. But to make this work, there are more than a few logistical challenges to address. 

Cassandra joined me on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop to share how she does it:

Bring your own WiFi

You might think there will be internet access wherever you go — but Cassandra says that’s actually not the case. She says bringing your own WiFi can help the transition to go smoothly, ensuring you can always log on when you need to. Cassandra recommends buying a Skyroam hotspot.

If the home rental where you’re staying advertises WiFi, Cassandra says you should always check with the host to make sure the internet connection is strong and reliable. Better safe than sorry!

I have lots of other remote office tips in my LinkedIn Learning course “Organizing Your Remote Office for Maximum Productivity” as well. 

Making the space work

Even if you’re in a beautiful part of the world, huddling up in a dark room to work will kill your mojo.

When you’re working remotely from somewhere new, Cassandra recommends buying fresh flowers or even a basil plant to make the space feel homey. She also prioritizes light-filled rentals. 

Consider time zones

When you’re figuring out the logistics of working away from home, Cassandra says it’s important to consider time zones. Will you have to get up in the middle of the night for client meetings? It’s important to ensure that you can do your job without having crazy hours.

When in Rome…

When you’re working from someplace new, Cassandra suggests really immersing yourself in the local culture. For her, that means an aperitivo!

 

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If you want to hear the rest of Cassandra’s suggestions, you can watch our full conversation here!