Go Outside - Why Not?

Just outside Barton Springs - Austin, TX
There's a beautiful world out there if you'll just open your eyes once in awhile. One of my favorite aspects of the wave of technological innovation that we're experiencing is how much easier it is to immerse yourself in nature. From access to information on far away destinations, to the infrastructure to cheaply reach them, to the tools that allow you to continue to be productive and connected (should you so wish) once you get there.

I find it troubling that most people haven't made a very simple connection yet: just as easily as you can check your Facebook on a flight to Brazil you can add value to team meetings from a hammock in your backyard, respond to emails from a picnic table next to your favorite swimming hole, or engage with clients to accomplish projects from the front porch of a cabin deep in the Rocky Mountains. For the vast majority of you, there's no reason you can't too.

The question we need to be asking more often is simply, why not? We weren't meant to live confined within little wooden boxes.






The Tech I Use to Make It Happen:

  • Mobile Hotspot - I use an AT&T one and pay $25/month for 2 GB which has been plenty if you use it intelligently
  • Software - I use TripMode on my Macbook to monitor my data usage and control which programs are using wifi to make sure I don't waste my precious 2 GB. 
  • Headphones - I recently got Bose noise cancelling headphones as a birthday gift and they're incredible. Having the noise cancelling isn't required (it's expensive) but now that I've got it I can't imagine going back.
  • Battery Pack - If you're not sure when you're going to have access to electricity next, this is clutch. There are tons of options out there for really cheap. Here's one from Amazon.
  • Hammock - This is completely unnecessary from a work perspective, but worth every ounce of comfort and joy. The Eno Double Nest is the backpacker standard but there are a lot of good brands out there. Definitely get the Eno Atlas Straps though - they make setting up your hammock anywhere take about 30 seconds.
  • Macbook Air 11" - Obviously you need a laptop of some sort. I like this because it's reliable, very small, very light, has great battery life, and is the cheapest computer Apple makes. 


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