I have worked as a reporter, editor, and journalist for 15 years. That meant, fairly regularly, I had to go to the place where the story was happening and write about it.
Like most of us, I carry my laptop with me when I travel for work, often spending hours typing away notes and articles in hotel rooms or on airplanes. For years, I never thought about it, just threw my trusty old Dell XPS 13 in my bag and hopped on a plane to wherever I needed to go.
But over the past few years, I've noticed that I can no longer comfortably use my best laptop on the go by itself. It's good enough for a few emails or quick documents, but I cringe at the thought of him bending it down for 3-5 hours of serious work at his hotel desk. Our bodies weren't designed to be hunched over a keyboard connected to a screen for hours at a time. What I'm trying to say here is that such a life will eventually catch up.
I'm not even 40 yet and I already have serious problems with my hands, wrists, neck, and shoulders from spending all my life sitting at a keyboard. I've had to spend years relearning how to use laptops and PCs in a way that doesn't put too much stress on me. I hope the lessons I have learned will make your journey less painful and exhausting.
So, if you have a trip coming up and you plan to take your laptop or tablet with you to work on the go, take a moment to check out my recommended accessories and add them to your packing list. Please consider. It can be a little frustrating trying to cram extra gadgets into your luggage when you're trying to pack light, but your body will be happy to take these laptop accessories with you on your next trip. I promise to be grateful.
great portable laptop stand
As you may have already noticed, working with a laptop on your desk in front of you is quite uncomfortable. This typically means that you have to lower your neck to look at the screen, and at the same time raise your hands to an unnaturally high position to type directly below the screen, causing your entire body to slouch, resulting in It hurts like hell.
This is why it's worth investing in a good portable laptop stand that can be folded to fit your luggage. Personally, I recommend his $45 laptop stand (pictured above) from Nexstand, which has changed the way I work. It used to be sold on Amazon, and you can still find many of his other great portable laptop stands at the store built by Jeff Bezos, but currently the only way to buy the Nexstand is through the website. It is to go through it.
I love this cheap little black plastic stand. This is because it is lightweight and folds into a compact size, approximately 12 inches long and 1 to 2 inches thick. It's also adjustable, so you have a few inches to adjust the height of your laptop for comfort, which is important.
If it looks a little too flimsy for your liking, don't worry, there are plenty of alternative laptop stands that are sturdier and cost more. I recommend his Nexstand K2 because it's lightweight, folds and packs easily, and costs less than $50, so you won't feel too bad if you lose it while traveling.
comfortable travel keyboard
Using a laptop stand alone can make using your laptop on the go more comfortable, but it can make typing a little awkward since your keyboard is suspended a few inches above your desk.
Laptop keyboards aren't very comfortable for me to use, so I type on an external keyboard, which is basically an important accessory for my laptop that I use all the time. I have a few ergonomic keyboards that I use at home, but I like to take them with me when I travel because they come with their own travel case, which makes working on my laptop much easier.
Travel keyboards come in a variety of options, from price to key layout to wireless support (high-end models support Bluetooth, while cheaper ones offer Wi-Fi USB that you need to connect to your laptop). Dongle included), we recommend taking your time and finding one you like in your price range.
Having a keyboard to travel with is a lifesaver for me, but at around $349, it's not for everyone. I'm talking about his Keyboardio Model 100 ($349), which is an ergonomic split mechanical keyboard (pictured above) that comes with its own travel case.
I like split keyboards because you can change the position of each half for maximum comfort. You can settle down at your hotel desk (or, let's be honest, your hotel bed), comfortably rest your hands and arms, and then place your keyboard underneath it. . Split keyboards are more compact and portable than standard rectangular keyboards, making them even more convenient when traveling.
So while we recommend investing in a good ergonomic split keyboard that's comfortable to type on and easy to carry, we don't think you necessarily need to spend more than $300 to get this perk. . I love my Keyboardio Model 100 (you can read all about how it changed the way I work), but there are plenty of other options that are a bit cheaper.
For example, I recently asked workplace ergonomics expert Cameron Steele (aka “Ergo Lady”) for advice on how to work more efficiently on a laptop without causing pain. , recommended Human Solutions' ergonomic keyboard. Specifically, the GoldTouch Go 2 (linked above) portable split keyboard. It works wirelessly via Bluetooth on both the best Windows laptop and the best his MacBook. It also folds up for travel, and while it's not as compact as my Model 100, it also costs over $200 less.
“There's one keyboard that I'm starting to recommend more and more, and that's the GoldTouch Go,” Stiehl told me. “It's a portable, small and stylish split keyboard. It also has a PC to Mac switch so anyone can use it. It folds in half so it's basically two small square keyboards. If you need to keep your arm fully pronated, you'll even have to tent it, but you can also just fold it in half and throw it in your bag. It's that easy. And why not? No. Use this!”
small and comfortable mouse
Finally, complete your setup with a mouse that's easy to move and comfortable. I don't think this is as important as a laptop stand or an external keyboard. That's because you reach down and use your laptop's trackpad or touchscreen less frequently at work than you do to type.
However, if you have space in your bag for a wireless mouse, it's a good idea to include one so you can click and drag more comfortably while working on the go. Your hands and wrists aren't designed to be repeatedly reaching for your chest or scratching your touchpad, so anything you can do to rest comfortably will go a long way toward making working on the go more comfortable. Masu.
Personally, I like to take my Contour Unimouse with me when I travel. Because Contour Unimouse is a rare vertical ergonomic mouse that is small, lightweight, and foldable. So while it won't be as small as the small travel mice often sold in airport gadget shops, it's still very easy to pack.
More importantly, it's tall enough and has a large enough footprint to fit even my oversized hands. This means it won't give you painful cramps after long hours of work like some tiny $30 travel mice do. The Contour Unimouse can be unfolded from a 35 degree angle to his 70 degree angle, allowing you to adjust the size and height of the mouse to your comfortable level after unpacking.
The Contour Unimouse's only real weakness as a travel gadget is that it requires a USB-A wireless dongle to connect to your laptop. It comes with a USB-A to USB-C adapter, so it's fine for newer laptops, but could be a problem if you accidentally lose your wireless dongle in your luggage.
So, if you regularly work on your laptop on the go, consider investing $100 or more in high-quality travel accessories that will make your experience more comfortable. It may seem hard to justify paying extra for accessories when your laptop already has a perfectly usable keyboard and trackpad, but trust me, it's hard to justify paying extra for accessories. It pays off in the long run.
