Have you ever wanted to just ditch it all, buy an RV and hit the road? Are you considering the life of a digital nomad? Guest blogger and RV Digital Nomad Savannah Flowers has some words of wisdom.

In the past three years, I have lived in 20 states. I have never had to pack a suitcase or a box. I’m one of the one million Americans currently living in an RV. When my husband and I pulled into our first RV park, I expected to find the cliches you see in movies and television: retirees playing chess or dysfunctional families on road trips. Instead, we found a park full of young professionals. We constantly park next to traveling nurses, skilled laborers, and consultants. We also park next to plenty of people who, like me, work from a home that rolls.

The reality of working from a home on wheels is actually very similar to working from a house. You need to consider all the Work-From-Home advice, which is another blog post altogether! Follow a routine, get dressed in the morning, move around during the day, etc. However, there are some differences worth noting when you’re a digital nomad.

Internet and cell service. You are not guaranteed internet or cell service depending on your location. When the park doesn’t provide internet, I use a mobile hotspot, but that also requires a data network connection. Some people purchase satellites, but it’s far more complicated than satellite tv and requires re-positioning whenever you move.
Your workspace. Depending on how large your rig is, you may not have a dedicated workspace. It may double as a dinner table or in some cases, someone’s bed. In nice climates, you do have the option of working outside, but there will undoubtedly be times where you have to move indoors and you will want a nice place to work. You may learn that working from coffee shops, where the internet is provided and tables are clear, is the best option!
The view from your windows. It changes! Even if you are parked somewhere long term, your neighbors will change. You have some control over what you see out your window. If you hate the weather, you can move somewhere new. However, you may also be working next door to a family or friends on vacation. The changing view and environment can be exciting, but you should also be prepared to be distracted!

If you have been considering quitting the 9 to 5 grind and becoming a digital nomad, there are some things you should consider first.

Have a plan for income. The advice to not quit a job before having another applies here as well. While your expenses will usually decrease if you move full time into an RV, you will still need an income! Have a gig ready or investigate sites that cater to RVers, like Workamper and Workamping Jobs. Many of these positions will pay for your parking spot as well.
Have work in mind when shopping for an RV. Don’t forget about work when looking at RVs. You may be very excited to see that you could watch TV while barbecuing outside, but if there isn’t a good place to set up for work inside, it’s not going to be a good fit. Sit at the space where you’ll be working and imagine sitting there for a full work day.
Invest in a good laptop. Desktop computers cannot handle the jostle of the drive, and they have a lot of extra weight you won’t want. If your work requires special software, make sure you can do that work from a good laptop and invest in one.
Plan for spotty internet. If your work requires that you have consistent, high-speed internet, you will be severely limited in where you can park and travel. You may end up parked in a friend’s driveway! Jobs that require daily video conferencing will probably cause a lot of stress as you scramble when your internet connection is slow.
Prepare for an adventure! Living in an RV is a great adventure. I have met fascinating people and seen our beautiful country. I have also evacuated from hurricanes, driven into a blizzard, dealt with frozen hoses in 20 inches of snow, and changed a tire on the side of the interstate. I can easily visit friends for a week or two, or get away from brutal summer heat by driving north.

Working from home in an RV isn’t as glamorous as some Instagram #vanlife posts make it seem. You may have to drop everything during the day when your neighbor informs you that sewage is spewing from your roof. The household chores are still there, with additional ones like dealing with sewage and sweeping leaves and snow off the roof. Not to mention your work! Don’t forget that it’s still work, even if the view outside is a beautiful national park (which definitely won’t have internet).

Savannah Flowers lives full time in an RV and works from home as a writer. She has a Masters in Social Work and is trying to balance her love of creative writing with her passion for mental health. She shares her RV space with two cats, a dog, and a husband. When not writing with a cat between herself and her computer, she is usually grilling, knitting, listening to podcasts, or doing all three at once! Contact her at flowerswriting@gmail.com.