How I balance work and life in 400 square feet

The RV life has a lot of appeal: adventure, new sights, amazing scenery. After five years as full-time RVers, we certainly enjoy those perks. But what about the day to day? I still work full time. Here’s how I balance work and life in 400 square feet.

Work in a designated space

When we were looking for our RV home, one of my stipulations was that it have a separate room with a door that I could use as my office. I wanted to be able to close the door at the end of my workday and be home. 

We found a few fifth-wheel models that fit that requirement — most with the inclusion of what’s called a mid-bunk room. We narrowed down our choices to two Jayco models: Pinnacle 37MDQS and North Point 377RLBH. After inspecting both RVs, we opted for the Pinnacle because it offered more desk space and a slightly wider body.

The mid-bunk room, measuring about 80 square feet, quickly became my office. Bob replaced the TV above the desk with a large computer monitor, and then we added another vertical monitor to give me two screens. 

I open the main desk drawer and place a removable shelf on top of it to create a keyboard tray. This helps me work ergonomically, as does a comfy, height-adjustable office chair.

Forget about work after hours

While raising our five kids, I worked from home as a freelance writer. During that time, I found it extremely difficult to separate work from life. With an unpredictable workload, I always had to be “on” in case a job came through. I couldn’t afford to miss an income opportunity. 

It took me some time to get past that mindset. The fact that my current office door is mirrored on both sides made it easier. 

Now when I close the door at the end of my workday and transition to being home, I’m able to forget about work. With the door shut, I can’t see into the office. As the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.” 

Move on the weekends

Because I work all week, we do our best to relocate only on the weekends, when I’m off. That way, I can focus on my job responsibilities during the week without having to worry about packing up and moving my things to close the office slideout. 

There have been times when we’ve had to move on a weekday for some reason or other and I had to work in the truck. It’s doable, but I prefer to look out the window at the sights going by. 

Plus, in RV life, things often don’t go as planned, like the weekday we moved and got a flat tire between stops. As a result, I was forced to sit outside in the sweltering South Carolina humidity to conduct a business meeting. 

Make time for fun

Another key to my success in balancing work and life is prioritizing time for adventure. Part of the reason we embraced RV life was to explore what this great country has to offer. When we’re in a location, we take advantage of my free time on evenings and weekends to check out points of interest. 

This has led to some unique experiences, such as touring Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, hiking to waterfalls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, enjoying a sunset dinner cruise on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, taking a dog sled ride in Alaska, and eating fresh-off-the-boat lobster on a pier in Maine. 

I work hard so that I can play hard. Full-time RVing makes it possible for me to do both for a balanced and fulfilling life. 

You might also like Confessions of a full-time RVer.