Thanks to the internet and the growing number of jobs which can be done remotely, working whilst you travel around the world has never been easier. If you like the challenge of where to set up your next office - by a lake in Switzerland, a beach in Bali, or the jungle in South America - take a look at the following tips for living the digital nomad lifestyle.
Choosing your accommodation
Depending on where your travels take you, your accommodation costs will vary greatly. Although you’re likely to spend very little on a beach hut in Thailand, renting an apartment in a large city is likely to cost much more. So, there are a few things to think about before you choose somewhere to stay:
How long are you planning on staying in one place?
You can usually get a better deal on short-term rentals if you’re planning on staying somewhere for a month. AirBnB tends to be the go-to site for people who travel long-term, and it’s always a good idea to ask for a discount for longer stays.
You should also research as much as you can about your host, especially if you’d like tips about a new destination you’re visiting or opportunities for socializing. Take a good look at the comments on their page to see if they offer what you’re looking for.
If you’re just planning on a quick stop-over before moving on to your next destination, then a budget hotel or hostel will help make your money go further.
However, giving yourself enough time to settle in and get into a good work rhythm is also important. It can take time to find the optimal work environment, figure out transport in a new place, and get to know other travelers. If you’re constantly on the move it will be harder to stick to a good schedule and you might find yourself getting stressed out about completing work on time.
How comfortable do you need to be?
Before you embark on a digital nomad lifestyle, you need to have a few figures in mind; think about how much you’re able to earn and what your average monthly costs will be.
As you adjust to working whilst you’re on the road, it may take a while to hit your weekly or monthly targets, so it’s best to keep your costs as low as possible until you find a good rhythm.
Consider how much time during the day you’ll actually be spending in your accommodation. If you plan to work from home, then it’s essential you find somewhere with good Wifi - but this will often increase rental costs.
If you’re happy working from cafés or co-working spaces and planning on sightseeing at every possible moment, then opt for cheaper accommodation as you’ll hardly be there. (Although you’ll probably use the money you’ve saved on co-working membership fees and internet access).
Finding a place to work
Apart from finding somewhere with a reliable internet connection, finding a good place to work will depend on your personal preferences. Some people prefer to set up a laptop-friendly space wherever they’re staying and working in peace and quiet, whilst others thrive in busier spots such as workspaces and cafés.
If you’re traveling on your own, workspaces are often the ideal place to meet other travelers who are in a similar position, and most set up periodic events to make it easy to socialize and get to know people.
Also, consider how easy it will be to carry around a mobile office. If all you need is a laptop, then you can work virtually anywhere - yes, including on a hammock overlooking the water. But if you need extra things like a notebook, camera, printer, or external hard drive, it may be easier to set up a small office space wherever you’re staying instead of lugging everything around.
Establishing a routine
Although being location independent gives you an incredible amount of freedom, it can be hard to strike a good work-life balance. If you’re constantly glued to your computer trying to meet deadlines, you won’t have time to go exploring. But if you don’t schedule in enough time to get work done, you’ll run out of money pretty quickly.
To find a good balance, you should create a work schedule (and stick to it as much as possible). This doesn’t mean you have to follow the same routine everywhere you travel, but rather try and fit in your work hours when you’re likely to get the most done.
Whether that means doing all your work in the morning and using the afternoons to sightsee or splitting your hours between early morning and the evening is really up to you. But when you are working, try to be as productive as possible. That means no checking Facebook, no chatting with friends, and no reading the news.
Being disciplined may not come easy at first, there will always be plenty of distractions to pull you away from your work, but give it time, and you’ll figure out ways to get as much done in as little time as possible.
To help you focus, you can try using noise-canceling headphones, tracking your work with an online-timer app to make sure you’re being as productive as possible, assigning daily work goals, and of course, drinking plenty of coffee (or tea, whatever your go-to drink is).
Final Thoughts
If saving up for a few vacations a year just isn’t enough to put your travel bug at rest, then you might want to consider working remotely and seeing the world at the same time. Being location independent can be an incredible way to live and work, but it does have its downside.
You need to be incredibly strict with yourself when it comes to the working part. Other people you socialize with might be enjoying a week off from their 9 to 5 job, but you’ll need to stick to a good routine in order to sustain your nomadic lifestyle.
About The Author: Cal Bailey blogs at Mountain Leon - a travel blog he started after a two-year journey around the world. If you are interested to read more about his travel experiences, you can do it here.
All the photos used in this article are courtesy of Cal Bailey from Mountain Leon.
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