Digital nomadism is a truly wonderful lifestyle choice which allows you the joy of being able to work, from just about anywhere in the world. This kind of location independence is of course absolutely amazing, but there are some drawbacks. Whilst you may see images on Instagram of digital nomads working in some remote location with their portable wifi device, there is a downside which the picture may not show you. The main issue that I find as a digital nomad is that whilst you can work in these amazing places, you also want to be able to enjoy these amazing places as a tourist and a traveler.
There are ways in which you can divide you time accordingly between traveler and worker, and here are some tips on helping you do just that.
Working Hours
Many of us can completely abandon routine when we no longer need have a boss or a company telling us what time our working hours are. Whilst removing routine can help you to feel that sense of freedom, it can actually damage the amount of work you do, and could also see you ‘working’ for more hours than you actually need to. When you are traveling, the key is to aim as best as you can for a routine, set 4 hours per day to complete your work, and actually work for all four hours, without distractions. The best bet is to try and work from say 7-11, giving you the rest of the day to enjoy your travels.
Switching Off
When you work online, it can be so easy to get sucked into work when you shouldn’t, which can not only swallow your time, but also leave you feeling stressed, when you should be enjoying your trip. In order to overcome this then, you need to learn how to switch off, avoid checking your phone and your email account. When you are working during your allotted time, you can have free reign when it comes to checking all things work-based, but when the work is done, it is time to switch off entirely, no checking your inbox until the next working day.
Planning Ahead
In order to achieve a better work/travel relationship, you must become very good at planning ahead, and planning when you can best work during your travels. For example, your daily routine may be 7-11 as aforementioned, but perhaps you have a trip on Wednesday which leaves at 6am. Naturally you are not going to be able to complete your shift, so you need to either move your routine to a later time, or add some hours to it on the day before and after the trip. When you plan ahead like this, you can begin to feel really comfortable with when you are traveling or having fun, and when you are working.
If you’re interested in finding a remote job, as you don’t currently have one, we highly recommend visiting the Jooble search engine. It offers a plethora of remote job opportunities, specifically for individuals without prior experience.
The key here is to avoid feeling like you should be working when you are having fun, and to avoid wishing you were having fun when working. Follow the steps above and you will be far more effective on both fronts.
