Going full time as a freelancer is only half of the digital nomad dream. Once you’ve got the fundamentals of freelancing down, you can start working remotely while traveling and living your best life!
I’ve never regretted my decision to work from around the world. I have stumbled here and there though, so I’ve written a few tips for anyone about to make the same change.
Staying on top of your freelance work at home is one thing, but when working remotely while traveling, there are time zones, connectivity issues, and more unpredictable aspects at play. Let’s dive into the tips and get you ready for the world! ????
1. Figure out which are your best working hours and stick to them.
Freelancing gives us the freedom to decide when to work, but staying in touch with our natural rhythms helps us create a routine that keeps us on track.
Before you start traveling, pay close attention and write down your most productive working times.
Whether you get your best work done in the morning, evening, in small chunks or just a few days a week, follow that formula! Not only will sticking to your best work hours will keep you productive, it’ll make it easy to save some time to sight see on your schedule.
2. Keep your planning to a day or two at a time.
Traveling is unpredictable by nature, which is probably why we love it so much! It feels like anything can happen. ✨
While we need to stick to a plan, planning too far ahead will make you feel like you don’t have any time to have fun. Instead, plan day by day or at most, a few days in advance.
Photographer: Curtis MacNewton | Source: Unsplash
Consider the work that needs to get done and balance it with a cool activity or two. After all, you didn’t start working remotely while traveling just to get bogged down by your schedule in Bali!
Even if you don’t have any activity ideas, save some time in your day for a stroll or a spontaneous invitation for coffee. Keep the unpredictability alive – and your sanity in tact.
3. Pick projects that pay you in money and time.
Whether you prefer a big one-and-done project or ongoing long-term work, hammering out the details of the deliverables and the client’s timeline is vital to predicting your availability.
If there’s any uncertainty about the deadlines or scope of work on a project, it can come back to haunt you and ruin your travels.
Calculate the time you’ll need for the deliverables and only accept projects that give you enough time to enjoy yourself and have free time.
If you run into a project that you’re interested in but you stop when you realise their deadline only gives you a week to complete it, all hope isn’t lost. Here’s a tip: propose adding another week to the delivery date for a small discount. Sometimes, getting paid less money means you get paid with more free time!
4. Seek out digital nomads to share the travel experience with.
Working as a freelancer can be isolating at times, since we often don’t have a physical office to report to. It’s also hard to hold yourself accountable when there’s no one around.
Seeking out other traveling digital nomads is a great way to make sure your time is being used wisely.
Photographer: Brooke Cagle | Source: Unsplash
Not only do digital nomads usually keep similar working hours, they’re also seeking out the same awesome travel adventures that you are!
Connecting with your fellow digital nomads is great for keeping you on the clock, but there are plenty of other benefits as well. They probably already know some great coworking spaces and cafes, as well as tons of freelancing advice.
You can even find clients while you’re coworking with other digital nomads. It’s like a one-stop-shop for making your experience working remotely while traveling the most amazing it can be!
4 Tips for Working Remotely While Traveling
Now, you’ve got all the tips you need to make sure you can keep your freelance business running and still have time to enjoy yourself abroad. Let’s recap before you pack your bags:
- Designate your most productive working hours and stick to them.
- Keep your planning habits to a few days in advance at maximum.
- Pick your projects carefully: you need money AND time!
- Connect with digital nomads and stay productive – together.
What works for you? Share your tips in the comments!
We could all use a few more freelance management tips…
So check out my free eBook for freelancers, Hacking Freedom! Get insider tips that will help you maintain and grow your business to its full potential.
