WORK FROM HOME
Let's be honest, maintaining a work-life balance is more important than anything these days. For digital nomads, the balance between work and pleasure has a thin line. After 6 years of being a digital nomad, I've learned to manage my time, work, and money much better since. Once I put my passion into an image, I dedicated the time, money and resources to grow it as a business. The result; the outcome is very tedious, yet very rewarding once you've learned the perfect balance. Here are my tips to help you maintain a healthy balance:
Time Management:
I've discovered that managing my time had a definite effect on my mindset and how I chose to work. After 6 years of traveling and working remotely, time management the the key to working smarter. You have to check emails, be present on social media, and sometimes skip out on a fun night to write that long overdue essay/blog.
Avoid Distractions
We know that traveling while maintaining it's lifestyle could be overwhelming at times. Juggling a business, organizing new accommodation bookings, all while being on the move to a new city could be exhausting. As much as we would like to be lazy distractions such as TV, browsing on your phone, social conversations, daydreaming could all lead to the delay of your businesses' success if done too much. Know when to cut the lights off.
I personally like to alternate between working a few days and exploring a few days.
Know When To Relax
What puts you at ease? I usually resort back to music or nature-like sounds as a background. I also found a change once I stopped trying to do everything and relax in a couple days (This is where having a view comes in handy)Not matter what time you dedicate towards your goal, do not burn-out while doing so. Do what makes you happy; Spend time with family, go for a jog or hike, just get up and out. You'll find yourself happier and healthier which promotes succeeding your goals.
GET PAID TO TRAVEL
Maybe you're wanting a change. A new start? When you're working for someone (or a company) that you don't thrive in, it could be detrimental to your livelihood and/or happiness. Getting Paid To Travel and striking the perfect deal(s) could be the easiest, yet hardest thing while trying to make a living solely based off your travel lifestyle. Luckily for digital nomads, we live in each city, work, and have the chance to explore without having to rush around, while find the cheapest way possible. My overall goal was to "Work smarter, not harder" to maintain my travel lifestyle now, and for the future....If you ever feel like you're wasting time on your 9-5 job, here are a few tips to help you in the long run.
Find Something That You Are Passionate About
Yes you may feel your chosen ideal career wouldn't be compatible with your passion for traveling, but EVERY job is! Think about what business you could turn your passion into. Not just now, but LONG TERM. What could you do NOW that could earn money even in the future? Will it earn you money at the cost of your excitement of the journey? Or is there a hobby that'll keep your interest away from the stress of work? Ask yourself:
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Do you know what you'd do forever (as a passion if money wasn't involved) if you had the option?
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What are your long term goals (5 -10+ years) of the future?
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What drives or motivates you?
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What could be your downfall? How to work towards a change?
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Are you ready to dedicate your time towards the goal?
Take Action: Remain consistent and prioritize it
Have you heard of the phrase "You have to crawl before you walk?" That's with every business. It's the smaller steps that you'll complete which helps you see the bigger picture and a step closer to your goal. No matter what, you must work towards the bigger goal. A hack to working smarter is to dedicate cram sessions to immerse your creativity and press the gas 🚗 on your to-do-list. Things you should consider:
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What's your brand/image, structure (targeting goal/audience),
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Go the extra mile on perfecting your craft, Instagram posts, creating content, and branding your website(s).
TRAVEL CHECKLIST
Though traveling could be rewarding, practicing practical and logical planning could make or break your trip. Crafted from my own personal experiences, I've gathered a list to help get (and keep) you organized on your trip.
Download this free DYI checklist
