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The dream of being able to work from anywhere is now a reality for many people who want to live the digital nomad lifestyle. Thousands of people across the world are blending travel with work and opening up doors for a better quality of life without compromising on what they want.
Armed with a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection, many people are making the digital nomad lifestyle work. But is it as effortless as social media portrays? Are those idyllic shots of working on a beach or by a pool a true reflection of the challenges and rewards of this lifestyle? Let’s delve into the realities.
Building a business and getting to the point where you’re working while sipping a pina colada at a pool takes time, patience, and tenacity. But it isn’t impossible for the people who focus on making it work. And for future digital nomads, there are many things to consider before embarking on this lifestyle. Let’s take a look.
Flexibility
At the heart of being a digital nomad is flexibility. You need to be flexible with what you do to truly create a limitless working experience.
Being a digital nomad is about more than just having a working laptop and a stable internet connection. It’s about setting up your business in a way that allows you to work from anywhere. This might mean registering your business in your home country or abroad, following legal guidelines, or working in non-resident countries to avoid deportation. It’s about finding ways to work for one or multiple clients, no matter where you are in the world.
You also need flexible payment options so you can get paid for your work. Options like signing up for PayPal or opening a business account for non-US resident can make your life much easier and ensure you get paid wherever you or your clients are.
Systems Not Habits
Effective work habits, while good, will only get you so far. To truly make the digital nomad life successful, you need systems to help people organize what you do and keep things running.
Automation is a good idea to ensure things keep going when you’re not online, project management tools like Trello can also be beneficial, as can scheduling online meetings for your business. The aim is to ensure that wherever you are, you maintain the standard and quality and are consistent with little to no interruptions as you travel.
Communication is Key
If your clients are spread out across the world or you are located in different time zones or locations than your employers, you need to ensure you have effective communication channels and have your agenda clearly set out so everyone is on the same page.
Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams can be beneficial here as can recording video updates when you can’t make live calls so you can try to be as available as possible or use other team members if you have employees or colleagues who can take over, so it’s fair and helps with your changing schedule.
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