- DebD
Are You Interested In Becoming A Traveling Remote Worker? Then Read This!
May 9, 2022
Being a traveling remote worker i.e. digital nomad certainly has its perks. It's a dream gig that many would love to have. Setting your own hours, when and how much you want to work, along with traveling the world is truly living your best life.
Still, there are challenges you should be aware of.
For example, time zones. Usually when you're working on an assignment there's a deadline. Think about it. If you're in Bali and your client is in California, that's a 15-hour time difference. Yikes! That's almost equivalent to an entire days' difference. The scenario would go something like this: "Yes, I apologize. The completed assignment was due on Wednesday, I thought today was Tuesday, but it's Thursday. I'll send everything to you ASAP." Not a good look!
When the time zone is more than a few hours difference between you and your client/clients, you must be extremely proficient at gigging as a traveling remote worker in order to do well. Another example, if your client requires a 9 a.m. delivery Singapore time, and you're in central Europe, that's a 6-hour time difference. Which means that out of necessity, your task should be ready-to-go one day prior to the cut-off time in order for your client located in Asia, to receive the finished project on time....even if it's by email. Exhausting!
So what does it take to take part in the digital nomad lifestyle? How do you keep it together without drinking 15 cups of coffee a day and filling your fridge with Red Bull energy drinks? Read on!
Tackling The Digital Nomad Journey
Let's keep it real. The digital nomad journey is not about rest and recreation. You have to make a living...remember? Be realistic about your dreams of traveling and working. Unless you have a huge wad of cash immediately at your disposal, you can't afford any financial mishaps. Or, you may find yourself sleeping in a train station in who knows what country. Oh, they don't have a railway system? Well, I guess the park will have to do.
Remember, you are at work even if you've booked a beautiful villa in the South of France. You see, things don't always go according to plan whether you're traveling for work or play. Keeping both feet on the ground and your head out of the clouds will help you deal adeptly with any setbacks you may have along the way.
Don't worry, there will be enough time for chilling-out and collaborating with other digital nomads once you've taken care of your most important tasks. In a way it's like being an expat...but you're not really an expat. Usually expats are hired for in-office positions. You, as a digital nomad, are not confined to any brick-and-mortar arrangement except where you lay your head.
In the article 6 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Quit My Job To Travel And Work Remotely the author raises several crucial points. For example, she mentions the importance of bulking up your savings before embarking on your remote work journey.
Here's what she had to say:
" As mentioned before, things always cost more than you think. When working as a freelancer or starting your own business as we did, it's great to know you have a buffer and at least a year's worth of runway.
At the start, we didn't always hit our income goals, and during the first few years, we had periods when we went way over our calculated budgets and as a result, had to make decisions that damaged our business's ability to grow. With a bigger buffer, we could have hired better support earlier or afforded a bad quarter without putting the business at risk. In hindsight, we would probably have waited six months to a year longer to save up a year's worth of expenses before starting our digital nomad journey."
Other topics in the article include: You Get What You Pay For, The Lifestyle Will Cost More Than You Think, Take a Break and Enjoy, Don't Skip Out On Insurance, and Remain Flexible At All Times.
The guide How to Work Remotely While Traveling or Living Abroad in 2022: Digital Nomad Guide is extremely helpful. The writer explains the ins-and-outs of the digital nomad lifestyle with clarity.
One important topic the article covers that many digital nomads might overlook focuses on acquiring the proper software tools.
The writer states that:
"There’s a good chance your equipment is more vulnerable when you’re traveling around compared to sitting at home, so it’s important to protect your digital belongings. Don’t ever store something that matters on local storage, as even external drives are more exposed when you’re traveling.
Storing your data in the cloud is the only way to make sure you can access it from wherever you are, on any device. This is easier for some professions than others, so think about how much data your job generates and figure out how much cloud storage you’d need.
Other valuable software tools include project management solutions like Trello or Asana, especially if you’re working as a freelancer. A good VPN is crucial for security and might even be a requirement for your job. There are also many browser extensions for both security and productivity that can be useful to nomads."
Additional topics include How to Travel and Work Remotely at the Same Time, Finding Location Independent Remote Work, Tax and Immigration Laws, Get the Right Hardware and Equipment, and more!
Feeling secure during your digital nomad excursions is important. Luckily, there are plenty of programs to help you maintain a sense of safety and productiveness. If you have the money to spare, programs specifically geared towards traveling remote workers might very well be worth it. Most of the programs cost around $2,000 per-month. Naturally the price will vary depending on the currency you use. The following information is taken from the article 9 Of The Best Remote Work Travel Programs.
I'm giving a quick summary of 5 of the 9 programs listed in the article. Check the article for more in-depth information about each program.
1. Remote Year
This program will cost you $2,250 per month. It includes housing, utilities, travel between scheduled locations, co-working space and more. They offer spots in key cities like Lisbon, Cape Town, and Mexico City. The program claims to organize accommodations and co-working spaces for participants in great neighborhoods in every city.
2. Coworkations
You will be $2,000 a month out of pocket if you join this recommended program. The price includes housing, utilities, co-working space, pick-up from airports to your accommodations, and professional and social programming. Whatever that means! They provide trips to places like Thailand. Awesome!
3. Behere
Participating in this venture cost $1,400 to $1,900 per month. The program is geared towards female remote work travelers. The monthly price includes housing, utilities, co-working spaces, gym membership, plus a gateway to hosts in the local area. There's a 30-day minimum stay and accommodations are private. They offer living-work arrangements in renowned metropolises like Prague, Barcelona, and Bali.
4. WiFi Tribe
The fee for this program seems reasonable depending on how much money you have to spare on a monthly basis. The fee is $900 to $2,000 per retreat. The itinerary works a little different from the others listed here. It is divided into four-week "chapters" which means a new city somewhere in the world roughly every month. Every four weeks, you pack-up with your group and travel to a new place to live and work. Seems a bit exhausting, but if you're up to it, this could be the calling your inner nomad has been looking for.
5. Nomad Academy
In all honesty, I added this program primarily to make a spectacle of how much the costs can vary from program-to-program. Are you ready? This program will set you back €12,900 per month. Wow, that's like how many month's rent? Mortgage? Car note anyone? Maybe it's the "digital nomad program for the rich." I mean, if you have this type of money to spare each month why gig at all? Just travel!
Anyway, the itinerary entails amenities, flights, co-working spaces, a premier online course, weekly workshops, traveling through two countries in 12 weeks, and participating in an online course specializing in entrepreneurship.
Final Thoughts
The past couple of years has changed the way we do just about everything, especially travel. If you're a digital nomad, you've probably felt the sting of insurmountable rules and regulations required to enter and exit each country, which can be exhausting just thinking about it. Of course, it all depends on how badly you want to travel and what you are willing to tolerate.
Having said that, traveling while working remotely makes sense only if you are well-organized financially, you have a list of clients who pay regularly, and you're in good physical shape to withstand the various time-zones i.e. jet lag, different foods, and so on. Oh, and healthcare is another issue. Make sure you have adequate healthcare, visas, work permits organized before embarking on your digital nomad venture.
Keep in mind that it's not necessary to travel outside your country in order to partake in the digital nomad lifestyle. Simply travel to different cities right where you are and explore places you've never been to.
All in all, as a digital nomad, always have a Plan B and possibly C and simply go wherever you feel impassioned to do so.
Additional sites that might interest you on this topic:
-These digital nomads have worked remotely since way before the pandemic—these are their 7 best tips
-19 Tips for Working Remotely While Traveling
