Written by : Joel Neuman
July 18th 2024
Know before you go.
There are hundreds of posts online for “how to work from Mexico without getting caught.” Do not try to do this, as you will most likely not get away with it. The best way to work from anywhere without being caught is to get permission in the first place. Remote work is still relatively new for our world, so many employers are still figuring out how to effectively implement it. As a digital nomad, it’s important to know what kind of remote work is right for you.
Some employers have simply a work-from-home agreement. This means, even though you’re working remote, you still have to have a home base (which is typically your home address). Employers will use this method for many reasons including insurance and health and safety. Unfortunately, this does not give you the ability to work and travel.
Another common setup employers will implement is giving employees the freedom to work from anywhere in the country. For example, a Canadian company may hire someone in Canada and allow them to move from coast to coast as they like. The only restriction is they must remain in Canada. This is a setup commonly used due to privacy and data security reasons. It works great if you want to explore your home country, but what if you want to go further?
Some employers will choose to have a limited work-from-anywhere policy. This often means that their employees must have a home base, but are free to work from anywhere for a certain amount of time per year. For the most part employers with this setup will allow employees to travel for anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months per year. This method is also designed with insurance purposes in mind for the employer.
Finally, there is the coveted work-from-anywhere setup. Some companies will allow their employees to work from anywhere in the world. This is most common for small tech startups, agencies that do a lot of contract work, and international companies. This type of work is fairly rare, but it is out there. Because it is so rare, these positions are often highly competitive, so put your best foot forward when applying.
One thing to keep in mind is that it is possible to negotiate with your employer to change your remote work agreement. Maybe you’ve been an impeccable employee with high deliverables for 4 years. This may give you leverage to negotiate a work-from-anywhere agreement with your employer. If you’re in the process of searching for jobs, this can be a point of negotiation before you accept the job. Many people have received the freedom to work from anywhere simply because they stood their ground on the point during job negotiations.
Check the Wi-Fi.
You always want to ensure you have a reliable internet connection while working remotely. Nothing will frustrate your employer more than if you are in a new place with bad internet and they cannot reach you or you cannot complete your work. Luckily, it’s becoming much easier to find reliable internet connections.
If you travel with AirBnB, many hosts will now have confirmed internet speeds on their listing. This way, you can check and make sure that your stay has the bandwidth you need. Another easy way to make sure you have reliable internet is to stay at a remote work hostel.
Remote work hostels such as Selina have been opening locations around the world. Selina provides accommodation as well as onsite coworking spaces with reliable wifi. This way you can ensure you have everything you need, all through one booking.
If you can’t find accommodation with reliable wifi, you may need to search for a co-working space nearby. You’ll have to do a little research before you go to find out where the best co-working spaces are and book your stay accordingly. Another note is that if you’re into off-the-beaten-track travel, some smaller towns may not have any co-working spaces.
If you’re planning to do a Van-Life style road trip while working, none of these options will be convenient for you. Having to worry about being able to access Wi-Fi at every one of your stops makes travel stressful instead of freeing. For this style of travel, StarLink internet is the best option. It does have an expensive upfront cost, but once installed into your camper, you can access internet from almost anywhere, even while on the go.
Go slow.
Travelling while working is not the same as a vacation. While this may seem obvious, vacationing habits can be hard to break. Especially if it is your first time living as a digital nomad. One common habit is trying to pack too much into a short time, and move too fast. While living as a digital nomad, it is best to spend a minimum of two weeks in one spot. Anything less, and it is very hard to spend time exploring the area.
Typically while working and travelling, your travel days will fall on your weekends. If you spend less than two weeks somewhere, you won’t even have the opportunity to spend a weekend exploring the area. However, two weeks is the absolute minimum. To get a real feel of any location, you should plan to spend at least a month there.
Staying in one spot for a month will allow you the time to get familiar with the area. You can explore multiple coffee shops and restaurants, different neighbourhoods, and find unique tourist activities. After a month you should be able to tell if you love the place and want to spend more time there, or if you want to move on to the next location.
Find balance.
In a typical 9-5, finding the adequate work-life balance is important. As a digital nomad, it’s necessary to find a work-life-travel balance. Travelling and working is exciting, and you may feel the urge to fill up every bit of free time with new activities. This is great for a bit, but can easily get exhausting. Everyone needs time for down-time, whether thats reading a book, having a quiet Netflix night, or napping in the sun.
Lacking balance is a surefire way to burnout on your digital nomad journey, so don’t let it get that far! Everything that calms and centers you can be done while travelling as well, so make sure you find time for it. This will prolong your journey, and allow you to spend even more time exploring.
Talk to locals.
When Anthony Bourdain was asked how to find the special, delicious, hole-in-the-wall restaurants he’s famous for sharing, his answer was simple. “Drink heavily with locals.” While the drinking is not always necessary (although it does help) he’s right about talking with locals. They are the best resource you have for discovering hidden gems in areas you’re visiting. You don’t have to be a social butterfly either!
If you’re staying in an AirBnb, your host will surely have great recommendations for you. Multiple times I’ve been travelling and I’ve had great conversations with my AirBnb hosts that led me to discover some of the best food I’ve ever had. Another great option for someone to talk to is store owners or shop keepers.
While exploring small boutiques in new cities, chances are many of the people working there are actually the business owners. They’re often eager to strike up a conversation about your travels and what brought you to their area. Once you answer their questions, ask them about their favourite bar, attraction, or ice cream in the area. Whatever you’re looking for, they’ll be likely to make a recommendation!
Now you’re ready!
These are the best tips for making sure that you follow the right path on your journey as a digital nomad. It is not a simple lifestyle and requires careful planning, preparation, and the ability to adjust to your surroundings. Keep these tips in mind while planning and embarking on your journey to ensure it is stress-free, fun, and exciting! If you have any tips that you think should be added to the list, please share with me. Together we can combine our knowledge and all become digital nomad experts.
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