How to Work from Anywhere in the World Online with these Digital Nomad Tips
Whether you've already worked remotely or you are looking to discover how to start to work online from anywhere in the world, you will love these digital nomad tips, crafted by 12 experts in working from home... even when home is a hotel room, a coworking space or any accommodation around the world!
Table of Contents
1. Make sure you have a reliable internet connection
Being a digital nomad means your main method of communication is over the internet. If you travel to a new location without confirming that there is a reliable connection, you stand the chance of dropped calls, failed uploads, and an overall increase in stress levels because flakey internet and working hard anywhere don’t always mesh well.
I’ve personally had to rescheduled calls because of a poor connection. When unable to reschedule, I’ve endured the awkward and uncomfortable conversations that include a lot of “Sorry, can you repeat that?” or “The screen has frozen so I missed that last slide.” This can “make or break” your business - especially if you need to hop on calls to land new clients.
When traveling to new cities or countries, my wife and I always research the Wifi situation before committing to the place. This could mean contacting your accommodation and asking for speed tests (yes, we’ve done that), researching local cafes, bars, and co-working spaces, and reading up on the remote work culture of the area.
We once made this remote work mistake when traveling in Morocco. We assumed that our Airbnb would have good enough Wifi, only to find that it wasn’t even stable enough to have a phone call. On top of that, there was no culture of sitting in coffee shops to work. As a last resort, we purchased mobile plans with lots of data, but that still didn’t solve the problem of large downloads which can be common in the software industry I work in.
Having a comfortable environment with solid reliable internet is just one less thing to stress about and frees up your time to work so you can use your spare time to explore new areas!
Nick Winder from ImpactWinder
2. Have a good setup
Investing in the right physical elements for your nomadic home office can normalize your work experience and improve your productivity.
Digital nomads don’t rely on a single office space or location to do their jobs. The nomadic lifestyle inherently creates some unique challenges when attempting to stay productive while working from “home” (even if it’s a temporary home!). Creating an ideal “home office experience” when you may only be in an area for a few weeks or months is an interesting problem.
You can’t lug your favorite comfy office chair around the world or always get the perfect lighting in every office you work from. Nor can you count on consistent sound acoustics or an optimal temperature for every location you work from.
That said, there are still a few tricks working nomads can use to normalize their physical environment for maximum productivity. These are my 3 favorite tips for creating the perfect digital nomad setup:
Invest in a high-quality headset. Using a top-rated headset will ensure nomads maintain consistent audio quality when conducting remote work.
Consider purchasing your favorite travel seat cushion. Chair quality varies widely by location. Normalize your seating experience by bringing your own cushion with you. Now you can sit for hours while you teach an online class or write your next blog post.
Bring a portable travel lamp. A poorly lit room or office space can degrade your productivity and make you appear less professional to your clients. Normalize your lighting situation by investing in a portable travel lamp that will help ensure your nomadic workspace is properly lit for any business you may be conducting.
Having a consistent workspace will always be a challenge for nomadic workers. However, using these simple tips for digital nomads, you can bring a sense of consistency to your workspace no matter where it may be. That, in turn, will increase your productivity.
By Jeremy from BestTravelDrone.com
3. Set up external accountability
I find one of the best ways to be productive when working from home is to set up external accountability, this will help you so much in learning how to successfully work from home anywhere in the world. Like most people, I find it easier to meet external expectations compared to internal expectations. Sometimes I’m just not in the mood to meet internal expectations and find myself doing the ‘fun’ tasks that I enjoy more, instead of the important tasks at the time. So what do I do when I am feeling unmotivated? I set up external accountability.
One way I do this is by getting another digital nomad accountability partner. I tell my accountability partner what I plan to do and how I plan to do it. They also share their plans. I find an accountability partner who is at the same level as you and looking to achieve similar goals works best. This is because you understand each other’s situation, will be going through similar issues and can troubleshoot questions easier.
Another way I create external accountability is by being part of a digital nomad mastermind of five to ten people. A mastermind is like an accountability partner, but you are sharing your plans and goals with multiple people. They create good peer pressure and are great motivators when you hear others' success.
Lastly, needing to deliver a product or service to a client or customer imposes external accountability. Sometimes I just can’t seem to get focused and create content. I find accepting sponsored posts and guest posts imposes external accountability to give me a push to do so. You could also do a pre-sale for a product.
When you work from home, especially on your own, it can be challenging to always be motivated. When you need a little push, I find setting up external accountability works well.
By Clara from Petite Capsule
4. Have a separate designated workspace
As a full-time house sitter, I’m used to working from home in many different places. One of the most important strategies I’ve learned is to set up a completely separate “digital nomad workspace”. Having a designated workspace helps me focus and get into a productive, work-oriented mindset. Ideally, your chosen spot will be somewhere that you set up your laptop and only go to when you’re working, such as a desk, table, or countertop.
The point is to signal to your brain that when you go to that specific spot, you’re in “work mode.” Then, when you close your laptop for the day, you’ll shift into “relaxation mode.” Having physical and mental boundaries regarding “work time” and “chill time” is incredibly important when you work anywhere in the world. It’s all too easy to work twelve-hour days, which can quickly lead to burnout.
That’s why it’s very important not to work from the couch or an easy chair. Most importantly, don’t work from bed! These places are terrible for productivity, both for the mind and body. Work from the couch too many days in a row and you will start feeling some twinges in your lower back. Learn from me, I’ve been there!
One of the benefits I’ve found from house sitting is that there’s usually ample space for both me and my partner to set up our own workspaces - but not always. Having a designated space isn’t always possible if you are staying in a small apartment or hostel. But as long as you physically go to a space or even spot that is separate from where you usually relax, you’ll see the benefits. Even a kitchen table or counter will do. My partner often works from a portable standing desk in the closet!
Sam Anthony, from the Alternative Travelers
5. Find the perfect posture
As a digital nomad offering online marketing services or doing affiliate marketing, I'm always working from anywhere, from anything, with anyone.
Without a dedicated office setup, I often find myself working in a variety of sitting positions, with different chair heights, table heights, etc.
And if it’s a couple of hours here and there, holding these static positions generally won’t cause any issues.
But it’s when I'm sitting in a position that has me hunched over for long periods, this is where I start feeling physical symptoms such as headaches, which is a sign from my body that something needs to change.
If prolonged, awkward sitting positions can lead to more serious health conditions. New evidence has emerged about the effects of sitting for long periods of time and how it can potentially lead to a multitude of health issues.
So how do you look after your posture when you work from anywhere in the world online? Without an ergonomic chair, you have to get creative.
A few simple changes in posture to sit at your laptop properly will avoid a visit to the local chiropractor so you won’t have to google-translate your neck tension or headaches into the local language.
Here’s the number one tip to work from home:
I’ve learned from living the digital nomad lifestyle in Vietnam, Moscow and now Italy that will help you sit properly, even when you don't have access to a desk.
An ironing board is your best friend: Seriously, an ironing board is adjustable in height so you can put it on almost any surface and it becomes a stand-up desk, or alternatively, if you’re sitting, it can provide extra height so that you’re working at eye level with your laptop which is better for your neck. I’ve placed iron boards on dining tables, coffee tables, and traditional desks in order to get the right height to prevent any neck tension and headaches. Back at home in Australia, I created my own stand-up desk. But once I became part of the digital nomad community, I had to get creative. And a good ol’ fashion ironing board is your best friend when it comes to preventing neck pain and headaches from maintaining static positions at a desk. Just ask for one at your hotel or Airbnb next time!
Matt Adams from Paradigm ProjeX
6. Get a wifi hotspot
As digital nomads who live the van life, working and traveling full-time on the road, we know how important it is to be able to easily get online to work. No matter how you travel, if you work online then we highly recommend investing in a really good wifi hotspot that pairs with your mobile device. Life as a nomad can be challenging when you can’t find great wifi, we know from first-hand experience and have spent countless hours and driven hundreds of km to find reliable internet. Once we invested in a wifi hotspot everything changed. As long as we had cellular service we were able to work from wherever we wanted.
Depending on the country you are traveling in, you should be able to get a plan for your hotspot which operates off of cellular data. This means, as long as you have cell service you will be able to get online. We use our wifi hotspot in conjunction with the hotspot on our mobile phone, and while this does not cover all our digital nomad internet needs, it does give us more location independence. Most carriers offer hotspot plans that can be added to your regular mobile phone plan, and if you own your device you may be able to use it with different carriers as you travel to different countries.
Overall, this small device made a huge difference in the daily operations of our business and in our personal wellbeing because we were less reliant on others for an essential service our business needs to operate. Now that we spend less time chasing wifi and have internet anywhere in the world, we have more time to dedicate to our business and more time doing the activities we love, which is a big reason we’re digital nomads in the first place!
Vanessa & Adam
7. Have a routine
As someone who's been working from home for the past 3.5 years, I know how easy it can be to wake up whenever roll out of bed and sit down at your desk wearing the comfiest clothes you own. I've been there. And while it may seem like a dream in the beginning, after a few days you will notice that you haven't gotten as much work done as usual. You're feeling a lot less productive and those comfy clothes are starting to smell a bit. Time to change things up, this is how to be more productive while on the road without letting your routine bring you down:
When you have an online job you can do anywhere, it's extremely important to get up at the same time you would if you were going into work. Have a shower, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, get dressed. And then start work. That way, you stay in the routine of working certain hours. You can (probably should) still take regular breaks or do some chores around the house. Doing those things is almost inevitable when working from home. There are so many distractions that you don't get at the office (even though colleagues can be just as distracting as that pile of laundry that's been sitting in the corner of your room for days). But try to keep household chores to a minimum during your normal office hours. And at the end of the day, when you would've left the office to drive home, you turn off your computer and reward yourself by getting back into those pajamas (that are now freshly washed) and starting your night routine!
Maartje van Sandwijk from Caffeinated Chapters
8. Try the Pomodoro technique
I sometimes find it hard to switch to work mode if I'm at home with the kids or traveling and not in my usual work routine. This is why I love productivity tools to keep me focused.
My favorite is the Pomodoro technique, a time management technique developed in the 1980s by Francesco 'Pomodoro' Cirillo, to get into the work mindset. Named after the Italian word for tomato, this simple method has supercharged my ability to get things done when I have little time or focus.
It goes like this: Using a timer, a task is broken down into periods of 25 minutes. During that time you commit to completely concentrating on the task. After the 25 minutes is done, you take a short break before starting with another set if time allows.
We are human of course, so if you get distracted during your pomodoro, just write the other idea/task/worry down on a piece of paper and continue with the pomodoro. You can focus on that other thing in your next one.
It is recommended that after 3 or 4 pomodoro’s, a longer break of 20-30 minutes is taken to allow your brain to rest.
I find this strategy excellent for starting a new piece of work, or when I have to write something I've been putting off for ages. Committing to just 25 minutes is easy, and I often want to continue on after my short break. I use the website tomato-timer.com to set alarms and alerts on my laptop so I know when to stop. I also make sure to only have the required number of tabs open on my browser during a pomodoro to minimise distraction.
Emma Healey from MumsMoney
9. Pick your accommodation wisely
Nick and I have been digital nomads now since 2012 when we first started our website. Back then, we were staying in guesthouses and hostels, while trying to work online and build up our business.
We soon realized that this simply wasn't feasible.
We were sitting at bar stools while being surrounded by people in the common areas. Or, laying down on our bed while trying to type on the computer, which isn't exactly the most ergonomic way to work. And, forget about creating video content, as there was always too much background noise and the lighting wasn't sufficient.
In order to be productive while on the road, it's important to choose your digital nomad accommodation wisely.
We finally decided to forego the hostel and hotel scene and opt for Airbnb apartments instead.
Having a proper kitchen table to work from, a solid wifi connection (that you aren't sharing with an entire hotel), and the silence that comes with having your own space can do wonders for concentration and productivity levels.
Another option is to try out house sitting. This is something that we've done in the past and not only is it a great way to enjoy the company of a furry friend, live like a local and receive free accommodation, but you know that the house will already be set up with proper furniture.
There will be a kitchen table and chairs, and there may even be a separate office in the house. There will be wifi, and you can confirm the speeds with the owners before agreeing to the job.
These days, we book apartments around the world, rather than hotels, and find that really helps with our productivity levels.
Dariece Swift from Goats on the Road
10. Keep your phone away
Keep your mobile phones away while working from home. If not switched off your mobile phone notifications which divert your mind too often. This has worked for me to be more productive.
Imagine you are fully prepared to write a new post for your blog for this week. You have to research a topic and then choose a topic to write. It takes time to create a fresh post as you need to check again and again if anything you missed out. And for a digital nomad time is very important.
You can not waste a lot of time on a single post because you have to do a lot of things even after you wrote a good piece of content. Promoting, sharing on different social media platforms, building a link for that post after the publication takes time. You just can not waste time looking at your mobile phone notifications.
Mobile phone notifications do disturb a lot. Especially unnecessary emails, promotional messages, social media comments, likes, follows divert your mind.
I always keep my mobile phones away when I sit for writing a post. This usually lasts for two to three hours. Now, I am happy that I am less worried about comments on my posts and I give more importance to writing a good article.
You can also use apps to group notifications by type: social media, news, primary, and promotions or personalize tones for specific notifications. This way you can save a lot of time by not wasting going through all notifications on your phone.
Carlita from The Mama Pirate
11. Take care of your environment
When working remotely from anywhere in the world, it’s essential to maintain focus on the task at hand! Although taking breaks is beneficial, it’s important to monitor those breaks so they don’t become a form of procrastination. Even if your breaks are productive, they still take away from your work-related goals.
When I started working at home, I noticed all the nooks and crannies of my house that needed to be cleaned. It was so easy to do something that would take five minutes, but then end up doing other tasks around the house until lunch time. I finally decided that I would not do housework until my husband got home every evening. Then I had 40 hours to work at home and help with the chores. Even if you’re traveling, you may struggle with this. I know whenever I stay in a hotel, I organize everything so that it can best benefit my needs. If I need it for work, I’ll organize it on the desk. Clothes for tomorrow, clothes for other days, and used clothes each go where they belong.
Maybe I’m a bit particular about both my nomadic workspace and my living space, but I think many people can relate to that! So what do you do if your environment is messy? If possible, move your workspace to a different room to cut out the distraction. If that’s not really a possibility, set a timer so that you can clean without wasting too much time. However, the ideal solution is to tidy up in the evening. If your environment is clean before you go to bed, it will be clean when you wake up. Then you will not have anything to organize before getting into productivity mode in the morning!
Raquel Lynn Osborne from Meals and Miles Markers
12. Go for a walk
Most would consider me to be a social person – after all, I started a podcast so I could travel around and talk to people - so you would think that I would go stir crazy if I’m stuck inside my house all day. The reality is – I’m a closet homebody. I live for yoga pants and cozy cups of coffee that can last for hours. If I’m not careful, my morning “me” time can really bleed into my work day – like until 1 pm - and impact my productivity. My solution? Go for a walk. Every day. Maybe even a few times a day, if it’s a quick lap around the block.
You’ll learn quickly, when you’re working from home, how important it is to make an effort to get outside and walk around. If you’re like me, a few days can go by before you realize you haven’t left your house; you’ve got groceries, and you have called your friends and worked out at home. Your bed in this tiny rented studio – because of course, you’re on a budget and this was the cheapest option – has become your chair, desk, couch, dining room set all rolled into one. It’s time to move!
Break up your day by getting some exercise and fresh air. You might not realize it, but when you are telecommuting, the daily walks you used to take to and from your job for your commute, to your favorite lunch spot, or the morning coffee run really add up. Really. I gained ten pounds in six months, when I started my remote job, by being too stationary. So, get yourself out of the house. It’s good for your body and good for your mind.
Rosie from Popcuria, a narrative travel podcast where locals tell their story.
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned how to work from anywhere in the world! Whether you have a job that can be done anywhere in the world or freelancing remotely independently, I am sure you needed these digital nomad productivity tips!