How many people can refer to themselves as “digital nomads”? Well, actually, a lot. It is a growing trend among many people who have either started their own businesses, work as freelancers, or work in gig economies to travel and take their work with them via their laptops, phones, and/or tablets. If you count yourself in this group, you could probably do with a few life hacks, right? Five life hacks to help you out as you travel and work, and work as you travel, are as follows.
Always Plan Ahead for Your Finances
Traveling and working and working while you travel means that at some point you have to stop the car and get out and do some work on your devices. It also means that you need to watch your finances closely because you have to pay for the usual things like food, gas, and lodgings. You will need to plan ahead to make enough stops for enough periods of time to complete enough work to get paid for your future expenses and paying your usual bills.
Setting up a budget, either on your device or on paper in a binder, helps you keep track of what bills you have and when you have to pay them. Then you know how much work you have to complete and when if you expect to cover your expenses. There may be times when you stop for days in one place just to make sure you have worked enough to make enough pay, and that takes planning as well.
Access Furnished Living Arrangements
Sure, you can keep staying in hotels and motels as you travel the land, but it is nice to have something a little more “homey.” By joining a network that gives its members access to furnished apartments in several major cities, you always have a way of staying someplace nice and quiet and more like home. These furnished apartments are always clean and typically very private, perfect for someone who wants the quiet solitude to work.
Keep Your Devices Charged
Keeping your devices charged is essential to the digital nomad’s lifestyle. Plug everything in when you stop somewhere to sleep for the night. If you have car chargers (and you should!), then charge everything in the car while you travel. That way, when you stop next, you can immediately sit down and begin working.
Stay Where There’s Free WiFi
No WiFi is a major headache for the digital nomad. You can’t work without WiFi. Whether you stay in a furnished apartment or you stay at a hotel, make sure they have adequate WiFi so that you can work and you aren’t missing a beat in your work goals and personal work schedule.
Travel Light
By traveling light, we mean that you have about five days’ worth of clothing in a suitcase with toiletries. A few extra undergarments, a couple of plain t-shirts and maybe some extra socks are okay if you can fit them in a small suitcase. If need be, one good clean suit or professional outfit of clothing should be kept in a separate piece of luggage to avoid wrinkles. Every three or four days, do a load of laundry so that you consistently have clean clothes. You will never have to haul a ton of stuff into your lodgings when you travel light.
