If you have a strong desire to travel for an extended period, it is possible that you have already determined that you wish to become a digital nomad and embrace a lifestyle that enables you to work from anywhere.
If someone has never done it before, it can be difficult to figure out the starting point and the potential challenges to be cautious of.
What types of businesses can be built? What are the costs associated with overhead? How can an invoice be sent? Furthermore, how does internet speed factor into this?
I will guide you through the fundamentals of creating a career that allows you to work from any location and show you how to make it portable, enabling you to expedite the learning process and fulfill your travel aspirations.
How to Choose a Location Independent Career
This chapter provides a complete explanation of what being location independent means and offers guidance on how to establish a career in this field. It also delves into the three distinct types of location independent careers that you can explore.
What Does “Location Independent” Mean?
The term “Location Independent” describes a career or job that does not require a specific physical location. I exemplify this with my freelance writing career, as I can support myself anywhere in the world with only my laptop and internet access.
The lifestyle is extremely liberating, as you can imagine!
Three Types of Location Independent Careers
When considering various ways a person can work remotely, it is typically classified into three categories due to the sheer number of options available.
Freelancers
A freelancer is a self-employed individual who provides services for different clients rather than being employed by a company. They often exchange hours or deliverables for payment.
I am an entrepreneur as I run this website as a business. Additionally, I fall into the freelancer category as I write for different publications on finance and travel.
Not all entrepreneurs are freelancers, although most freelancers would be considered entrepreneurs. See below for more details.
Entrepreneurs
When an entrepreneur begins a business or develops a product, their aim is to address a requirement or vacancy in a specific market. Being an entrepreneur allows you to become your own superior and enjoy total autonomy in making decisions.
Entrepreneurs who aim to be location independent often fall into one of the three categories: inventors of items or technology, import/exporters, or pioneers of business ideas that can be marketed virtually.
Telecommuters
Telecommuters are individuals who fulfill job responsibilities for an employer, but they do so using their computers and have the option to work remotely, either from home or while traveling.
One notable distinction of telecommuting from other categories is the requirement to remain accessible at specific hours for office communication. Although not applicable to all telecommute roles, it remains reasonably widespread.
Pros and Cons of the Location Independent Lifestyle
Although the idea of a Location Independent life may seem attractive, it is important to acknowledge that there are both advantages and disadvantages associated with it, as with anything else.
Pros
- You don’t have to commute to work, saving money, time, and resources.
- You can work in your PJs, or at least avoid wearing suits. (Just turn the video off on those conference calls!)
- You make your own hours. If you prefer working at night, you’re free to work until 3am. If you want the afternoon to spend time with your kids, you can do that too.
- You can work from the road, allowing you to explore the world slowly with long-term travel.
Plan Your Days In The Way That Makes Most Sense To You
(And Save Time)
Rather than organizing your days according to someone else’s preferences, establish your schedule based on your own preferences and understanding of what is necessary for you to perform at your highest level. Additionally, you are not required to adhere to a consistent routine. Personally, I adjust my schedule depending on my location, workload, productivity, and objectives.
For example: Original text: The child ran quickly to catch up with his friends. Rephrased text: The child hurried to catch up with his friends. Original text: She approached the problem carefully, considering all possible solutions. Rephrased text: She carefully approached the problem, taking into account all possible solutions. Original text: The teacher explained the lesson clearly, ensuring that all students understood. Rephrased text: The teacher made sure that all students understood by explaining the lesson clearly. Original text: They worked together to complete the project, dividing the tasks evenly among themselves. Rephrased text: They divided the tasks evenly among themselves while working together to complete the project. Original text: The team prepared thoroughly for the competition, practicing every day for weeks. Rephrased text: The team practiced every day for weeks, thoroughly preparing for the competition. Original text: I organized my thoughts carefully before writing the essay, making a detailed outline first. Rephrased text: Before writing the essay, I made a detailed outline, carefully organizing my thoughts. Original text: He calculated the answer accurately, ensuring there were no mistakes. Rephrased text: He ensured that there were no mistakes by calculating the answer accurately. Original text: After evaluating all the options carefully, I made my decision. Rephrased text: I made my decision after carefully evaluating all the options. Original text: The chef cooked the meal perfectly, ensuring it was delicious. Rephrased text: The chef ensured the meal was delicious by cooking it perfectly. Original text: They planned the event meticulously, considering every detail. Rephrased text: They considered every detail while planning the event meticulously.
- Work when you’re most productive. Instead of starting at 8 am just because other people do, you might do your magic best at 5 am or 10 pm. Well, now you can!
- Save time by visiting places (from attractions to the gym and the supermarket) outside of rush hour. It’s so much more relaxing to do shopping, or anything really, when everyone else is at the office. Get back that time spent commuting if you don’t feel the need to work from an office daily.
- Travel outside of the high season. It’s both good for the place you’re visiting and often results in a more authentic experience.
Learn More Than You Can Imagine
By being proactive and taking initiative, you can learn a great deal by becoming a location independent entrepreneur. This includes gaining knowledge about yourself and various cultures (in case you decide to travel more), lifestyles, values, people, entrepreneurship, work styles, productivity, and countless other aspects.
With the additional freedom and flexibility you will have, you can finally choose to pursue the hobby that you have been longing for. It could be learning a new language, playing a musical instrument, or anything that fills you with enthusiasm!
Get More Time For Things That Matter
By beginning to optimize your lifestyle, you will find yourself with additional time to dedicate to activities that hold significance to you. These may include attending your children’s sports games, socializing, reading, or engaging in activities you desire to participate in more frequently.
When we find ourselves too occupied to prioritize what is important, it is typical to experience a sense of confusion and a feeling of lacking. While engaging in such a lifestyle does not guarantee that you will engage in more activities that bring happiness, you do have a greater opportunity and availability to do so if you make a conscious effort to plan accordingly.
Base Yourself In Amazing Places
I have decided to adopt a lifestyle of traveling because it is my greatest passion, and I find staying in one location too confining. Since we all have differing preferences, whether your idea of incredible destinations includes Brazil, Antarctica, Senegal, or your own hometown, you now have the freedom to choose!
You have the option of ending a normal day in Rio with caipirinhas, having coffee with your mum, or enjoying desert views and starry skies in Chile. Theoretically, tomorrow you have the freedom to go anywhere and carry on with your work.
Despite having traveled full-time for over 5 years, I still find myself lacking sufficient time to visit all the places I desire. With the vastness of the world, a single annual vacation is not enough to explore it all.
Leave a Reply