The Art of Productive Remote Work: Tips for Digital Nomads
Digital nomad life means figuring out how to work effectively while feeling like you’re on vacation which can be pretty tricky. I became a hybrid worker in 2004 and a full time work from home employee in 2013, so I’ve had a lot of time to hone my remote work habits. It was still tricky to stay organized on my first long digital nomad trip because adventures were calling to me. Traveling disrupts your routines and there are so many fun non-work distractions, so paying some extra attention to this can really help.
Here are some tips to help you stay organized and productive:
1. Create a remote work routine: Establish a routine that works for you, and stick to it. This could include setting specific work hours, time-boxing, taking breaks at certain times, and scheduling fun time. If you’ll be working from different time zones, plan for how that will impact your routine and work schedule. Be flexible and adapt your work routine as needed to accommodate your plans.
2. Find a quiet workspace: Look for a quiet workspace where you can focus on your work without distractions. This could be a coworking space, a coffee shop, a quiet corner of your hotel room/AirBnb/RV, or the use of noise cancelling headphones to create a quiet corner anywhere. I swear by my noise cancelling headphones.
3. Use productivity tools: There are many productivity tools available that can help you stay organized and on task. I’ve listed tools that I use, though there are plenty of others out there for different needs and preferences. I prefer to do all of this work on my laptop and devices to minimize how much work stuff I need to haul, but there are also paper planners and organization tools aplenty.
Project Management applications to plan and organize your work and travel plans: ClickUp, Notion, and Trello
Reminders app for the minutia: Apple Reminders remembers all of the little things for me, and ToDoist is another good reminders app.
Use a Calendar to keep track of all meetings and important dates. Sometimes when you’re traveling it can be easy to forget what day of the week it is or what you planned a week or a month ago, not to mention having to do time-zone math. Apple and Google Calendars will keep track of all this.
Reduce distractions: Use the focus and do not disturb settings on your cell phone and other devices to minimize distractions while working.
4. Stay organized: Keep your work and travel documents organized and easily accessible. This will help to avoid any last-minute scrambling for work materials. I keep all of my work notes and documents on my laptop and iPad because otherwise I’d have a stack of unorganized papers and notebooks, so my tips are all digital. I use GoodNotes and Microsoft One Note to keep all of my work notes organized, and I can access them from all of my devices. Keeping things simple (and digital where possible) means hauling around less stuff, which makes travel easier.
5. Take breaks: It's important to take breaks throughout the day to recharge and avoid burnout by burning the candle at both ends. This could include taking a walk to enjoy new surroundings, meditating, or simply stepping away from your workspace for a few minutes.
Staying productive at work while traveling is all about finding a rhythm and routine that work for you and sticking to it. With a little bit of planning and discipline, you can stay on top of your work and enjoy your travel adventures at the same time.