The Coach SpaceLet’s face it – the nomadic lifestyle that modern digital technology affords can be very appealing. If you’re not tied down to one location or need to be in the office at certain hours, then you can work from virtually any location on the planet.
Millions of professionals now take advantage of this to lead more itinerant lifestyles which means being able to blend work with travel and exploration. However, as most life coaches would agree, balancing work and life when you’re a digital nomad isn’t always straightforward.
This is why boosting your productivity can be so beneficial so you get the best out of your time working, allowing you to enjoy your downtime better, too. How do you go about getting more from your work time when you’re a digital nomad? Read on to find out.
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1. Plan Your Workload Daily
Most digital nomads work on long-lasting projects that run for months or even longer. Without an office manager breathing down your neck to hit daily and weekly targets, you need to manage this aspect of work yourself or your deadlines will loom with too much to complete. Set your daily targets each day so you look after your work at the micro scale such that you don’t end up losing the bigger picture.
2. Cut Yourself Off (Digitally Speaking)
The ‘do not disturb’ function on your phone and your private email server is your friend when you are a digital worker who wants to boost productivity. All too often, people who work in offices make light conversations that can kill productivity but the same happens to remote workers, too, when their work time is constantly interrupted by social media posts and spurious inquiries which can wait.
3. Consider Time Zone Differences
Not everyone works in the same time zone when you’re a digital nomad. You might be working for an SEO agency, for example, in New Zealand and only able to have questions answered about SEO in Cork in the middle of the night. In this example, you’ll have to plan for responses that might take 12 hours or so to obtain. Plan whether you are ahead by one or two hours or behind by three or more.
4. Set Your Workplace Up Favorably
Digital nomads often make use of public spaces with Wi-Fi to do their work, but this isn’t always the best from the perspective of work productivity. Try to find the quietest corner. Avoid the part of the hotel lobby with the best view. Facing the wall in a less popular area will probably suit you better. The view will always be there when you finish, after all!
5. Find Your Routine
Not all digital nomads do the same work or have the same regimen. Find what suits you best. Sometimes, this might mean working weekends or early evenings because you’re busier at other times. Cooler periods of the day in tropical locations tend to be best for productivity. Set your alarm on working days and turn it off when you don’t need it to help recharge.
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6. Avoid the Distractions Where You Are
Just because you can watch TV, chat with friends or plan your next excursion while working as a digital nomad doesn’t mean you should. You have to be disciplined to work effectively. Don’t try and multitask because your lifestyle affords you the chance to. Focus on each job in hand instead.
7. Improve Digital Communications
There are plenty of apps to help you communicate with colleagues and clients. Zoom calls and email are no longer the only options. Make use of the ones that provide real-time feedback with task completion so you know when you’re on track and whether anything you’ve submitted for review needs reworking before you progress. Trello is a popular platform for coordinating the work of large teams but it isn’t the only example so do your research and find one that will suit you.
8. Unlock your digital services globally
As a digital nomad, you might find your freedom unexpectedly curtailed when you discover that some of your essential digital services or favorite platforms are geo-restricted, preventing use abroad.
To overcome this hurdle, consider investing in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to bypass geographical restrictions. Some of the best VPNs also offer additional benefits like ad-blocking features, which can boost your productivity by reducing online distractions. By choosing the right VPN, you’ll maintain access to your crucial tools and enjoy a cleaner, more focused digital experience—no matter where your journey takes you.
Enjoy Your Nomadic Lifestyle
Yes, the digital nomad should take full advantage of their unique lifestyle. Boosting productivity isn’t just about working harder but working smarter so you can enjoy the places you happen to travel to. Otherwise, what is the point? Relaxing in a cool location will also help you to come back to work refreshed and ready to be more productive.
In other words, the digital nomads should avoid only focusing on work or they might as well be stuck in an office somewhere, after all. Thrive in the lifestyle you’ve chosen, both at work and at play.
The bottom line, however, is that you need a combination of methods – not reliance on a single technique – to help you get the best out of the time you spend working. Equally, productive working isn’t simply about working more in the time you have and functioning speedily but about raising the standard of your work so that your employer or clients aren’t just satisfied with what you produce but feel they couldn’t do without it.
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