Tips for Moving Abroad and Working Remotely

Being a ‘digital nomad’ is the dream for many and with the ease of remote working these days, it’s an increasingly attainable opportunity.

More people are living abroad than ever and the amount of people working remotely while travelling is on the rise.

Working remotely comes with many benefits; freedom, flexibility and no commuting but being a digital nomad also requires a significant amount of dedication, planning, self-awareness, a tolerance for uncertainty and often loneliness.

If you’re set on committing to tackling the challenges of working remotely abroad here are a few tips to help you cope and make a success of your new adventure.

Create a schedule and stick to it

The danger with working remotely is that your working day can become disjointed and your routine can be all over the place. It’s easy to get distracted or overwork.

In order to heighten productivity and efficiency stick to specific working times such as 9-5 with some breaks in between. Just because you don’t have to get up and go into an office doesn’t mean you can’t still have a routine.

Work in a social spot

Working remotely can become quite lonely. Working from home every day and not having anyone to interact with can make you feel isolated.

Mixing things up occasionally and working away from home at a lively café, library or even a co-working space can be a great way to boost productivity and reduce that lonely feeling.

Look for communities

As the digital nomad world increases so does the number of communities. If you want to network, search for new opportunities or make friends joining expat/digital nomad online communities can not only offer new opportunities but can also encourage you to meet likeminded people in a similar situation.

Stay healthy

When working and travelling it can be easy to take your health for granted and the stress and unfamiliar surroundings can be a catalyst for getting sick. It’s important to always put your health first, regularly check in with a doctor and ensure that you’ve got digital nomad health insurance.

Stay in contact

If you’re working remotely abroad it’s important to be in constant contact with your colleagues back home. Those who all work together in person can sometimes forget about their remote counterparts, so make sure that you’re not forgotten.

Keep them updated with your work schedule and use Skype or similar tools to communicate with both colleagues and clients. Also consider time and date differences, depending on where you are you don’t want to be accidentally calling a client at 3 am.

Notebook and pen

If you’re on the move a lot, it’s advised that you carry around a notebook and pen. When you’re travelling there could be multiple times when you can’t connect to WiFi or you forgot your laptop charger. If you have a notebook and pen, you’ll at least have a place to jot down ideas or notes if you have a lightbulb moment.

Relax

Ensure that you allow yourself time to relax and do the things you love. Make plans after work, for example, meet friends, join a club, go to the gym. Make sure you get out and about because after working at home all day you’ll need to get some fresh air.

Thinking of moving abroad to work remotely? Ensure you have appropriate Working Abroad Insurance.