Being self-employed can be a wonderful thing. It gives you the freedom to choose the work you take, the clients you work with, and the ability to set your own schedule. For some people, it also gives them the freedom to travel as much as they want, while staying productive and maintaining their businesses. Getting paid to work while travelling the globe sounds almost too good to be true, but it’s possible. It just requires a bit of effort to set up and do effectively.
Staying on track, meeting deadlines, and ensuring high-quality projects are delivered take a conscious effort. Sometimes it can be easy to veer off course and feel disorganised and overwhelmed. To prevent that from happening, here’s a look at 10 things every self-employed traveller should do.
Create a Consistent Schedule
One of the most important things that self-employed travellers should do is to create a consistent schedule. Clients and your staff (if applicable) need to know when they can reach you, and a schedule helps you build healthy work habits. There may be times when you need to deviate from the schedule; however, try not to make it a regular occurrence.
Be Sure to Schedule Downtime
While being productive and getting your work done is important, so is downtime. If you lived in one place and had a regular office job, you would have downtime during off-hours. It can be tempting to quickly check your emails or answer a call, but this should be done during your ‘work hours’ to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
There’s nothing wrong with disconnecting; it’s beneficial for you. It’s okay to inform your clients that there are certain times or days when you should not be disturbed. During your downtime, engage in activities you enjoy, whether it’s reading a book or checking out the entertainment available on Casinos.com.
Make Sure You Always Have Access to High-Speed Internet
Since the internet is one of the main reasons people can be productive remotely, a high-speed connection should be a requirement of any accommodations you book. You need to ensure you can send and receive emails, access a cloud network, hold video meetings, and more, without technical glitches.
Some hotels also have business or meeting rooms you can use, complete with a comfortable and quiet workspace, printers, computers, and more. Depending on your work needs, this may be another prerequisite when booking accommodations.
Ensure You Have the Right Hardware with You
Speaking of hardware, you want to travel with the hardware you need. This includes a fast, reliable laptop with plenty of processing power. You never want your equipment to hold you back from getting the job done.
The good news is that laptops and Chromebooks today are much lighter and more compact than ever before, which makes them easier to travel with.
Create a Dedicated and Comfortable Workspace
So you’ve got a high-speed internet connection and the right hardware, but what about a comfortable place to work? As mentioned above, the hotel may have a dedicated business centre you can work in, or you may choose to work in your room. If that’s the case, be sure to look for a room with a desk and workspace. You need to be able to spread out and be comfortable.
Always Back Up Your Data
The last thing you want to deal with while out of the country is losing your data, contact information, and more. Unfortunately, that is a reality all too often. People depend on computers and laptops to work flawlessly at all times, but that’s just not the case. For that reason, it’s best to be safe rather than sorry, which means regularly backing up your data on an external hard drive.
Depending on how much data you work with, you can also back up data to a cloud network if you have access to one. Cloud backups have several advantages, including that they can happen around the clock and that they are much more secure than external drives when it comes to incidents like theft and fire.
Make Use of Communication and Organisational Tools
There are many communication and organisation tools available nowadays that are designed to keep you on track at all times. You can set up projects, tasks, and to-do lists, attach files, and so much more. Some of these programs and apps are free to use, whereas others have a one-time or recurring fee.
Before choosing the organisational tool for you, ask yourself what you need it to do. That will help you narrow down the seemingly endless options. A few of the tools that can help you work smarter include Trello, Slack, Dropbox, Toggl, Loom, and Google Calendar.
Don’t Fall Into the Trap of Procrastination
Here’s a tip that is much easier said than done. Procrastinating is a dangerous slope, and once you start doing it, it’s hard to stop. It may just seem like a harmless change to the schedule; maybe you’re just putting a task off by a day or two, but before you know it, things snowball, and you’re missing multiple deadlines.
So what’s the best way to prevent procrastination? It’s to be very strict with time management and never make excuses for yourself. You need to finish the task at hand before moving on to the next ‘thing’.
Set Up Regular Check-Ins with Your Team
Just because you’re self-employed doesn’t mean you don’t work with other people. If you’ve got staff, then you need to set up regular check-ins. Whether it’s a weekly wrap-up email, a video chat, a phone call, or something else, check-ins allow everyone to stay on the same page and ask questions should any issues arise.
Don’t Forget to Be a Tourist
Finally, don’t forget to be a tourist. This sounds simple, but it’s something you can quickly lose sight of when you’re busy with work. Remind yourself why you’re travelling in the first place, and reconnect with your passions for exploring new-to-you places.
You Can Live the Dream with a Little Effort
Using these tips, and of course putting in the effort, will help ensure that you can live the dream of being self-employed and paying your bills all while travelling the world.
