For the digital nomad, life is a mix of work and travel, and the two have become a popular way to live for many whose careers revolve around trolling the internet to make a buck. They only need a computer and secure internet connection, and they can call anywhere their office. The requirements of internet access can be a drawback if the connection is unreliable. In light of that fact, here are several ideas that you can use to grow yourself and your business as a travelling entrepreneur.
1. Stay motivated
As a digital nomad, joining an online community such as NomadForum is an excellent way of keeping your spirits up and on top of your game when don’t have colleagues around you to keep you motivated about work. To forums make you feel connected and give you a sense of belonging.
Remember the 9-5 work life that you loathed to the point where you looked to the life of a freelancing traveller? The freedom of working when, where and how you want should be reason enough to keep you motivated. With a good internet connection, you can opt to take a long morning hike before heading to a beach bar to get some work done. You can also use any of the many apps available designed to help you manage your workflow.
2. Stay on top of your finances
The freelance career is riddled and income can vary month to month, and this tends to be more often than we would like. However, it pays to think of this from the perspective of having famine against a season of feasts, and that means always anticipating good and bad months.
Take the total of your income in the previous year and then get the average monthly income by dividing that number by 12, you can then base your monthly financial plan on what you get. Life has only two certainties, taxes, and death; you should make it a habit of saving something from your earnings. Also, let not the tax bill be a shock.
As you work towards making money, also make adequate plans to save some along the way, and that includes when doing your transactions. For instance, you do not have to pay bank charges when moving money between your local accounts and international accounts. You can enlist services such as TransferWise that will help you lower the bank transfer fees. You can rely on an online dashboard to track outstanding requests and be notified when payments are sent to you and received. Request money when invoicing clients from abroad so that you can save on fees and ensure that you have transacting based on the current exchange rate.
3. Always get something worthwhile from it
Be wary of any client that offers you work stating that it is an opportunity for you to get significant exposure. Any statements that are long such lines are red flags meaning that you are most likely going to work for little or not pay. The client only wants your expertise.
You cannot downplay the possibility of unpaid work; even then, you still should ensure that you are getting something tangible in return. For instance, it should be the project is a website design in which you are getting a co-working space.
4. Get out there and co-work
The free-spirited traveller never settles in quickly instead looks for new adventures and opportunities. The idea here is to try and learn as much as you can about the local freelancing scene in the city or place where you will stay. Avoid making that nearby coffee shop your office. Get out there, network, and try to bring some sociability into your work life. Many of the notable cities have thriving co-working spaces where you can even rent a desk at an affordable rate. You can visit Desk Near Me or other sites to find out what options are out there.
5. Take a break, reward yourself with a holiday
Travelling the world and still managing to make money is well and good, but you should find time to relax and reflect on your achievements, and this means spending enough time away from your computer screen. View that precious time as your self-care session which is vital to your health and wellbeing.
While every other day may seem like a holiday for you physically the same cannot be said when viewed from a mental perspective. Allow your mind to rest, let it go on holiday by taking a break from work and spending a bit of that hard-earned money to pamper and reward yourself through engaging in other fun things.
6. Get Great Broadband at Home and Abroad
Great broadband makes work faster and more efficient. This is the case in a co-working space, a rented office or at home in the UK when you’re not travelling. The main things to look for are speed, reliability and great customer service as well as a great low price – you can check out the reviews here at Simply Switch to get a better idea of what’s on offer.
7. Ensure clients are always happy
Always strive to keep your clients happy and content with your work, and they give you repeat jobs and are likely to recommend you to others who are seeking the services you offer. You do not want the wrath of an unhappy client. Try and establish a rapport with your clients, and communication is a vital element in achieving this. Ensure your client stays informed during every stage of the project instead of chasing you for updates.
Give recommendations and options as you take note of their expectations so that you ensure both of you are on the same page. Always go over the notes even after holding the meeting via a Skype call. Do your best to keep to deadlines and communicate in advance if you will not meet the set schedule due to unavoidable circumstances. Most importantly, never get too nagging about payments even if you are obligated to ask for your dues. Remember that you may not get your payments within 24 hours or more so you have been kept waiting for well over a month.
8. Sell yourself
Remember that working as a freelancer means that you are the one to market yourself and your work ethic will sell you. Get #7 in the bag and word will most likely get around. Nevertheless, do not just depend on referrals from your clients. Do most self-proms such as requesting the client for a referral or a LinkedIn recommendation. Those happy with your work will be more than willing to sell you out there.
If you can juggle the digital nomad lifestyle, then working as a freelancer will be a fulfilling career that grants you an opportunity to see the world.
9. Know your worth
It can be hard knowing where you place your rates let alone define them when starting as a freelancing digital nomad. You are sure that you need to earn enough for you to eat and live yet you do not want to price yourself too high. You can try to figure out your worth by chatting with fellow freelancers to get insights and read articles like this that help you iron out things.