How to balance work and play while traveling: productivity hacks for digital nomads
When you're traveling, there's nothing better than getting off the beaten path and exploring new places. But sometimes it's easy to get so caught up in what's around you that you forget about doing any work at all—and then you have to start from scratch once you get back home again! Here are some of my tips for balancing travel and productivity:
Digital nomad lifestyle
So what is a digital nomad? It's someone who works remotely and travels the world. They have the freedom to work anywhere they want, which means that they can live anywhere they want too. And with the rise of technology and the internet, there are more opportunities than ever before for this lifestyle.
A lot of people ask me: "How do digital nomads manage their time?" The answer is simple: They don't waste it! In fact, being productive while traveling is part of what makes being on-the-go so great--it keeps you motivated and excited about where your next adventure will take you!
1. Set up a schedule
If you're anything like me, your days are full of work and play. But how do you keep track of where your time is going? The answer is simple: make a schedule. Whether it's just a list of things to do or an actual calendar with blocked-off hours for specific tasks, having a routine will help ensure that not only are all the important things getting done but also that there's still time for fun!
One way to create this routine is by using a productivity app like Todoist (which I personally use). You can set up daily goals as well as weekly and monthly ones depending on what works best for your lifestyle--for example, if traveling means working from different cafes each day then maybe setting up recurring events on Friday afternoon would work best so they don't get lost in the shuffle while traveling away from home!
2. Plan your day before you go out
Plan your day before you go out
The first step to optimizing your time is to plan it, which is easier said than done when you're jet-lagged and just want to explore the city. But if you know what's important for that day, and have a rough outline of how long it will take, then it becomes much easier to make decisions about what activities are worth spending time on.
You could use an app like Google Calendar or Toggl (or both!) for this purpose; however I prefer pen and paper because I find them more flexible in terms of reallocating tasks if something comes up unexpectedly during my day (like meeting someone new).
3. Staying productive while traveling means understanding what's important to you
The first step to staying productive while traveling is to understand what's important to you.
If you value your time, then set a time limit for working. If you value your health, take breaks every few hours or so--do some stretching and breathing exercises, go for a walk around the neighborhood (or city), get some fresh air! And if it's relationships that matter most to you, make sure there's time in the day dedicated specifically towards them by scheduling meetings with friends before or after work hours rather than trying to squeeze them into an already tight schedule full of work obligations.
4. Work in a place that inspires you
You want to be inspired by your surroundings. You can't do that if you're stuck in a cubicle or an office space that doesn't make you feel comfortable, so choose a place where there are no distractions and the vibe is right. It could be as simple as working from home in your pajamas (if that's what works for you), but it could also mean finding an inspiring coffee shop or coworking space with plenty of natural light and free WiFi. Whatever makes sense for your needs will help keep productivity high while traveling!
5. Don't worry about doing everything at once. It doesn't matter if you get back to work after your holiday (as long as it's not all at once)
The most important thing to remember is that you don't need to do everything at once. It's okay if you get back from your holiday and feel like you need some time off before getting back into the swing of things, or if work gets in the way of your holiday plans. If this happens, don't worry about it! You can always pick up where you left off when an opportunity arises again later on in life.
If there are things that are more important than others for me when traveling (like spending time with friends), I will prioritize those over other tasks like answering emails or studying for an exam at uni--and vice versa when I'm not traveling so much (like during university semesters).
6. Take breaks when you need them
Now, I know what you're thinking: "But what about the work? Shouldn't I just be working as much as possible?"
Well, yes and no--it depends on your situation. If you're just starting out as a digital nomad, then it's probably best to keep up with your normal schedule at home while traveling (see tip #3). But once you've gotten into the swing of things and have established some stability in your routine, taking breaks will help keep both mind and body fresh for longer periods of time. It also allows for opportunities for restorative activities like meditation or exercise that are essential for good health but can often get pushed aside by our busy schedules at home!
7. Know how much work is enough, then stop working for the day and enjoy yourself!
You're going to have to learn how much work is enough for the day, then stop working for the day.
Keep track of how many hours you work each day: This will help you know when it's time to stop working. If you keep a log of your hours and make sure that there are no gaps in between days, then it's easier to see if your productivity has gone down because of laziness or because there were just too many distractions around you.
Take a break at the end of each day: You should take some time off after working so hard all day long! Go out with friends or go on an adventure by yourself--whatever makes sense given where in life and what type of person (or digital nomad) that makes up who they are at this moment in time! Not only does this give us some perspective on what matters most right now; but also helps us relax so we can come back fresh tomorrow morning ready with new energy levels high enough for another round without losing any momentum along the way."
It really is possible to have an amazing trip AND get loads of work done
You can have an amazing trip and still get loads of work done. It's all about balance.
How do you plan to balance your holiday with the need to get stuff done?
Be realistic about what you can achieve in a given amount of time: You might think that you'll be able to knock out all those reports while sitting by the pool or exploring new places, but let's be honest--that ain't gonna happen! Your brain needs some downtime too!
Plan ahead: Start planning your trip before leaving so that once on location (or even beforehand), everything is ready for action. For example, if I'm going away for two weeks then my goal is usually three articles per week which means six articles total over two weeks' time (excluding weekends). This allows me plenty of room for error as well as flexibility when things don't go according to plan (which they often don't).
Conclusion
It's not always easy to balance work and play when traveling, but with the right mindset and some planning ahead of time, it can be done. And remember: if you're feeling overwhelmed by everything you have going on in your life (and who doesn't?), take a break from the internet for a bit! Nothing beats disconnecting from screens for an hour or two each day--especially if it means being able to enjoy yourself more fully when out exploring new places around town.
