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Digital freelancers have the opportunity to explore the world as they please, a luxury that few other professionals ever experience. Whether you want to visit the lush mountains of Switzerland, the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, or the deserts of the Middle East, all you need is a solid internet connection, a high-quality computer, and a marketable skill. 

Coders, copywriters, linguists, graphic designers, and many other industries are filled with travel-loving freelancers like you. Unlike traditional jobs where you have paid holidays or work left where you can turn off your brain and go on vacation, freelancers can’t do that as easily. Most of us take our own business on the road with us. If you are ready to take your digital business with you on your travels, we have a few tips to make your process as streamlined as possible. 

Tips for Traveling with a Freelancer Business

Make Sure You Have Internet

Prior to booking flights and making a travel itinerary, we highly recommend investigating which destinations have the internet and other necessities required to run your business. Depending on your line of freelance work, you will have different internet speed needs. For example, a copywriter won’t need the same level of internet as a language teacher who has to use Zoom. 

For the most part, major metropolises and first-world countries will have good internet, but it is always good to check, especially if you are heading to more remote places. Additionally, we recommend having a backup plan in place just in case the internet you were promised is not what you end up getting. 

Back-Up Everything

Before you head out and throughout your travels, you will want to back up your computer consistently. You never know when a laptop will break, get stolen, or malfunction in an unfortunate way. We recommend backing up everything to an external hard drive at home and having another one with you on the road. Plus, if you can use cloud services like Google Docs, we suggest working through these so your work is easily recoverable if you have to replace your device. 

Invest in a Good Backpack

Remember, you NEVER want to check your electronics or work materials. The risk that your luggage gets lost, damaged, or stolen is not worth it. Therefore, your entire career and livelihood will be traveling on your back. We suggest investing in a high-quality, durable backpack that protects your computer and essentials while also being comfortable. That backpack will be your best friend, so make sure you love it! 

Book Accommodation & Transportation

While going with the wind works for some travelers, most traveling digital workers will not be able to take that path. Working as you travel means you need a safe place with reliable internet to set up shop when you are working. Noisy hostels won’t cut it. We recommend booking private accommodations in a hotel or Airbnb-style location that verifies their internet speed and offers the amenities you need to work on the road productively. It will be a bit more expensive, but it’s worth it. 

The same goes for transportation. Your transportation times are the ultimate opportunity to get some work in while you are on the road. This dead time can be spent checking emails and working on projects rather than just staring out the window at a busy road or watching endless movies. We recommend booking a private airport car service, upgrading to business or first-class plane seats, and even booking a personal car when on the train so you can enjoy a quiet and high-quality workspace.

Let Your Clients Know

Before you jet off to who knows where, we recommend being transparent with your travel plans with your clients, at least a month in advance if possible. Most clients will respect and be happy for you that you get to explore the world, so always present your time away as a wonderful and much-deserved opportunity. 

We recommend emailing your clients that you will be out of the office and working limited hours. You should let them know when you will be unreachable, the days or times you plan to be “online,” what time zones you will traverse, and not freak out if you don’t respond within your normal timeframe. Additionally, set up out-of-office email auto-responders and funnels in case regular or potential clients try to get in touch when you are away. 

Create a Balanced Work Schedule

Lastly, before your adventure, we advise two things. First, get as far ahead on your expected work as possible before you leave. That will free up a lot of time when you are on the road, even though that means extra work before you go. 

Second, create a balanced work-play schedule. Most digital workers can’t wholly skip work, but you also can’t dedicate the usual 9-5 without your trip becoming pointless. 

We suggest setting aside an hour or two each morning and night for vacations shorter than two weeks to get some work in, leaving the rest of the day to explore. For more extended trips, we suggest doing the same while setting aside one or two days a week to crank out bigger projects. Don’t forget that transportation time; we suggest scheduling half of your transport time to be dedicated to working. 

All in all, remember to have fun, try new things, learn, and enjoy the fact that you have created a life and career were traveling while working is possible!