Being a digital nomad isn’t easy. It takes courage, determination and a lot of planning to make it work. The biggest difficulty for most people is figuring out where to live, what to do for work and how to manage your day-to-day life as a digital nomad. Not all of us have the financial means or the support network at home to just uproot and move somewhere new—especially not for an extended period of time. But many people have done it anyway, and so can you! Working as a digital nomad in Asia is something special. There are many cheaper locations than this, but none has quite the same combination of high quality of life, low cost of living, and fast internet in so many areas. If you’re thinking about making the move, here are some pointers on how you can do it successfully.
Choose your base location carefully.
You’re not going to be able to fly to a new location every month and really make this work. You’re going to have to pick a base location and stay there for a while. For this reason, you’ll want to pick a location that has a good balance between cost of living and quality of life. This can vary greatly depending on your needs — you might want cheaper groceries and a cheaper cost of living overall. Or you might want a higher quality of life (more restaurants, better healthcare, nicer weather, etc.). You’ll also want to consider proximity to other locations and how easy it will be to do regular travel.
Find a co-working space (and use it).
The biggest difficulty many digital nomads face is finding a place to work that’s quiet enough to focus while also being socially engaging enough to feel like it’s not just another room at home. If you can find a co-working space, this can solve both of these problems and be a great place to meet people and make connections. It’s also a good place for you to go to learn about other nomads and get some advice on how to make this work. If you can find a co-working space that has other digital nomads as members, this can be even more useful.
Set up your home office.
You’ll definitely want to avoid working at home if you can, simply because it’s hard to get away from the distractions at home. If you can find a co-working space, great. Otherwise, you may have to set up a home office. Generally speaking, it’s better try to find a space that’s separate from the rest of your living area. If you can, it’s a good idea to get a room that you can close off to avoid being too distracting for other people in your home. This can be as simple as hanging a door on a wall.
Find flexible work from home jobs.
Another great way to make this work is to find a job that’s remote and flexible. Some companies are more likely to hire you if you’re not in their office each day. Alternatively, you can find a job that allows you to work remotely. If you’re looking for a job, you may want to consider finding one that pays in cryptocurrencies. This is a great option if you’re trying to keep your finances private or are trying to reduce your tax burden.
Manage your travel and accommodation costs.
One great way to make your travel expenses lower is to hire a house sitter to stay in your home while you’re gone. This way, your house will be looked after while you’re gone. Plus, you won’t have to pay for any home maintenance while you’re gone. Another great way to manage the costs of your travel is to either take public transportation or to rent a car and drive. While it’s not always easy to get around Asia, it’s absolutely possible to do it on the cheap if you try. There are many Couch-surfing communities in Asia, so if you can make use of that, you’ll save even more money.
Don’t forget to enjoy life!
Working as a digital nomad is a very different lifestyle than what most of us are used to. It can be easy to get wrapped up in work and focus on the next destination. It’s important not to forget to enjoy life while you’re here. You should take time to explore the place you’re at now and make friends. So, go out and enjoy the nightlife, and find other ways to relax and enjoy your time away from home.
