Tips for Maintaining Work-Life Balance While Traveling as a Digital Nomad

The best of both worlds.  Life as a digital nomad offers tremendous opportunities to balance out work with travel. 

And if this is your goal, make sure to carry on reading this article. Yes, we get those with families that cannot up and go.  But we are talking about those who are looking for remote opportunities and currently in the early days of being a digital nomad. 

Each month you could find yourself working remotely from anywhere in the world – one month in a cafe in Mexico and the next month visiting Mauritius. 

That is the beauty of it all – you yourself, being able to choose where YOU want to live and work. And ultimately that decision is for you to make.  This is a huge factor for people wanting to become a digital nomad. 

Of course the pros come along with the cons. There are many factors to consider when becoming a digital nomad. The constant change (unless you are planning on setting up in one country), adapting to new time zones, factoring in leave days around work, making new friends, staying on budget while spending in a different currency and the pressure to still need to perform at your job.  These factors make it easy to get off track and risk it all.

Yes, there are moments when you can feel like you are either working too much and living your best digital nomad life and there can be moments where you could feel like you aren’t putting enough hours into your work where you are falling behind with work targets and emails are piling up. 

This can put enormous pressure on yourself and without clear boundaries, your digital nomad life could soon become a shamble. 

We will cover various tips on how to maintain a healthier work-life balance while travelling as a digital nomad.  Making sure you have all the right tools to help with work productivity, create better work-life decisions, avoid burning out and overall embrace and enjoy the beauty of being a digital nomad.  

Why Work-Life Balance Is Important for Digital Nomads

Lets start off by saying this – not all digital nomads have the flexibility of creating their own working hours. 

They cannot log on at any time of the day.  Some still work for established companies which allow employees to work from anywhere in the world.  Which is a really great perk and many people aim to find roles at companies like this. 

For those who have fixed hours and work with colleagues based in various time zones around the world, it is important to have dedicated work space and create structure for your work commitments to be successful and achievable. 

Lack of routines for digital nomads, can lead to: 

1. Working more hours than required
2. Guilt trips for requesting PTO (Paid time off)
3. Not completing work tasks
4. Burnout from taking on too much
5. Issues disconnecting 

It is incredibly important that any digital nomad creates a healthy work-life balance which allows them to perform better in their workplace, as well be able to enjoy the destination that they are based in. 

1. Routines From Anywhere

This is something that you will be able to control yourself in order to maintain a healthier work-life balance while travelling and working. Your routine. 

No matter if you are travelling from one city to the next, one country today and another country in a week – you need to create a daily routine to create consistency in your life. 

Consistency and routines go hand in hand and will definitely help you feel better in the transition between dedicated working hours and leisure time. 

Your daily routine can look something like this:

• Weekday alarm clock at 6am
• Yoga and breathwork for 20 minutes 
• Healthy breakfast to fuel your body
• 45 min gym session
• Start working 
• Walks during breaks 
• Working at a remote work spot for change of scenery 
• Surf break, be in nature or walk on the beach after work

One thing for sure is that creating a routine that works for you no matter your location, will set you up for success, reduce stress levels and help you get through your work day. 

2. Create Set Working Hours

You cannot be at the beach when you’re meant to be getting your work hours in. 

Yes, being a digital nomad you might fall in love with the destination, and be so out of reality that you forget work is your priority Monday to Friday. 

Having too much flexibility can be problematic for those workers who aren’t disciplined enough.  And this is why you need to be diligent and set the tone in creating working hours. 

Work out what times will work for both yourself as well as your employer and team members. Being online at the same time as your team to collaborate easier, set meetings and calls which work for everyone. And that may mean sometimes having a call at 10pm – those are some of the down sides of working remotely as a digital nomad. 

Of course this will differ from person to person, but the ideal working hours for me as a digital nomad is:

• Having a slow morning 
• Getting movement in and being in nature 
• Enjoy my home made breakfast 
• Then start my day

Creating set working hours is really important as it will help you create a healthier work-life balance and allow you to mentally switch off when you need to. 

PS: Don’t check your emails when you have logged off for the day. 

3. Remote Work Destinations

Very overlooked for many newbie digital nomads. 

Yes, the destination might appeal to you for so many reasons but are you able to continue your day to day work? 

Huge factor and could lead to big issues. 

A few things to consider before choosing your remote work destination: 

• Wifi is most important 
• Load shedding / power outages – are there generators?
• Transport easy to arrange 
• Suitable accommodation with a work station
• Co-working spaces nearby
• Safety – especially for females travelling alone
• Cost of living 

There is nothing worse than having no internet connection when you have back to back meetings and cannot connect to let anyone know. 

Not only embarrassing, but extremely unprofessional too. 

This is why choosing a remote work destination with strong remote work infrastructure is really important so that you can prioritise your work while still being able to explore the destination. 

4. Best Remote Work Tools

Make the most of technology and take advantage of it! That is why we decided to share this list of tools for digital nomads. 

It isn’t only about improving time management, it is also about making use of the right technology that can work for your needs. And not every person will use the same tools as they differ from various industries. 

By making use of the best remote work tools available for digital nomads, can make your work-life balance better by:

• improving communication, 
• staying organized, 
• keeping connected with colleagues, 
• maintaining productivity 

More time on the beach – make sure to automate where you can to eliminate unnecessary tasks.  

We have compiled a list of the best tools for remote workers which covers productivity, communication, collaboration, and project management. These tools help remote working professionals work smarter while giving them flexibility to enjoy their destination. 

5. Balance Working Hours and Leisure Time

They cannot work together. 

There isn’t anything worse than trying to enjoy a booked tour while your phone is buzzing with messages coming through. This will only cause more frustration trying to juggle both things at once. 

Rather create set working hours and travel time.  

Add it to your calendar if you must – dedicated deep work and personal time. 

Work time:

• 9-5

Travel and personal time:

• Before and after these times

Making sure you balance out work time and travel time will only help you be fully present at each and will ensure that you produce quality work during working hours and a more present you while you are out exploring. 

6. Health Is Important 

Not everything is about work.  Remember this. 

You can be fired at any given moment. This doesn’t mean stop working hard, but it puts things into perspective on what you prioritize in your life and where to distribute more evenly. 

Pour into your other cups too. Nothing beats an early morning ocean dip! Do that if you are living your best digital nomad life on some tropical island. 

Swim a few laps in the complex pool or go for a walk to get a coffee before work. 

The correlation between your physical and mental well being really do impact your ability to perform on a daily basis in the workplace.

Simple habits to improve your health:

• Move your body daily 
• Proper sleep at night
• Drink plenty fluids
• Cook nutritious meals 

Movement while being a digital nomad is everything. A quick run to the beach that some might not be able to do. Make sure to look after your health for the long run. 

7. Make Friends

It doesn’t have to be a lonely journey.  

The next time you visit a cafe, greet the random person at the co-working space you frequent, buy a local a beer or spend some time at the gym. 

A small gesture like this will open doors to random friendships and help you in times you might need their support. Your scooter breaking down and not knowing who to call. Those are the memories that will stick with you for many years to come. 

Connecting with like minded digital nomads is something you need to be open to while travelling. There is so much we can learn from those we meet along our journey. 

Make new friends by joining:

• Co-working cafes 
• Gym 
• Surf lessons
• Online communities 
• Local cooking lessons

Making likeminded digital nomad friends can enhance your experience, make it more enjoyable and perhaps open new career or freelancing doors. 

8. Being Able to Disconnect

This is a tricky one and something I still struggle with, but try my best in so many ways to manage. 

You don’t need to be online 24/7 as a digital nomad remote worker. Say that again.

It’s impossible and unhealthy. 

You are allowed to pack your laptop away and disconnect after a long day’s work.

Disconnect by: 

• Packing your laptop away after work hours 
• Be a tourist at this destination you are visiting
• Make new friends
• Start a hobby like yoga or surfing
• Take you PTO….. you’re not getting that back

A huge goal for those wanting to be digital nomads is having the freedom.  But if you aren’t able to disconnect then what is the point? 

Work-Life Balance Mistakes

Everyone learns with time and experience. What might work for one person, might not work for you and even the long term digital nomads struggle from time to time. 

Some common work-life balance mistakes: 

• No routine
• Taking on too much
• Changing countries too frequently 
• Poor health 
• Unstable internet connection
• Lack of boundaries 

It is so important to know when to reassess your situation if things aren’t working for you. Rather sooner than later. 

The perfect routine doesn’t exist. As a digital nomad, you need to create your own work-life balance that works for you and your lifestyle.  

This is the best thing about being a digital nomad – there is lots of flexibility in being able to make the changes you want in your life.  By planning well in advance and having the right tools to support you, you will be able to build your career and explore the world at the same time.

If you are wanting to become a digital nomad or still testing the waters, make sure to include all these tips which will help you find the correct work-life balance for you to stay productive, avoid burnout, and enjoy every destination to its fullest.

FAQs

1. How do digital nomads maintain work-life balance?

Digital nomads can maintain work-life balance by creating routines, setting clear working hours, choosing suitable destinations, and making time for health, travel, and social activities.

2. How many hours should a digital nomad work?

There is no set number of hours for every digital nomad. The key is to follow your employer’s requirements while setting clear working hours that leave enough time to enjoy your destination.

3. How can digital nomads avoid burnout?

Creating boundaries between work and personal time, taking regular breaks, getting enough sleep, exercising, eating well, and using PTO can help digital nomads avoid burnout.

4. What should digital nomads look for in a work destination?

Digital nomads should consider reliable Wi-Fi, power availability, accommodation with a suitable workspace, coworking options, transport, safety, and the overall cost of living.

5. How can digital nomads disconnect from work?

Packing away your laptop after work, turning off notifications, avoiding work emails during personal time, and spending time exploring, exercising, or socializing can help you disconnect.

6. Is it difficult to make friends as a digital nomad?

It can be challenging at first, but joining coworking spaces, gyms, online communities, classes, and local activities can make it easier to meet people and build friendships.