Travelling and visiting new locations is traditionally associated with vacations. While that’s true, there has been an increasing appetite for working remotely while travelling.
Remote working has become the new normal for many companies since lockdowns were put into place. Employees work from the comforts of their homes with important meetings held online, and projects are worked on, completed, and submitted over the internet.
While there were many remote jobs available before the pandemic, many more have now become home-based. But think about it, do you have to be at home to work? Why not enjoy some work while travelling. This allows you to experience new places without worrying about money.
For remote work, you only need a laptop and a stable internet connection. You can be sitting on a tropical island enjoying a sip of coconut milk while attending an online meeting on the other side of the world.
Let’s take a close look at how you can start working remotely while travelling.
Jobs that can be done remotely
There are no limits to what jobs one can do remotely. The available options range from writing simple articles to providing solutions to complex engineering problems to firms. To start, here are five jobs that remote workers can do, as long as they have a laptop and an internet connection.
Freelance writing
Anyone can do freelance writing with a bit of practice and it’s great for remote work. It does not have a steep learning curve, and the job itself includes research on multiple topics. Being a freelance writer allows you to learn new things all the time.
The best part about freelance writing is that it is a skill dependent on your ability to express yourself using words. If you like reading and researching, you will naturally love writing. As your writing skills improve over time, so too will your clientele and hourly rates. Best of all, it does not require you to learn the use of complicated software.
Video editing
YouTube and other video content streaming platforms have millions of videos updated on them every day. You will find YouTubers, TikTokers, etc, willing to pay good money for good editing of their videos.
Many times these contracts are recurring and can serve as a long-term source of income. The downside to this job is the learning curve associated with proper understanding and usage of video editing software.
Digital marketing
Marketing has always been a crucial aspect of a successful business and is well suited for remote work. The success of a product depends on the potential consumers. With an increasing percentage of the population having access to the internet and social media, digital marketing has become one of the most sought-after skills.
As a digital marketer, your job is to create targeted advertisements for social media accounts of people. Many companies pay a handsome amount to anyone who can increase their consumer reach.
Virtual Assistant
If you have some experience or talent for managing businesses or human resources, you can work as a virtual assistant. The responsibilities vary from job to job, so there will always be someone in need of your expertise.
For most virtual assistant positions, you need experience or formal education in business management studies. If you have some background in management and business, this is the job for you.
Online technical support
There is an ever-growing demand for tech support experts online for brands and companies. This field is ideal for people with Information Technology or Computer science backgrounds. The needed gear for online tech support is a laptop, a mic, an internet connection, and an understanding of computers or software. This makes it ideal for the digital nomad.
Find Location-Independent Remote Work
Once you have chosen your preferred remote job, the next part is to find an efficient and effective way to be able to travel and work remotely.
Travelling is not easy and finding accommodation in new areas is expensive. There is also the issue of the language barrier should you choose to travel to a foreign country. Among the things to consider when choosing your travel destination, the most important ones are internet availability and travel expenses.
There are other challenges to not being in your home country such as the time zones but there are many benefits too. As you travel around the world you’re likely to meet new friends and spend time in amazing places, whether that’s a tropical island, a beautiful city in Latin America, working in coffee shops in Mexico City or travelling through Southeast Asia. The opportunities are endless.
Internet Availability
The idea of a resort on a tropical island away from human civilization might seem adventurous and exciting. However, if there is no internet connection available, you will be unable to work. Remember, the goal is to be able to visit new locations while being able to work as usual.
Many popular tourism locations have hotels and accommodations with internet services available. As a digital nomad, a good internet connection is vital. You can’t have a remote work trip without access to video calls, software tools, Facebook groups, and anything else you may need for remote working.
Expenses
Travelling is not free and a digital nomad needs to know how to keep costs down and save money. Without adequate financial backing or stability, it is best to put off the idea of travel. Airbnb and Hostels in new cities are usually cheaper compared to hotels and private housing. Your pocket will drain fast during your excursions. Therefore, travel after you earn enough to have a comfortable financial buffer.
People that live the life of constantly travelling and working remotely are called digital nomads. Many organizations cater to the needs of digital nomads in their travels. The travel packages provided by these organizations are more expensive compared to traditional housing services like Airbnb.
However, the travel packages will include everything from food to insurance, so they are well worth the investment. Due to covid-19, it has become impossible to travel to some vacation spots. However, this can be a blessing in disguise. You might be able to get a reservation at a vacation spot, near your current location, for a very reasonable price because of travel restrictions and a low influx of tourists.
There are a few things to need to remember when working in a new city such as international health insurance, finding a co working space and strong internet access. All these have a cost along with tax implications.
How to Find Remote Jobs
Finding work online is easier than ever before but what are the best websites to find work? Multiple platforms allow you to provide your services as a freelancer. Each of these digital platforms has its system of working and employment, so depending on your style of work, you may prefer a digital platform over the others.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a popular freelancing platform. It allows you to set up a profile with up to 10 services or gigs. It is a platform that heavily favours marketing and good presentation. You can sell almost any service on Fiverr. Nevertheless, attracting a buyer will depend heavily on your presentation and profile strength. Generally, Fiverr is used by people to outsource small-scale work for an affordable price.
Upwork
Upwork is an outstanding freelance platform for a digital nomad that allows you to apply for jobs where you want to offer your services. Upwork follows a bidding system to win gigs on the platform so there is plenty of competition from other remote workers.
It is known to be a marketplace for contracts and projects for all levels of skill. Long-term relations are encouraged, and you can even utilize the platform’s payment protection services for contracts acquired outside of Upwork.
Using filters on Upwork, you can find the job best suited to your skill level and comfort. The downside of Upwork is the limited number of ‘connects’, Upwork’s bidding currency, that need to be purchased with money if you run out of the monthly awarded connects.
LinkedIn is a social media platform for all forms of professional and career-oriented posts. LinkedIn does not directly offer opportunities to earn like Fiverr and Upwork. Employers post job advertisements on LinkedIn for which you can apply.
There has been an increasing number of remote job positions from companies and firms due to the pandemic. Having a solid LinkedIn profile can also help you win contracts on other work-from-home platforms. Professionals often use LinkedIn to advertise themselves in addition to searching for possible work contracts.
There is no shortage of freelance websites in the world. Apart from popular choices like Fiverr and Upwork, there are also these websites:
• Toptal
• We Work Remotely
• Behance
• Designcrowd
• Guru
• SimplyHired
Benefits of Working from Home
There are many benefits to working from home. With the world rapidly adopting remote work methodologies, anyone looking to work and earn money in these trying times can do so with ease. Furthermore, working from home and interacting with people for work can prevent the feeling of loneliness.
Working from home is a dream come true. It liberates you from the traditional 9 to 5 in the office. Being able to work from home helps you stay in your comfort zone as you work. There is no longer any need for a commute to the office and back. Not needing to commute saves precious hours of the day spent on travelling.
Having a remote work trip takes this to the next level. You can have all the benefits of a remote worker but visit different cities with like-minded digital nomads. It’s a wonderful break from your usual routine and just sitting in your local coffee shop.
There are many benefits of working from home, such as:
• Independence of work hours
• Comfort of home
• Being able to give time to family
• Save at least two hours of commute every day
• Possibility of travelling and working
• Freelance work from home makes you your boss
• Opens up an opportunity to work remotely on side jobs online
• Can help prevent loneliness during lockdown
• Can provide you with a source of income during lockdown
