Things I wish I knew before Choosing the laptop lifestyle

Trust me, the laptop lifestyle of a Digital Nomad is absolutely rewarding. I have been able to travel where I want, whenever I want to. I worry less about budgeting as I am now making an income as I go. This laptop lifestyle is all fine and dandy, but there are also some things that I wish I knew before setting off on my adventure. Read these top five things that I wish I knew myself, so that you are well prepared for your own endeavours.

Jobs will come and Jobs will go

It is such a rewarding feeling when you get hired for a job that you worked so hard to bid for. It almost feels like you won a contest! Be prepared though, because just as quickly as that job can start, another one can end. Recently, my highest paying contract ended due to some unfortunate circumstances. This was just after I turned down another job because I thought I was doing ok financially. What I realized from that is I was taking advantage of the comfort of the job, financially. I was settling. This is NOT the way to live the laptop lifestyle.

What you can do to prevent this is to NOT settle for the income on the jobs you currently have. ALWAYS keep on top of applying for more jobs. You would rather be stressing about how to keep up with all the work you have, than to stress about how you will be able to feed yourself and find somewhere to sleep. Trust me on this one. Wouldn’t you rather be completely exhausted from the hard times which breed success, than well rested from achieving nothing?

Spending more money because you make more money

This is another huge no-no! I was spending more money on hipster gluten-free treats and expensive coconut milk latte’s, because I felt that if I make more-I can spend more, right? WRONG.

Do not do this right away, wait until you have saved enough to put aside a special budget for those expensive goodies. I was embodying the mindset of ‘fake it until you make it’, financially. This mindset does have its advantages, which I fully agree with to a point. I also believe that spending more money on more expensive dinners and nicer hotel rooms, which of course is ok once in awhile, is not ok all the time. Be smart with your money, and spend that bit extra when you really need to. This also forces you to apply for more jobs, which I think is a good motivation when you see a fancy hotel with a glorious surf and turf dinner and fine wine.

Take the low paying jobs to get your self some experience!

The fact that I avoided this frustrates me to no end! I was being snotty towards lower paying gigs at the beginning, when now I can clearly see how much of a positive impact they would have had on my career if I just sucked it up and took them on. These jobs give you EXPERIENCE, they help build your PORTFOLIO, which in turn, is social proof that you do great work. The higher paying jobs will not hire you if you do not have the proof that is in the pudding! In order to succeed in the laptop lifestyle you sometimes have to “suck it up, buttercup” and gain that experience.

Be clear about WHY you want this lifestyle/career choice.

This one does not really apply to me, as I did a LOT of inner work to be clear before I chose the laptop lifestyle and left the country. I do feel however, that most people do not. So I would like to coach you a little bit on how to be clear with the purpose behind your choice. Be fully authentic and honest about your answers.

Ask yourself:

-Am I running from anything?

-Why do I desire this laptop lifestyle?

-If I had the power to change anything about my lifestyle here at home first, would I still want to leave?

-Do I have the strength and courage to embrace uncertainty?

-Am I craving a change in career? Am I feeling burnt out and needing to escape?

– Is it ok with me to say goodbye to my home, my friends, family, familiarity?

-Is there any other ways that I can spice up my life without leaving or changing my career?

Check in with yourself to see if your desires are more reaction based than action.

The importance of surrounding yourself with other people in the Laptop Lifestyle.

Surrounding yourself with likeminded individuals, who are also striving for greatness is the utmost important thing you can do while on the road. Find friends whom are also pursuing the laptop lifestyle, you will thank yourself later.

These friends, who are also on the same journey and are doing the same work, will help keep you in the realm of possibility. Try not to let yourself get suckered into the low vibe energy of people whom just travel to party all the time. Sure, that is fun for a short time and a fun way to let off some steam, but is not suitable for your desired career endeavours. Try attending regular meet-ups and join co-working groups weekly to keep you in that high achieving mindset. Similar to a mastermind group, these people will see you as what you WANT to embody and hold you accountable for that, expecting the same in return of course!

If you found this helpful, make sure you check out my other Laptop Lifestyle blogs such as Security Life Hacks for Digital Nomads

With Love, Health and Happiness,

The Fit Gypsy