7 Tips I wish I knew before becoming a Digital Nomad
After feeling inspired by the article “How I Built a Startup While Traveling to 20 Countries”, I decided to try and work on my startup from around South East Asia. After a few weeks, it became obvious than saving money and being more productive than in my home country was not as easy as I thought. It took me a few weeks before I could enjoy the benefits of being a nomadic entrepreneur. Here are below a few tips that I wished I had known before.
Length of Stay
If you only stay a few days in a particular location, it might be difficult to save money on accommodation. You need to factor the cost of transportation between the different places you stay at, and the settling down time. Also, your bargaining power will be quite limited if you stay three days whereas you can easily get a 30% discount if you book 2–3 weeks in a hotel or an Airbnb accommodation.
Know yourself before leaving
Are you a beach or a city person? For instance, if you had the choice, would you rather stay in Bangkok or Ko Phi Phi? Many of us dream of working on an island by the beach. But you should think twice. You have to be aware of a syndrome called Island Sickness. After a few weeks (sometimes days), you have enjoyed the beach and all the facilities of the island, and you simply get bored. There is so much snorkeling you can do before all the fish look the same. In comparison, in a city, you have access to more facilities (cinema, bowling, live sports). Also, your country’s expat community is more likely to be there, just in case you get homesick. Don’t forget that productivity increase with your well-being, so you should know how to manage your mental health. I usually stay in medium-sized or large cities and award myself a trip to the beach if I reach a milestone (feature, revenue milestone).
Wifi
Finding reliable WiFi is sometimes hard. If you plan to stay longer than a few days, it might worth looking at purchasing a pre-paid 3G/4G plans. For instance, Fiji has a 4G network that is more reliable than any home or business internet plan. If 3G plans are too expensive or not an option, keep a list of 3–4 coffee shops where the Wifi doesn’t drop at every Dropbox synchronization. As a nomadic entrepreneur, you need reliability and variety. If you are not too tight with money, look for co-working spaces. You can get a one-day pass for less than $10 or a monthly pass for $100. (E.g., Hubba in Bangkok or Idea Factory in Seoul).
Get smart with food poisoning
There is a misconception that food in restaurants is safer than in the street. That’s true only for expensive restaurants. As street food has a high turnover, the food is usually safer than a small, unpopular western restaurant. But in South East Asia, there is a rule you should never forget “Cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it”. Food poisoning (sometimes called Bali belly or Tourista) can put you out of business in less than one hour and have you stay in bed for the next 72 hours. And you will have no energy to code that feature that can double your monthly revenue. Always have a few sealed bottles or mineral water and don’t forget to pack medications before leaving it might be difficult and expensive to find a pharmacy when you are stuck in bed.
Understand the cultural difference before leaving
Depending on the country in South Asia, the culture might be completely different than in your home country. For instance, throughout Asia, it is considered impolite to point with your index finger. Instead, you should use your thumb. Also in the Philippines, people do not like to disappoint. So even if they don’t know the answer to your question (like the direction of your hotel), they will simply point you any direction. There is a simple solution for this. Ask many people the same questions. If you carry a 30kgs backpack in a 40 degrees city, ask the same question every 50 meters.
The same is true when you shop. Asking the price for the same item gives you an average price and prevents you from being ripped off.
In Hoi An (Vietnam), when you buy an item at any shop, you will leave with one of three plastic bags. If you get a green plastic bag, you got ripped off so other shop owners will bump up the price for you. If you get a red bag, you got a fair price because you bargained. If you get a black bag, shop owners know not to mess around with you.
Learn To Focus
South East Asia is not the quietest place on earth. They are more tuk-tuks with holes in their mufflers than noise-free Tesla cars.
So you need learn to focus in any situation. You might think you are ready to work efficiently in a noisy environment as you worked in co-working spaces, libraries or coffee shops in your home country. As a comparison, working in a coffee shop in a busy street in Phnom Penh is probably as noisy as working in a plane full of toddlers. I wish I had worked for a few weeks in Chuck-E-Cheese’s before becoming a nomadic entrepreneur.
Things to use
Besides the obvious (sunscreen, antibiotics,.. ), there are things that you should bring with you when you travel. Baby wipes. Always bring baby wipes with you. They serve two purposes. To clean yourself and to clean things you have to sit on or use. It is the most recommended item by photojournalists working in remote areas. Also, always have at least a small bottle of mineral water to drink or to clean. Baking Soda is also a great item to pack. It is easy to find and cheap to buy and is a great replacement for toothpaste, shampoo and calm an upset stomach in no time. I can also be used to wash your teeth, your hair and the fruits and vegetables.
Hopefully, these tips will help you become and stay productive if you decide to join the wonderful world of digital nomads. You will meet amazing people along the way (locals or other digital nomads), and that’s an experience you’ll never forget.
