How to stay sane when you're location independent

Many people envy those who are able to live in constant movement. The freedom, the experiences and the frequent change of environment makes this quite tempting. Having the opportunity to change your city every few weeks without worrying about a job is something amazing. An experience of lifetime. You are free to go anywhere, anytime, just for the sake of going.

Being in this situation for a while myself, I can say it’s definitely liberating. I can go anywhere, do anything and change any time I want. If I’m not feeling comfortable somewhere, I just move. If I grow bored of it, I move. If the weather is bad… you get my point.

When you change your environment all the time, part of you might also get lost in the process. Nowhere is your safe space. Sometimes you know very few people, if any. Your work is mainly sitting in front of your computer, alone. You gain and lose stability in the blink of an eye. You have to make active decisions all the time.

Life as a digital nomad, sooner or later, will affect your sanity.

If there’s something I always take with me after all those years of digital nomadism, it’s a bunch of habits. They make me feel at home in a cheap hotel or in a fancy Airbnb. Habits that keep my feet on the ground, not allowing me to get too deep into my own thoughts and making my life healthier over time.

Here are some of them:

Meditation

After I began my location independent lifestyle, I started having anxiety problems. Choosing countries, flights and apartments every few months is fun at the beginning. After a while it can become a burden which might kill your productivity during the day and give you bruxism (teeth grinding) at night.

Then I started meditating. Within just a few weeks, the benefits were crystal clear to me. I dedicate a few minutes to meditate ever since. When I skip it, I see how my concentration and sleep quality are affected almost immediately.

Morning routine

To force the meditation, I started adding new habits into my day. Little by little, that’s how I developed my morning routine. Nowadays, my mornings are carefully planned. I know what I’m gonna do right after I get out of bed, what I’m gonna have for breakfast, where I’m gonna exercise and when I’m gonna start to work.

I stick to my morning routine ever since. It’s what keeps me motivated and productive anywhere I go. It makes me feel at home faster when I’m in a new place. Whenever I fall out of it, I’m able to spot the difference in my behaviour right away.

Get out of the house

I love working from home. If I didn’t have a reason to go out daily, I probably wouldn’t. I’m an introvert at heart, so it feels good to be in my own bubble most of the time.

Despite this, I dedicate some time to go for a walk every damn day. To drink a coffee, practice my passion of people watching, grab a bite or just sit in the park. See people and see life. Breath some fresh air is essential to keep my mind in order. If I can meet someone every once in a while and enjoy a nice conversation, even better.

Workout. For real.

Working out when you don’t have a gym at your disposal can be tricky. It’s easy to make excuses for running when it’s raining. We’ve all been there. No one want’s to search for a gym with short-term memberships — on top of that, they’re quite rare.

That’s why I chose a workout that doesn’t ask for anything except my own body weight — with little exceptions like a bed or a chair. It’s done in 30 minutes. It’s so fast that I just can’t skip it. It’s just half an hour to take care of myself, so there are no excuses. Best of all, all the exercises are very intense and you can see results pretty fast.

I don’t exercise to lose weight or grow a ton of muscles. I exercise to keep my body moving, my anxiety levels low and my mind clear. What comes after that is a bonus. Like eating fries before bed without feeling guilt.

Cook — at least once in a while

First thing I do in a new city is to check for restaurants where I can have amazing meals. I love to eat out — and in some parts of the world it’s even cheaper than cooking at home.

Even when I find healthy and cheap restaurants, eating at home gives me a sense of homeness that no restaurant can reproduce. Sometimes all you need is a trip to a foreigner market, homemade food and the comfort of feeling at ease.

Get a dog. Or two.

Having dogs makes me feel at home anywhere I go. They remind me on a daily basis that my problems are not the most important things happening on earth. Believe me, it’s quite easy to think so when the only person you have to deal with is yourself.

My dogs are the main reason I go out at least twice a day. They demand their own routines, so it forces me to keep mine as well. They make me happier, keep me company and remind me that the world doesn’t revolve around me.

These are some of the habits I created after working online while traveling the world for around 4 years. They keep my sanity on point — at least most of the time.

How about yours?

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