7 Ways To Stay Productive On The Road
There are many amazing benefits that come with being digital nomad. You can work from the pacific shores of Oregon one week, and then find yourself basking in the Caribbean sun the next. But, with almost every moment feeling like a vacation, it can be challenging to stay productive and motivated when it actually comes to working. Here are a few ways you can boost your productivity while on the road so you can make more time to explore and adventure.
1. Have A Morning Routine
Whether you have a home on wheels or hop from one hotel to the next, it is important to keep a morning routine, even if it is as simple as just making the bed. Living on the road, your life may lack consistency, which can be a bit stressful on the body. A fast-paced and rushed morning will add to that.
Wake up to your first alarm and slowly work your way through your morning routine. Drink coffee, read a book, make a yummy breakfast. Take it slow. It will minimize stress and give your body that dose of familiarity that it needs to get through the day!
2. Buy A Planner
Use a planner app on your Smartphone, or buy a physical planner. At the beginning of each week, schedule out time for work. Pick the time of day where you feel most productive and try to work those hours. For example, if you are a morning person — try to knock out your work in the morning. If you are not a morning person, sleep in and try working at night or in the afternoon instead.
It’s also important to schedule out time for yourself. Whether it’s taking a hike, going to yoga, hitting the gym or a date night with your spouse, it is important to make just as much time for yourself as you do for work. A healthy work/life balance will make you much more willing to open up that laptop and knock out some hours!
3. Eat Well & Drink Plenty of Water
A lot of people will overlook this one, but it is probably the most important thing to take note of while living and working on the road. Always being on the move to new places can wear on your body more than you think. It’s important to drink plenty of water throughout the day and to maintain a healthy, nourishing diet. It’s easy to resort to fast food and eating out constantly while on the road, but do your best to avoid that habit and take a trip to the grocery store instead.
A poor diet will result in fatigue, lack of focus, and makes you more prone to illnesses. A lot of travelers take supplements to make sure they keep their vitamin levels balanced and their immune system healthy. Some just drink tons of coffee. See what works for you and be sure you to listen to your body and giving it what it needs!
4. Utilize Resources
Traveling a lot and don’t have time to make a presentation? Companies like squareship will make you a stunning one. Need helping editing your content? There are even editing services out there these days that will edit your content in minutes! Working on the road usually means you are working solo. So, seek out help when you need it and make things easier on yourself.
5. Have a Vision
Without a bigger picture in mind, it’s hard to carry motivation with you from place to place. Be sure to always give yourself purpose. What do you want to accomplish in your career? What good do you want to put into the world? Do you want to write a book one day? Get a promotion? Start a business of your own? People get so caught up in the busy work and often times forget about their purpose.
Always have a clear vision of your future in mind and actively do your best to work towards that!
6. Try To Avoid Coffee Shops
Sounds crazy, but coffee shops aren’t the best place to get work done. There are good coffee shops out there with quiet atmospheres, but generally there is a lot of distraction in the air. The loud milk steaming, the beans grinding, cups clinking and water running. The barista yells out a new name every minute or so. The uncomfortable chairs and tiny tables. People are crowded all around you chatting about hot yoga and business deals.
My point? It is not the most productive environment. Instead, try out the local public library for a silent, open space. If you must go to a coffee shop, try to find ones that have a large, open space, quiet atmospheres and plenty of seating for the best distraction free experience!
7. Listen to Instrumental Music
This is one of the best ways to stay productive while working. Instrumental music is brain food for humans. If you have a Spotify account, there are countless instrumental playlists out there that are specifically made to increase productivity, boost your mood, or relieve your stress while studying or working. These instrumental playlists aren’t filled with the boring classical music you might be thinking of.
There are various genres of instrumental music out there that can match almost any personality type. I have seen playlists ranging from calming nature sounds to soft electronic beats to just the simple notes of an acoustic guitar. Plug in your headphones and experience time fly by as you get your dose of brain food!
If anything, in order to stay productive on the road — the first step is taking care of yourself! It’s important to have a stress free environment, a healthy diet, and an overall purpose in your daily life. At the end of the day, everyone works in different ways, so the best thing is to find what works for you and stick to it!
