The New Normal: Dreaming of a Year Spent Working Remotely

The outbreak of Covid-19 has changed everything. The way we work, travel, relax and socialise is now almost unrecognisable compared to six months ago. But, with the pandemic looking likely to stretch deep into 2022, it is becoming clear that we will never return to the world we once knew.

What does this mean in practice? We’ve decided to look at how Covid-19 has impacted our working lives and what this might mean for the future. In particular, we’ll be considering the following questions:

• In a post-pandemic world, will more of us be able to embrace remote working?
• What might the new era of “Digital Nomads” look like?
• What challenges might we face, and how can we overcome them?

This post is written in collaboration with Tomasz Drybala – ultra-endurance athlete and athletic lifestyle coach.

The Changing Nature of Work – Our Experience

Lucy and I have been balancing our full-time desk jobs with our love of travelling for nearly five years. Whether it’s an intense long weekend of city-hopping or a two-week journey through multiple countries, the aim has always been to maximise our annual leave before returning to office life. If we’d wanted to travel more, it seemed like the only alternative would have been to wave goodbye to our jobs and the relative security offered by full-time employment.

In March this year, almost simultaneously, we were both asked to work from home on a full-time basis. Along with millions of others, we found that our commute had transformed into a few steps from bedroom to laptop. This was a seismic shift in our daily pattern. Although it won’t have suited everyone, we’ve found it to be a brilliant opportunity to bring balance into our lives.

Daring to Dream of a Post-Pandemic World

It’s now looking likely that neither of us will be back in the office until 2022. This has got us thinking. For so long, the idea of being a “Digital Nomad” and working remotely full-time had seemed like a distant fantasy, fulfilled only by a lucky few who had cracked a seemingly impossible code and reached the promised land.

Occasionally, we’d see someone pop up on our Instagram feed. One month they’d be working from a beach in Bali. The next they’d be sending emails from a mountain hut in the Alps. An impossible dream? Perhaps not.

The necessity of remote working brought on by the pandemic has proven to many companies that a remote workforce not only gets the job done, but can even exceed expectations.

We’ve already got a taste of what it could be like, within the constraints of lockdown rules in the UK. For a while now, we’ve been able to stay overnight with a small bubble of friends and family. Deciding to take advantage, we spent a week at a time with our parents. We used the opportunity to enjoy post-work walks in the woods or down to the sea. We had easy access to spectacular mountains, beautiful lakes, and charming villages during the weekends.

Usually, we would have had to burn into our valuable annual leave allowances to make those journeys worthwhile. The opportunity to fit visits in whilst still working opened our eyes to the possibilities of the “Digital Nomad” lifestyle. We began to think more seriously about what a year of living and working remotely might look like.

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Planning a Year of Living the Digital Nomad Life

Once the pandemic is over and travel returns, many of us will have the chance to embrace changes to work. If we found ourselves in the fortunate position to work from anywhere, how might we take advantage of this?

There are three things which we think would be particularly important.

Firstly, we must recognise that working remotely isn’t a holiday! We would still expect to be putting in the hours, even if we’ve taken our laptops down to the beach! For this reason, choosing a job or business on which you’re happy to spend time focussed is a crucial first step.

Secondly, considering what we’d want to get out of a year spent working remotely. How could we take advantage of the time saved from commuting and the extra opportunities this brings? Perhaps it would be the perfect chance to finally nail those Yoga poses, take up running or learn that new language…

Finally, location is key! Where would we want to spend our time with the whole world to choose from? A few places immediately stand out to us as being able to tick all the boxes.

Georgia

The country of Georgia would be an exciting place for a Digital Nomad. In the heart of the Caucasus, Georgia combines spectacular landscapes with a rich culture and a delightfully low cost of living. We visited in 2018 and would rush back in a heartbeat.

The streets of its capital, Tbilisi, have a cosmopolitan vibe that would not be out of place in Western Europe. It is here where we would base ourselves. Perhaps we’d rent an AirBnB during the week, and use weekends to explore the vineyards. Maybe we’d even head to the Black Sea, or go trekking under the shadows of the dramatic 5,000m peaks of the Kazbegi region.

Bali

It’d be rude not to include Bali in the list, even though we’ve never been lucky enough to visit. However, we are well aware of its reputation as the number one destination for Digital Nomads pre-pandemic. Despite its fame, it maintains a relatively low cost of living, and the thought of logging off for the day and enjoying a Bali sunset by the pool is reason enough to want to jet straight there!

Estonia

Estonia is another old favourite from our travels. We fell in love with Tallinn, the capital, almost instantly. Perched on the shores of the Baltic Sea, this would be a perfect place to spend some time during summer.

Evenings could be enjoyed strolling around the medieval old town before watching the sunset, whilst weekend adventures could be had in the forests surrounding the city – watch out for bears!

The feather in Estonia’s cap is the introduction of an innovative Digital Nomad Visa, allowing hassle-free remote work for up to a year. Well done, Estonia!

Barbados

Barbados has also taken huge steps to welcome Digital Nomads with their 12 month “Work From Paradise” scheme. In a similar fashion to Bali, the prospect of enjoying the sandy beaches of the Caribbean and the laid-back atmosphere of Barbados makes it a compelling destination for remote working. Sign us up!

United Kingdom

Finally, we’ve already mentioned the beauty of spending more time with family and friends. It is impossible to ignore the fact that most of our loved ones are based in the UK, and we would almost certainly want to take advantage of the chance to see them more – even if we spent the rest of our year thousands of miles away!

Christmas would be the perfect time to come across and catch up with those closest to us whilst continuing to work remotely. The UK is also blessed with spectacular landscapes and unique places to explore. We’ve still got plenty more that we’d like to see of our home country.

The Main Challenges of becoming a Digital Nomad (and how they might be overcome!)

Of course, nobody should be under any illusions that the transition to becoming a Digital Nomad will be straightforward. After working from home over the last few months, there are some key challenges which any remote worker will face:

Time management and self-discipline: Without the workplace structure where you arrive and leave at set times, one risk of working remotely is that you lose control of your work pattern. Try to avoid either working too much or too little.

Establishing your sense of purpose: Amazing cities, incredible sunsets, and perfect beaches certainly sounds like a dream on paper. First, however, we’d want to make sure that we both knew why we had chosen the Digital Nomad lifestyle beyond the superficial.

Maintaining social connections: We’ve both transitioned from a sociable office environment to working entirely remotely almost overnight. You do lose the face-to-face connection and need to put a little more effort into the social side of work.

Finding the right work: Even if you’re based in paradise, it’s still important to be working on something that suits you. Of course, not every job lends itself to being done remotely. However, in the post-Covid world of work, there should still be plenty of variety in the remote jobs market. If you can’t find a job that suits you, many people have become self-employed. So why not turn your passion into your income?

None of these challenges are insurmountable, and with a bit of effort, there’s no reason why you can’t overcome them. There are a couple of areas that would be an excellent starting point.

Research, Research, Research

Making the move to becoming a Digital Nomad would be a huge commitment, with plenty of things to consider. From visas to accommodation, internet connections to healthcare, it’s worth putting some hours in to make sure you’re fully aware of what you’re signing up for.

Thankfully, some excellent resources are available that are dedicated to remote working and the Digital Nomad lifestyle. Sites such as Remoteco and WeWorkRemotely are well set up to provide advice, insights and job suggestions for current and prospective remote workers.

Learn from the best!

Perhaps the most effective way to plan your next move as a Digital Nomad is to inspire those who have already taken the plunge.

One of the most dramatic examples is Tomasz Drybala, who has been on an incredible personal journey over the last few years. Tom’s life began to change dramatically when, driven by a desire to lead a “more fulfilling, passionate and purposeful life”, he began to undertake a series of increasingly ambitious and life-changing personal challenges.

Eventually, this culminated in moving on from his seemingly comfortable life in London and living nomadically – with a seriously impressive twist. Tom is currently running 7,000 miles across Asia and has also set up his own lifestyle business, which he manages remotely.

Through courses, e-books and coaching services, Tom draws on his incredible experience to advise people who want to make positive changes in their own lives. He is particularly experienced in the fields of lifestyle and personal branding.

His FREE e-book and course could be the perfect tool to kick-start your own journey. In addition, you can read more about Tom on his website, where you’ll find a whole host of great resources to help you get started.

Next Steps

None of us know what the next few months have in store. However, there’s no better time to start reflecting on making positive changes in your life, which you can pursue once the pandemic is over.

We’ll undoubtedly see a massive increase in full-time remote working, and with that will come a new generation of Digital Nomads. The lifestyle may not be for everyone – it may not even be for us – but whilst the world is pausing for breath, perhaps we all have an opportunity to research, learn, and proactively plan our futures.