3 Golden Rules for Anywhereists

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The people you work for really don’t care where in the world you are, as long as you’re available to help them solve their problems.

That’s true whether they’re your employers or your clients and customers.

And thanks to the global pandemic, acceptance for WFA (work from anywhere) has grown by leaps and bounds, while acceptance for WFH (work from home) is definitely mainstream. 

What does this mean for freelancers, solopreneurs, and professional creatives?

If you have an established business, this is the perfect time to take it completely virtual.

Everyone today knows about Zoom and other videoconference software. During lockdown, it’s became the default norm for millions of organizations and individuals. So stop thinking about in-person meetings, and schedule all your meetings to take place virtually. Even with local clients. 

If you’re starting a business today, just begin as you mean to go on. Make sure you’re set up to do everything virtually, from the start.

The idea is to organize your business so you can work from wherever you want. You may stay in the same place, or you may travel the world, bringing your business with you.

When I moved to Panama in 2012, most of my clients had no idea I had left the US. I maintained my US-based phone number using a service called Vonage, and I stayed in the same time zone, so the transition was completely seamless. 

Although travel right now is still problematic, with pandemic outbreaks impacting where you can and can’t go, a number of countries have recognized — finally — that digital nomads are a thing. Several of them have created special digital nomad visas that will allow you to live there for an extended period of time, with minimal hassle. 

Back in 2006, Nora Dunn, who calls herself The Professional Hobo, embarked on the life of a digital nomad (of course, at that time we didn’t have that handy descriptor and people thought she was nuts). Similarly, Shannon O’Donnell started traveling the world while working back in 2008. 

And while digital nomads were a rarity 15 (or even 5) years ago, today they’re pretty easy to find. Articles about digital nomads are popping up in some unlikely places, like this recent article  from Travel & Leisure. 

So how do you develop that portable career that will let you WFA? 

Some types of work are very portable — writing and photography spring to mind. Others might take a bit of thought. This article will help you start thinking about what you might be able to offer. 

And if you’re ready to take the plunge and create a WFA business but you also want guidance and instruction, take a look at this. It’s called Next Level 7, and it’s a course from Brian Clark, the guy who practically invented content marketing. He’ll show you what’s working now and guide you toward building your perfect WFA business.

Tips & Tricks

3 Tips to Avoid Burnout

One of the big challenges when you’re WFH is to separate “work” and “life.” For many workers, it’s hard enough to do even when you commute to an office, because of the expectation that you’ll be available via email, text, or other instant communication 24/7.

When your workplace is also your home, that line becomes even fainter.

However, if you can’t separate life and work, you’re more likely to suffer mental health issues or even burn out completely. Here are three tips from Harvard Business Review, to avoid WFH burnout.

Stay Sane

Also in the “keep your sanity while WFH” category, here’s an excellent list of 30 tips from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. He cautions you not to try to implement all of them at once.

Real Artists Don’t Starve

We’re all familiar with the starving artist stereotype. Writer Jeff Goins has written an entire book, titled Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age, debunking the starving artist myth.

But he doesn’t stop there. He also shows you a plan for making a living from your creative talents. You can find an excerpt from the book here, or order it from Amazon.