Being a Traveler-Freelancer: How Not to Burn Out

Having a freelance job is a dream of millions of people. Thanks to technology, more and more people can make their dream come true. Being able to work from anywhere is a big advantage. If you have always been wanting to work and travel, your dream can come true. If you have sufficient skills and knowledge to work on your laptop, then you can work from any part of the world. The choice is yours.

However, being a traveler-freelancer has its downsides too. There are some challenges you should remember about. In this article, we will talk about some difficulties that you may face while traveling and working online and share some good tips to overcome them.

1. Be Mindful of the Internet

Your two main things that you need for work are your device and Internet connection. While traveling, you will not get good Internet connection everywhere. If you travel around Europe, every place will provide free or at least paid Wi-Fi but if you are going to travel around Asia like a lot of digital nomads do, then you may face difficulties. You are not promised to have good Internet everywhere in this part of the world, so you need to learn about each place where you go in advance and make sure the place where you are planning to stay offers Wi-Fi.

2. Put Your Rate Higher for Existing Clients

Do you have a lot of clients that overload you with work? This is great but if you work 15 hours every day trying to reach your budget goal, then you will soon start hating your job. If you have people constantly asking you to do work for them it means that you are in demand. Don’t be shy to ask existing clients who you have worked with for at least three months for a higher salary. Some will definitely agree and you will be able to drop those who don’t agree. This way you will get the same money but work fewer hours. Isn’t it smart?

3. Become an Employer

If you have quite a big experience in writing articles, translating and creating ads for SEO companies then you may consider looking for people who would do tasks for you. For example, you have two projects where one brings you the biggest amount of money. Focus on this project and complete more work in a shorter time. The other project that is less interesting and brings you less money can be passed on to freelancers beginners from EssaySharkwho are willing to work for less money. This is an amazing opportunity to try yourself as a boss and see how it goes. Get money while someone else is working for you. This is a clever system but it requires you to be responsible, patient and communicative.

4. Set Boundaries

A lot of freelance-travelers get tired of their work because they are asked to work late at night or on weekends. Unless you need money urgently and willing to work at any time of the day and night, you should set boundaries. A lot of people think that freelancers can work at any time, they are not really busy and always have comfortable conditions so they can certainly work 24/7. Don’t let people think of you like this. Your brain should rest and you should enjoy your work, otherwise, you will soon burn out and won’t even want to open your laptop.

5. Watch Your Expenses

As a freelance-traveler, you will work in cafes. Most cafes and restaurants have Internet, good table, comfortable chairs, and sockets to charge your laptop. If you come to a cafe to work for at least half of the day, there is a high chance that you will want to get something to drink and eat. It’s okay to spend money on a cup of tea or coffee but if you order a meal every time you come to work in a cafe, your budget will not grow much. Reduce your expenses by preparing meals at home and eating them while having a break.

6. Say NO

While overloaded with projects, someone may ask you for urgent help and offer you, let’s say $100. It doesn’t sound bad but does it worth it? You will have to move other tasks and reschedule your day to fit in that one single task that will take you a few days to complete. As a result, you may not meet all deadlines, feel frustrated and angry with yourself for agreeing to work for $100 that isn’t really worth your time. Learn to prioritize and say no. Don’t be scared to say no and worry that companies won’t ask for your help anymore. Communicate with people and offer them a different deadline or a price that would satisfy you.

7. Take Vacations

A lot of travelers-freelancers feel guilty about taking a vacation because they think that their lifestyle is like a vacation. Working while traveling sounds really attractive but in the reality, the majority of freelancers work 8-10 hours a day not being able to enjoy those nice places where they are. If you are not
working for a huge company and get a few thousand dollars by working four hours a day, then you need to take a vacation. Actually, freelancers are not paid for having holidays even one time a year, so you have all rights to take let’s say a 10-day vacation and rest your mind. Make sure you tell everyone at work in advance so they plan tasks around your vacation.

Conclusion

These were 7 challenges that you will probably face while being a traveler-freelancer. If you are already feeling like you would like to change job because it takes more than it gives you, consider changing the approach to it. Count how many hours you work every day, how much money you get and spend, what problems you face during work like a place where you work and Internet access, talk to your clients and see if they are willing to pay more. There are always ways to make things work before quitting. Hopefully, our recommendations will help you to find joy in freelance work again!

Matthew Finnighan is a freelance writer for multiple educational institutions. He’s been working in this field for more than five years now. He has been a digital nomad and a freelancer which allows him to conduct research on this topic.