Is getting a remote job the way of the future?
If you’re anything like me, your whole “for you page” lately is full of bloggers and influencers talking about how they’ve left their full-time corporate job to go travel the world! THE DREAM, right? As many of us are realizing, corporate jobs can sometimes feel contradictory to what our souls are calling for. (true freedom)
However, as much as I am looking forward to the day when that is also my reality, I started to question… why should I wait until everything is just so? Is there a way to achieve that feeling of freedom right now, even with my corporate job?
In the past few years, I’ve shifted my mindset away from “my job is my whole life and identity” to “my job gives me the means to live my life on my terms.” It took time and realigning, but now I have a remote job that allows me to travel the world with my partner. We are living a lifestyle better than I could’ve ever imagined!
What if your remote corporate job was the golden ticket to you going out and living the life of your dreams today?
You’re Right… Let’s Get Traveling!
If you’re in a similar boat to me, you may have a remote job while also having an incessant desire to travel. But maybe you haven’t gotten started yet because, let’s face it, knowing where to start feels overwhelming. Familiarity and routine is comfortable but it can keep you at a standstill!
In today’s post, I want to go over 5 Ways to Travel When You Have a Full-Time Remote Job so you can intentionally start calling in more travel experiences into your life. Let’s fulfill that adventurous little soul of yours.
Let’s go see the world!
1. Travel Locally:
Traveling locally is your gateway option and a great one at that!
Despite working remotely, you may still feel somewhat confined to your routine and home. Realistically, you may not be able to pack up your life and leave on a whim.
Does that mean that travel is no longer an option? Absolutely not!
Traveling locally will not only fulfill your travel bug, but it will make you more deeply appreciate your hometown. I guarantee that you will discover things you never knew were there. You’ll be saying to yourself “I can’t believe I’ve lived here 1/5/10/20+ years without knowing this existed!”
Start treating your hometown like you would a vacation destination. Look up travel blogs on Pinterest, search for new restaurants on Google with high amounts of fabulous ratings, and ask your local friends if they’ve gone anywhere fun recently.
If you want to get crazy – driving 2-5 hours expands your potential drastically. You could stumble upon a whole new town or city and experience so many new things outside of your routine. I would recommend traveling locally either:
- On the weekend (with less running around during the week, hopefully, you’ll have more energy to go explore!) or
- Find a new cafe locally with good Wi-Fi and take your work day on the go. I know it does wonders for my mental health when I have a new backdrop for my routine.
NOTE: And before you say “Jess, I feel like where I live isn’t exciting at all” I want you to know that I used to believe the same thing! I’m from Buffalo, New York, and had a perception that it was “so boring.” (ha!) After taking this local travel approach in 2020-2021, I have re-fallen in love with my hometown. Particularly the Buffalo Restaurants and Things to Do in the Fall.
2. Visit a Long-Distance Friend or Family Member:
It’s probably been a while since you’ve seen one of your BFFs, so why not take your computer with you and go work on location for a week? Having a remote job gives you the perfect opportunity to reunite with those you love no matter where they are. Perhaps they have a guest bedroom or even a fun Airbnb close by. (Woohoo, neighbors!)
After work hours, they can show you around town and you’ll not only get to spend quality time with someone you love but also learn about a new place. BONUS – you won’t even have to sacrifice your PTO! It is a win-win all around!
Tip: Use the app Hopper and put on a “watch” notification for your desired airline route so you’ll be notified of when the price drops! OR use Google Flights, put in your destination, and put in “flexible dates.” (just be sure to use an Incognito Window in Chrome) Utilize that remote flexibility and choose dates based on price!
3. Remote Work Programs:
Did you miss out on the chance to study abroad and years later you’re still kicking yourself for it? Well, if you have a remote job, you have a chance to make up for lost time.
Some programs now exist where you can go work remotely on destination. There are companies that plan group travel experiences for remote workers so you’ll have accommodations, plans, and a group of like-minded friends built-in. Whether you’re a solo traveler or a couple, this is an amazing way to live, work, and get some travel in! (And even dip your toes into the lifestyle of a digital nomad)
I know a few people personally who have done (and loved) programs with:
There is also a chain of hostels called Selina, and they now offer a Selina CoLive Program. If you’re looking for monthly rates at some out-of-this-world hostels, definitely check this out. I just learned about this a few weeks ago but it’s definitely on our radar as a future option!
From my understanding, for a monthly rate, you can stay at up to three Selina’s within one month. (as long as you’re on the same continent) Depending on the time of year, some locations even have discounts! For solo travelers looking to go digital nomad (short or long term!), this seems like the most affordable and inclusive option.
4. Airbnb Weekly or Monthly Rentals:
Airbnb has been a godsent in my own life, and I’m sure in many of yours. There are incredible units all around the world, so you can completely change up the backdrop of your work week (or month!). Plus, before or after work you have the opportunity to explore new surroundings – which I think is the hugest benefit of this whole thing.
Airbnb has both weekly and monthly discounts, so play around with the calendar and be sure to optimize your time and money! They also just rolled out the concept of split stays which offers move location flexibility! I truly believe that working during the week and traveling on the weekends is the key to living your best life.
TIP: When booking an Airbnb is to search the reviews for “Wi-Fi.” That way you know how past renters felt about it. As remote workers, having strong Wi-Fi is the number 1 thing to look for! And people are not shy to discuss the wifi speed!
Hosts are actually getting used to remote workers passing through, so along with wifi, many Airbnbs have also started noting “designated workspaces” in their listings! Be sure to scour those pictures and make sure there’s a nice table or space for you to work.
There is some risk involved when booking Airbnbs, just because every unit and standard of quality is different. So be sure to thoroughly read the reviews! You can tell by the energy of the people reporting back how their experience was.
Want to learn more? I also wrote a whole post about our Top 5 Airbnb Locations from Nomad Life Phase 1!
5. Become a Full-Out Digital Nomad:
Want to take things to the next level?
I know I did. Becoming a digital nomad was my dream and now I wake up every day so thankful to be living it. Although it’s not glitz and glamour 100% of the time, there’s nothing I would rather be doing with my precious time on this earth.
My partner and I take the approach of renting different Airbnbs for a month at a time and that’s how we crafted our digital nomad lifestyle. Why get a year-long apartment lease when we can spend the same amount of time and money seeing the world? Our goal was to make it sustainable – physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. And now we’ve been doing it for almost 9 months!
We put away all of our stuff in storage, didn’t commit to any apartment leases or car payments, and now we just live wherever the road takes us! (And bring our laptops along for the ride)
You can read out how we do that in this blog post: Your Questions About Nomad Life – ANSWERED!
Other ways you can live as a Digital Nomad are by Living out of a Van and road-tripping, staying in Hostels (like Selina CoLive), or doing Remote Work Programs as I mentioned in Point 3!
Whatever you do – if you decide to go full-time, just remember that it is a lifestyle and not a vacation. So give yourself adequate days to rest, as tempting as it is to travel every moment of your free time. Prioritizing balance is key!
Need a Little Extra Support?
Maybe you’re someone who is ready for the remote work life but you still haven’t secured your very own remote job yet.
Where would be the first place to start? Get your energy and mindset aligned!
I created this 155 Affirmations to Manifest a Remote Job guide for someone just like you. These affirmations are designed to cover your remote job manifestation from all angles – from “I am” Statements to “Wouldn’t it be Nice” scenarios… even getting down to the specifics of the hiring process, your day-to-day, and your virtual team!
Read these affirmations daily, put the most potent ones on post-it notes on your bathroom mirror, or even upload them into an affirmations app to listen to as you fall asleep so you can start embedding them into your subconscious.
The remote job of your dreams is on its way to you now! ✨
155 Affirmations to Manifest a Remote Job
Use this Affirmations Guide to Manifest Your Dream Remote Position!
So Now You Know!
No matter where you are on your journey, there are always ways to add in a little bit more travel than you were experiencing before. It just requires some thought, planning, and intentional action!
Whether you stay local or go to a new foreign country, you can live your life for yourself. Right now.
And trust me, it’s worth the jump.
If you enjoyed today’s post and want to hear more about our nomad life adventures, be sure to sign up for the emails below. Thank you for being here today, and I’ll talk to you next time. 🙂
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