The concept of always having to be shackled to one geographic location for work is slowly being torn down and replaced by the notion you could work from anywhere in the world.
With advent of social media, team collaboration tools, and high-speed internet, working remotely has never been easier -so easy that startups like Buffer, MeetEdgar and Melewi, have based their entire structure around remote team members. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that not every business is suited to remote work. Digital marketers, web developers, writers and programmers, for example, are some of the industries best suited for remote work.
Thinking of working remotely? Here are some of the most indispensable tools every digital nomad must include in their toolbox to maximize their effectiveness, guide their travels and stay connected with the world.
Travelling & Work
Nomadlist.com
Nomad List is a platform where digital nomads can get detailed information on the best places to live and work remotely. It provides information on daily living costs, internet speed, weather, co-working spaces and safety levels.
All this information is displayed in easy-to-use graphs and allows nomads to plan ahead. Nomad List also has a massive community of nomads to connect with, so no matter where you are in the world, you’ll never be alone.
Airbnb
Airbnb is the best way to find places to stay wherever you are. Flexible and cost-effective, Airbnb will allow you to live in home comfort levels away from home. The best part is that if you have a home you’re leaving behind in your travels, you can become a host as well, allowing others to stay at yours. This arrangement could help cover your costs of living while you’re away!
Weworkremotely
From Freelancer to Upwork, there are countless ways to find freelance work. However, Weworkremotely is a platform listing work that does not require you to be in a particular geographic location. While most of the work on the platform is technical or marketing related, there are also copywriting jobs.
You can find similar listings on websites like Nodesk and Workingnomads.co
Hubstaff Talent
Hubstaff Talent is not only a great way to find work, it’s also a good place to source talent. With over 16,000 freelancers, stretching across 153 countries, Hubstaff Talent can help you find freelancers covering everything from development to consulting.
Best of all, it’s free!
Communication
Slack
Slack is a chat platform that the startup and remote community have embraced. On top of group-chat and one-to-one chat capabilities, Slack makes it incredibly easy to send files, code snippets and tasks to each other. Slack has expanded its capabilities dramatically with features like advanced bots that serve as personal assistants or our favorite plug-in, Giphy, which allows team members to send random reaction gifs!
Facebook Groups
Looking to connect with fellow digital nomads from different regions around the world? Facebook groups are where the magic happens. You get to meet awesome people who share your interests, exchange ideas, and maybe even team up for exciting projects with an added sense of security. Plus, these groups are a goldmine of tips and tricks for the digital nomad lifestyle, from hidden travel gems to rent sharing. The catch is, you gotta join the groups first, and some of them might throw a couple of questions your way before accepting your request. But that’s a good thing because it means you’ll be mingling with people who are genuinely invested in the same stuff as you.
Task and Project Management
Trello
One of the best for tools for teams and project managers, Trello helps organize projects, track progress, and facilitate team brainstorming, among countless other features. From allowing users to create and prioritize tasks lists or ongoing projects to tracking daily work progress, Trello helps team members and project managers alike to stay up to date with projects.
Asana
Asana is another tool to track and prioritize projects among team members that might be scattered across the globe. Similar to Trello, Asana allows teams to create to-do lists in different view forms such as board, calendars, and lists. Team members can then view, assign, and manage both project-based and individual tasks.
Buffer
Buffer is a social media scheduling tool, allowing teams to schedule posts for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. Buffer ensures that your social media to keep working away for you.
Getting Focused
Brain.fm
Let’s face it - travelling around the world and constantly being in new environments can make it incredibly hard to focus. Therefore, sometimes the only way to get things done is to shut out all the noise.
Brain.fm uses binaural beats technology, which uses various sounds and noises to influence your brain waves, helping you either get more focused or become more relaxed. Sound a bit pseudo-science-y? Binaural beats and using music to influence people’s moods is well-documented - however, its effect and strength will vary from person-to-person. Just make sure you pack yourself a nice pair of headphones.
Toggl Track
It can be tempting to spend the entire day on the beach relaxing when you’re in places as beautiful Bali or Chiang Mai. It can be just as tempting to work 16 hour days when you don’t have regular hours or a set schedule. Unsurprisingly, this could lead to burn-out and disillusionment with the entire adventure.
This is where Toggl Track comes in. This web app will track your time and allow you to set countdowns for productivity periods with short breaks in between to avoid burnout throughout your workday.
Communities
The importance of being part of various communities is often overlooked. Being in a completely different country and living out of a suitcase can be incredibly intimidating, so knowing others around you who are in the same position as you is incredibly important.
Venture with Impact
Venture with Impact is an organization that helps you find meaningful work with social enterprises while you’re working. They have programs in multiple countries, so if you’re torn between doing something for social good, and finding a stable career while traveling, then this is for you.
These tools are some of the must-haves when planning to embark on the adventures of a digital nomad. What are your favorite tools? Let us know if we missed any!