Ever since I left Qatar, my goal has been to be able to work and travel. After a few failed attempts at finding a full-time remote position, I decided that the universe was trying to tell me that working full-time remote wasn’t my path. Back in December, I decided to start my own business. Starting your own business, no matter what is it, can be a slow start.

Things started to look up in January when I got a job with a company doing content curator freelance and remote. This gave me the flexibility to quit my part-time job at Starbucks and to focus on getting more clients for my freelance business. Not long after, I was getting more and more clients. I finally felt comfortable deciding to go on my first work and travel trip!

The First Week

Working while traveling isn’t as easy as it sounds. I knew this before I set out, though. I also knew that this would be a learning process for me. You have to start somewhere, right?

I picked a quiet hostel or so I thought! In the pictures, it looked like there was plenty of spaces to work at and plugs. However, the hostel plays music all day long. It isn’t too loud, and they will turn it off, but they will not turn it off. Thankfully, I have noise canceling headphones, so that helps.

The other issue is that the other people staying in the hostel are really nice and I have wanted to chat with them. Many of them are here taking Spanish lessons and not sightseeing, so they are around the hostel a lot. Which, usually when traveling solo, is a great thing. All of this takes distraction to a higher level than I had at home.

Lessons Learned

The beauty of this is I have learned what I need to work successfully. I need a private room in a hostel or an Airbnb. Even though I prefer a luxury hotel, it just isn’t practical when traveling for so long. I love hostel living because I meet interesting people, but I have to keep my clients to keep doing this.

When working at home, I prefer to work during the day and have my nights free to hang out with my family. But when traveling, I prefer to work in the morning and then in the afternoon to do some sightseeing and finish my work day in the evening. It allows me to be productive and still see a few things during the week.

I am also trying not to work on the weekends so I can have some work-life balance. I will respond to email, but that is about it. There is no point in working remotely, for me at least, if I can get out and see the city I am in.

Week Two

For week two, I plan on staying in the hostel to work in the morning. Then I will try to find a cafe or two to get some other work done in. I found one last week that might work. I may also work during the afternoon a few days because people tend to leave the hostel to see things after breakfast and don’t return until the late afternoon. I am sure week two of working and traveling will teach me even more things.

Do you work remotely or travel and work? What are some tips you could share? I would love to hear them!