How You Can Stay Productive as a Digital Nomad

With the continued rise of Internet penetration, becoming a digital nomad has become increasingly popular, with Geographical Magazine citing that 16.9 million people from the US alone identify with this lifestyle. Moreover, around 72 million more Americans are interested in becoming digital nomads in the next two or three years as more people opt out of traditional working environments. After all, digital nomads enjoy more flexibility regarding work schedules and logistics thanks to the remote nature of their professions.

Digital nomads can also indulge in frequent travel and exploration of new cultures, making it an appealing option for professionals with a more adventurous streak. Despite the exciting opportunities presented by the digital nomad lifestyle, it can be a challenge to stay engaged and productive, especially when you’re always on the move.

Here, we detail some tips to help you stay on track with your work no matter which corner of the world you’re in.

Plan a daily schedule

Being a digital nomad is often associated with spontaneity since you’re not constrained by a physical office. This starkly contrasts with the traditional work setup, where you follow an established work shift and attendance. While having the flexibility to run on your own schedule has its benefits, not having a proper structure can lead to demotivation and a lack of productivity.

This is where making to-do lists and planning out your days can benefit you. Setting up a list of tasks for the day essentially creates goals that you plan to accomplish, which decreases the chance of putting off work because you know what needs to be done for the day. These lists can be customized to suit your own preferences and workload, but it’s generally recommended to break down your work into smaller tasks to increase productivity and schedule them accordingly with your energy levels and other life priorities to maximize motivation.

Collaborate with other digital nomads

Working remotely and independently as a digital nomad has its own benefits, but it can sometimes become tedious since you have limited interactions with fellow professionals in the industry. This could be demotivating for some, as you may feel like a lack of community is not conducive to your productivity or engagement.

With this, it’s important to find the right networks for collaboration to boost your creativity and foster connections with others. You can find online communities for digital nomads and introduce yourself to potential work partners. These communities may also post about organized events or meetups where digital nomads can gather to work together or support each other’s projects, which boosts productivity.

Use blue light glasses

Most digital nomads rely on laptops to conduct work remotely, but this can significantly affect your eye health due to exposure to blue light. This light usually comes from the sun, but most modern electronic devices like digital screens and LED lights also emit blue light. Prolonged exposure causes dry eyes, headaches, eye strain, and nausea, which can also impact productivity. As such, wearing blue light glasses is beneficial for digital nomads. These glasses are fitted with a special coating designed to reduce glare from screens and improve visual comfort.

Blue light glasses can also be used with existing prescriptions, making it much easier to combat visual discomforts that could hinder productivity. In addition to this, the anti-glare features of these glasses also prevent computer vision syndrome, which is the debilitating effect of prolonged screen time on eye health and overall well-being.

Incorporate ergonomic accessories

Ergonomic accessories are tools designed to maintain your body’s comfort while you’re working. This is because poor ergonomics can increase the risk of discomfort for your body, which leads to injury or pain that could hinder your productivity. Most traditional workspaces can be fitted with ergonomic accessories like office chairs and standing desks. But for digital nomads, a great alternative would be portable accessories that you can easily bring with you no matter where your work takes you.

While you may not have access to ergonomic chairs and desks, you can still have a portable laptop stand to set up wherever you’re working remotely. Using a laptop stand elevates your device so that it’s eye level, reducing back pain and neck strain from being hunched over your workstation. Some laptop stands also come with their own portable keyboard and trackpad, making it easier to have a complete ergonomic set of accessories to support your body for better productivity.