The Digital Nomad Dilemma
How To Feel At Home Without Owning A Home.
Right now, I’m on my way “home” after 3 weeks away, now this place I’m heading to isn’t actually my own home, it’s just another one of my 3-month stints in temporary accommodation.
I travel full time, living out of Airbnbs. I’ve been living this since 2018.
Being nomadic has allowed me to adapt to the culture and people around me.
It’s taught me a lot about long-term accommodation options and how to find long term monthly stays, greatly discounted. As well as the potential that Airbnb has as a platform — I wouldn’t say I’ve seen it all, but I’ve seen a lot.
Living and working from Airbnbs has been gaining more and more traction in correlation with the recent rise of nomads. This way of living means there’s no need for 1-year leases, no organising and paying bills on top of your monthly rent or sourcing out any new utility providers each time you move house — for me, living in Airbnbs is a way to save money!
Being location independent, I would much rather stay in apartments than hotels or hostels. Whilst working on the move, it’s important to feel comfortable by making each place that you stay in, your own home for the time you are there. This is so important for your work-life balance.
Desk space and stable Wi-Fi are essential for remote workers.
In order to feel at home once you’re your Airbnb, here are some tips to help you pick the best apartments for your slow travel adventures:
- Plan Ahead: Before you book, ask the host to confirm the Wi-Fi speed — so important to make sure this is a good enough speed for your day job.
- Filters: Be sure to select all the needed filters so you don’t get to the apartment hoping for a washing machine and wonder where it is (I’ve definitely learnt from that mistake over the years).
- Desk Space: Look to have a separate space to work from, whilst on the move, you still need to support your work-life balance; keeping your work outside of the living room or bedroom will help you separate the two when trying to disconnect from work.
Once you’ve made it to your new ‘home’ for the next few months, you’ll start to feel more comfortable as the days go on. I’ve definitely moved furniture around in apartments where I feel it’s needed — so long as when you leave, it’s put back the way found it, then this is totally acceptable.
It’s important to ensure your Airbnb has good lighting and to not be in a space where you can easily fall into ‘switch off and relax’ mode. Avoid working from bed and if you do have the occasional work-from-sofa day, then make sure your TV is switched off; limit your distractions.
During your stay, you’ll find ways to make your new temporary home, your own.
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