In recent years, remote work has been rapidly growing in popularity, and this is not surprising. Modern technologies are very accessible, helping people make their remote work as convenient and efficient as possible. Most people choose this type of employment because it offers many benefits, with perhaps the main one being the ability to work from anywhere in the world. By finding a job that you can do remotely, you open up great opportunities to start traveling.
However, remote work while traveling, whether it’s freelancing or working on a fixed schedule, requires discipline and consistency. It is not as hard as it seems at first glance. In this article, we would like to give you some guidelines to help you combine work and travel.
Let us imagine that you have found a remote job and decided to travel to New York City while working. In order to be successful and have a great time, try the following tips:
- Figure out your most productive time
Undoubtedly, figuring out the period of time that makes the most out of your energy is crucial to your efficiency. Determine the time of day (or night) when you are most productive. These vary greatly from one person to another. Maybe you like to work early in the morning when no one bothers you with messages or e-mails. Or perhaps the approach that works for you, is to divide your work time into separate two- or three-hour periods, each followed by a 30-minute break. Test our different approaches to find out what suits you best.
1. Take time zones into account
Be aware of the different time zones. If you are located somewhere with a significant time zone difference from where your work is, you must also account for the discrepancy in dates. This will help you avoid awkward situations. In some cases, you will have to change the schedule of your remote work, so as to have a conversation with your employer or to negotiate with clients and partners. Sometimes, you will have to work at night or early in the morning to get your work done on schedule.
2. Your work is THE priority
This is the basic, most important rule. You are not a carefree tourist, and you are not on a vacation. Your quality of life is directly related to the money you make and the benefits you gain from your work ethic. Respect the requirements of your clients and submit your work on time. Sometimes you will have to sacrifice a nice day of strolling through Manhattan or visiting the Guggenheim. Remember, your work must be completed before the deadline, and nothing should top this priority.
3. Control and manage your budget
Stay on top of your income and expenses. Explore the places you plan to visit. Find tips and lifehacks from locals or travelers who have already been there. Subscribe to mailing lists that notify you of campaigns and discounts from airlines, hotels, restaurants, and other service providers. On a regular basis, set aside money from your freelance earnings for travel and exploration.
Photo by Omar Lopez on Pexels.com4. Always be on the lookout for new sources of income
Traveling offers many opportunities. You can share your experiences by writing an article, taking photos, or participating in podcasts. You will meet people and visit places that will inspire you. Pay attention to the opportunities that will surely present themselves. You may be lucky enough to meet a like-minded person and undertake an exciting project together.
5. A place to stay
Be extra careful while looking for a place to stay. You do not need special accommodations to work remotely, but you still need to make sure that you have at least a stable, high-speed Internet connection as well as a work desk. All the idealistic photos of people in hammocks with laptops have absolutely no connection to reality.
6. Safety first
Take care of your safety and security – this includes your equipment, data, and passwords, as well as your finances. Consider your budget in advance, it is advisable to always have a “Plan B“ for emergencies. Order backup debit cards. Make backup copies of all important documents, save your passwords. While traveling, it is much more difficult to recover lost credit or debit cards and passwords, equipment and files. These situations can seriously jeopardize your work.
Sure, traveling while working is not all about rainbows and unicorns – you must be realistic and discipline yourself. But you get to see new, exciting landscapes outside of your window. You can go explore the city once you are done with your work for the day, have lunch or dinner somewhere on Fifth Avenue or Broadway (or check one of these green restaurants in Brooklyn and Queens), go see a show or visit a museum. There are certainly some difficulties, but if you plan in advance and organize everything properly, you will surely find room for both – work and travel!
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram