For freelancers, one opportunity might be working while traveling. In order to fulfil this dream, however, there should be certain aspects taken into account…

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Achieving the traveling Freelancer dream
- 5 essential tips
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FREELANCER TIPS

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The Dream
The traveling freelancer is that one colleague you’ve heard about who is in Hongkong this month and in Australia the next, all the while managing to stay on top of his business and even expanding it. Being location independent is a dream for many people, especially those among us who just love traveling and all the learning experiences that come with it.
But how do you do it? It is not your typical vacation, it is a lot of hard work and you better be prepared if you want to try that lifestyle out. To help you begin your preparations, here are five tips on traveling the world and keeping up with your freelancing career.

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1) Be prepared for your surroundings
Cultural differences tend to be underestimated. Do your research before going into a new country, the furthest away from your own culture it is, the more differences you should expect. In Germany, for example, most shops are closed on Sunday – being unaware of that fact can lead to you wasting a lot of time looking for a grocery store, thus having less time for both your work enjoying your stay in the country. This is just a trivial little example, but basic things like this one are really very important to know as that information can spare you a lot of trouble.

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1) Be prepared for your surroundings (cont’d)
Internet access will be inherently extremely important to your business and communicating with your clients. So make sure you know all the specifics. Does your hotel have it? Does the country you are in usually have public WiFi Internet in every café? Or does it have dedicated computer rooms?
In addition, don’t forget that working from your laptop in a hotel room might not be as efficient or as fast as your dual monitor setup and cozy office chair at home. Do your research before you go, it can be life-saving.

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2) Combine the pleasant with the useful
Traveling for the sake of traveling is great, but there are a lot of interesting places to visit and combining the pleasant with the useful can do wonders for your career. Seek out countries that have interesting events which can benefit your business in some way. Conferences, presentation, freelance meet-ups and other such events can prove amazing for your networking and marketing, as well as finding new potential customers. If you’re on the other side of the world, try finding out how your colleagues conduct their business there, there is always something new to be learned.

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3) Be ready for sacrifices to deliver on time
Even if you do fall into the trap of thinking about your travels as a vacation of sorts, your clients will certainly not be willing to adopt that mindset if you stated that you are going to work while traveling. They will expect “business as usual” and it is your responsibility as a professional to deliver that. Dedicate a lot of time to your work, even when abroad. Missing out on a few sights is definitely not as bad as returning from your tour and reading an angry customer email, leaving your business relationship in shambles.

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4) Pick the right time for traveling
There is definitely a lot to think about when picking the time for going away. It is wise to analyze your work and figure out when you have the least workload throughout the year. Traveling during these months will make up for the time you need to adapt to your surroundings and actually cope with all the work.

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5) Never, ever use your travels as an excuse in front of clients
Last but not least, if you chose to travel for a month or two or even adopt the “digital nomad” lifestyle altogether, never use it as an excuse for being unprofessional. If anything, traveling the world and experiencing all the amazing things it has to offer should add to your skillset and motivation, benefiting your career as a whole.

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17.11.2014
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