When it became clear that flattening the curve would need a commitment from all local businesses, two local Portland, Oregon coworking companies knew immediately that the best decision would be to close their physical spaces.

Collective Agency and VIDA Coworking’s spaces closed in late March, and respective owners Alex Linsker and Melanie Marconi swiftly moved much of their programming online to maintain as many member amenities and offerings as possible.

Eighty percent of their members have committed to pay their membership fees during this unprecedented time.

How is COVID-19 impacting the bottom line? With rents still due, critical staff to support, and ongoing operating expenses, incoming revenue will be critical to reopening. Both companies were pleased to see that a majority of their members made the commitment to continue their monthly membership fees, and both have applied for SBA and Prosper Portland aid programs.

Both have also developed unique online offerings and work sessions to maintain the sense of community and camaraderie that individuals and businesses seek when they join a coworking space. Now, via Zoom, they have been able to continue to offer their weekly yoga and meditation classes and Friday Happy Hour, as well as their Masterminds Group and a previously scheduled Podcasting 101 series. New offerings include a weekly virtual coworking session, enhanced video content, and, for members’ kids, themed activities and a weekly “playdate” with yoga and storytelling.

While it is uncertain when the physical spaces will reopen to their members and the public, it is clear that their communities have rallied to keep the businesses viable, and that community and coworking can continue online.

Open since 2011, Collective Agency now hosts more events than before—lunch every weekday, game nights, StoryShare dinners, crafting, a book club, and Pomodoro coworking. Events are organized by members at the workplace democracy meetings and via Slack. Friendships, learning, and in-depth open conversations with laughter make great days that help us be more productive and profitable.

Open since July 2019, VIDA’s regular schedule included daily fitness classes, a drop-in childcare program, health and wellness appointments, and member classes and events.

“Since our founding, we’ve been committed to helping members make their very full lives work – and during this time of COVID-19, it has taken on a new meaning… while I never imagined that we would be cultivating community online, it’s been inspiring to see how our members are adapting, and I am so appreciative of their commitment and flexibility,” shared Melanie Marconi, founder of VIDA.

Thanks to the strong networks they’ve created and the quick actions they took to pivot and move online, Marconi and Linsker feel that their businesses will remain viable during this time, and are enthusiastic to reopen their physical locations once the curve has flattened.

Image credit: Photo courtesy of fotografierende.

The post What does coworking look like when the physical space is closed? appeared first on New Worker Magazine.

by Travis Henry

You’ve heard the stories: Startup grinders working through Christmas to meet a deadline, eating out of a can in a cubicle for a holiday meal.  

Or, on the flip side, you’ve probably heard of the “unlimited vacation” tech companies that go dark for the whole month of December and only resume work after the New Years’ hangovers wear off. 

Most of today’s inventive new companies actually land somewhere in the middle, with an appreciation of some holiday downtime coupled with a need to keep up the work in an effort for success.

Coworking space provider Galvanize recently conducted a holiday poll among start-ups, tech and marketing companies who call one of Galvanize’s six coworking communities home. 

Some interesting holiday tidbits include: 

• Fifty percent of companies surveyed aren’t taking more than four days off, with 28 percent only taking one or two days off. Eighteen percent, however, plan to shut it down for more than a week this December. 
• Although the coworking companies surveyed were overwhelming tech-related ventures, 26 percent of the companies said they will still mail out Christmas cards to their clients.

Check out the infographic for more fun insight into the holiday habits of companies in coworking spaces. 

Image credit: Infographic courtesy of Galvanize. Header image by Tim Mossholder.

The post How much holiday time off are new companies giving these days? appeared first on New Worker Magazine.

by Aaron Beashel 

In the past, proposals were long, boring documents delivered via PDF. Entrepreneurs couldn’t get data on how clients engaged with the document after it was sent. As a result, follow-ups were hit and miss. Unfortunately, some people still deliver proposals in PDF form. I will show you why that is wrong, and a couple other key things.

In short: a proposal is designed to convince a client to hire you. It should be easy to read, persuasive and make it easy for the client to take the next steps. If your proposal doesn’t get read, the client won’t take action, and you won’t get the job. All that time spent putting it together would have been for nothing.

A proposal should answer three questions effectively:

1) “How can you make me more money?”

Every client is looking to make a profitable investment. The higher the potential return, the more likely they are to sign up. However, you shouldn’t make any outrageous claims. Aim to under-promise and over-deliver. This is what builds long term relationships.

Your proposal should emphasise your skills and experience. Seeing is believing. Instead of describing what you can do, showcase it by adding videos to proposals. For instance, you could use Loom (free) to record your screen as you explain how you would execute an SEO strategy. Video, flowcharts and graphics are an excellent way to stand out. Video also enables you to add testimonials and past results. From experience, visuals make a massive difference.

You may want to use a business proposal template tool for creating interactive proposals. When I use this tool, I get notified when a client opens up my proposal. As a result, I can follow up promptly. I also get access to analytics, which gives me some insight on how to tailor my response.

2) “Why should I pick you?”

Your proposal should showcase why you are different to others who offer the same service. This is where good branding comes into play. Besides your proposal, clients consider other factors before signing up. Here are the top ones:

– Clean website design and attractive logo: This suggests the level of professionalism they can expect.

– Communication: If English isn’t your first language, use the free version of Grammarly to check your emails before sending. Moreover, emails should be written in a professional manner. Don’t use Whatsapp speak.

– Pricing: There are several gurus out there who will encourage you to set a high price. But the internet puts you in competition with people all around the world. If you are just starting, portfolio building should be your top priority. This might mean taking projects at a lower rate in the beginning.

3) “What is the next step?”

Clients hire you to solve a problem. Therefore, you should make it easy for them to work with you. This begins at the proposal stage. Show what you will need to get started. Getting everything you need at the very beginning makes life easy for the client.

Clients should trust you to get the job done; however, they also need a way of monitoring progress. Trello is an easy way to showcase progress. Alternatively, you could simply create a Google Sheet and update it with links to deliverables. Showcase how easy it is to work with you and clients will feel more comfortable signing up.

Make your proposal persuasive

Before hitting “send”, there are a few checks you should make. Firstly, use Grammarly to check for errors in structure. After doing so, read your text out loud. This enables you to detect awkward-sounding statements. If it doesn’t sound good out loud, it won’t sound good to the client.

According to Dr. Robert Cialdini, a master of persuasion, the elements of persuasion can be broken down into the following:

1) Authority

We are more likely to believe those who have credentials and who “look the part.” Here are some things you can do to raise your authority.

– Write a small guide about your work and make it freely available.

– Gain industry-specific certifications.

– Clean up your social media and website. Get rid of controversial posts or make them visible to loved ones only. Public images should showcase your work and professionalism.

2) Reciprocity

When someone offers us something for free, we feel obligated to give back. For instance, you could share useful information with leads and current clients. For example, you could create a weekly newsletter with the latest trends in your industry. Not only does this make leads feel compelled to interact, but it showcases your commitment.

3) Liking

Business is all about relationships. Rarely do people transact with individuals they hate. You don’t have to be best friends with clients but should share some common ground. Spend 3 minutes of every meeting having a friendly conversation. This will help you to unravel their passions and desires. You can draw upon this later to make potential clients feel like you have a lot in common.

How to take your proposals from good to extraordinary

A secret to increasing the effectiveness of your proposals begins at the prospecting stage. Most entrepreneurs don’t know who their target client is or how to reach them. They are keen to state how their offering is “for everyone”. As a result, they spend a lot of time and money on marketing which doesn’t hit the mark.

Trying to run a business without a customer avatar is like driving without a sense of destination.

Secondly, a crucial part of winning more proposals lies in your follow up process. Just because a client doesn’t get back to you doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. Sometimes other projects get in the way. As a rule of thumb, send a reminder every week for 3 weeks. If you don’t hear from them, they aren’t interested.

Working for yourself isn’t easy. You don’t get paid just for turning up. You have to promote your business every day in order to keep your leads pipeline full. The proposal is an overlooked part of that process, and nailing it should help you convert more leads into clients.

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Lukas Goumbik.

The post The guide to writing killer proposals appeared first on New Worker Magazine.

by Kayla Matthews

In a study of 1,072 Americans, researchers found just how greatly employees suffer from disconnected communication systems. Around 50% of workers are stressed out by the ineffectiveness of company communication policies. About 33% of them want to quit their job because of it.

Here are some areas where companies could improve:

1. Talk to their workers more

The first step toward an open communication policy should be gathering employee input. Management should ask them what system elements work, where communication breaks down, or where talking fails. Are they getting enough feedback from their department heads? What would be a better system for ensuring everyone is heard?

Leadership has good reason to pay attention to employees’ ideas. After all, they are the ones on the front lines every day.

2. Learn employees’ career goals

When workers feel their managers care about their role in the company, they tend to be more engaged. Employees become about 59% less likely to look elsewhere for a job when they’re more engaged. They also stay at their jobs longer and are happier overall. Businesses should create internal promotions and training opportunities for current staff to rise through the ranks. One-on-one meetings are also a good gateway toward ongoing conversation.

3. Stick to scrum meetings

Too much communication can be a disadvantage. If you can get your point across in two words, you don’t need to talk for two hours. Talk to your leaders about having short stand-up meetings to get everyone on the same page. There’s no need for lengthy meetings that take up most of the day. Instead, think about the info people need to do their jobs most effectively. Share only what is needed.

4. Offer accessibility

Managers must be trained to listen to employee concerns. If you go to their department head with an issue, do they truly hear you out and work with you toward a solution? If you’re afraid of retribution for complaining or feel like management only sees you as a whiner, you’re much less likely to share concerns.

You should feel free to step into the manager’s office and ask if they can talk. Leadership should then work with you to improve operations, settle personality disputes or reassure you they value your best interests. Does the company truly care about employee problems—both at work and on a personal basis?

5. Implement appropriate technology

The way we do business has changed drastically in the last 10 years. Mobile devices are a must in today’s world. Technology allows employees to tap into databases while on the go. They can text their team important updates or use project management software to update client meetings.

But that doesn’t mean a bunch of apps are going to make everything easy. Not all software is the same — neither are all teams. If the tools and apps you use at work are hindering you, you’re probably not alone. It might be time to reassess the technologies you use. It might even be a cost effective change, given the vast number of free tools out there.

6. Give recognition freely

When employees say they aren’t appreciated, they don’t always mean lack of pay. They might just mean lack of praise — no one gives them praise for a job well done. Managers don’t have to spend a lot of money to show their appreciation. Short appreciative notes, free lunch or peer nominations boost employee confidence and improve business communications. Look for a company that treats its workers well—you’ll find they also give generous recognition.

7. Practice listening skills

For both employees and managers, it is much more important to listen carefully than talk. Truly hear others’ concerns and ask thoughtful questions. Then, you will be much more likely to leave a positive impression. You’ll also discover solutions to tough problems.

When listening, try to take feelings out the equation. It can sometimes feel like feedback is a personal attack, or that listening is competing with hearing. These are things that even the most seasoned professionals have trouble with. They’re also things that can be improved with practice, often through corporate training.

Image caption: Image courtesy of Alex Andrews.

The post How companies fail at open communication appeared first on New Worker Magazine.

by Leanna Serras

Last time I was traveling for business I had a meeting almost immediately after we landed. When it comes to early morning or very long flights (this one was both) I prefer not to wear any makeup in the airport or on the plane. 

For this reason, I had my makeup stashed in my carry on, ready to apply a the airport after arrival. However, I wish I would have known what a hassle it would be. First off, I tried to bring on a tub of expensive face lotion that I thought was regulation size. It was not, and I was forced to throw it out.

Secondly, my compact broke, spilling powder everywhere in my makeup bag and exploding on me when I tried to pull my makeup out in the airport bathroom. Needless to say, I wasn’t wearing any powder to the meeting. 

This was just one instance where my makeup either had to be tossed, broke or made a mess while I was traveling on business. I can think of several other instances where this has happened and I wish I had had some tips.

So others can avoid similar mishaps, the below infographic covers 10 tips for traveling with makeup. For example, buying all in one makeup product can not only save space but if you use cream you can avoid spillage as well. I like cream blushes and highlighters that double as eyeshadow or lipstick.

Another great tip? Placing a cotton ball in the compact. This can help you avoid my above issue of the crumbling compact. And one of the most obvious tip that seems so simple — know the airline restrictions for liquids and creams! They must be under 3.4 ounces (100ml) and able to fit in a 1-quart plastic bag. Knowing that could have saved me from having to throw out my $100 face cream. 

Learn from my mistakes and enjoy using these tips on your next road trip so that you arrive ready to face the day and tackle any challenge that’s thrown at you!

Photo credit: Header image courtesy of Kinkate. Infographic courtesy of Fragrance X.

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by Natalia Forrest

Social media is often held up as one of the central pillars of the supposedly modern malaise of “short attention spans” or “the decline in quality content” or even “the death of real media.” Lumped in with emojis, acronyms as common speech and clickbait (and often containing all three), platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are seen as short, immediate hits of information that consumers barely look at before moving on to the next thing. Many marketers buy in to this perception, developing campaigns based around what can be consumed quickly and in the moment — what is the sound-bite, what is the flashy image, what will have impact NOW.

But the smart user of social media knows that this is a shallow way of using the medium. Fact is, social media can be longform marketing at its best and most effective.

Longform… I’m sure I’ve heard that before

Longform journalism became a buzzword around the early 2010s to describe in-depth articles of a length anywhere from 1,000 to 20,000 words. Seen as an antidote to the click-baity, listicle, read-and-forget journalism that was supposedly devouring media with the death of print, longform became a genre in itself that has continued to grow.

So, after all that… no I am not suggesting you write super-long posts for your social media. I mean longform in another way. I mean it as in how you use social media, rather than the number of words in to your content. To get your head around this, you have to think of the purpose of social media for marketing as having two different levels.

First/immediate level is advertising to people who are interested in what you have to sell right now. So you are targeting people who want to buy your products with pictures of said products. You are telling the people who want bespoke tours of the food markets of Malaysia that you run amazing tours of food markets in Malaysia. People who are looking for a plumber who can fix their dripping drains are seeing your ad for plumbing services. This is traditional advertising, and is obviously not confined to social media. You create posts/ads that are appealing to an immediate want, telling people that you have the service or goods that they desire. This is more of a “short form” marketing approach, and one that is important to many business.

What I am talking about is a second/longer term level of customer. The person who is generally interested in the type of products you sell; or maybe not specifically the products you sell, just interesting design like your products. People who are perhaps not planning a tour now, but but dream about doing something exotic. People who live vicariously through the internet. People who rent and have their landlord fix things but dream of one day buying a fixer-upper and renovating it. You want to build a community with them, so that when they do want to splurge/book that trip/buy that cottage you are the first person they get in touch with. You are in the back of their mind and you are what they look forward to seeing when they log on to social media. They want to live your life or be in a position to afford your services and will spend money to at least have a taste of that.

So how do I make longform marketing work for me?

Longform marketing is not difficult if you have the focus to look beyond the immediate. It is about cultivation — you are drawing your customers in to a community — you are creating a space that they want to be part of. To use some buzzwords, you are creating a sense of belonging; you are building a tribe. This is applicable not just to luxury brands or experiential services — with a good social media campaign something as un-sexy as plumbing or accounting can make customers feel a sense of belonging, a sense that they are part of the story. You just have to remember a few important points:

• Remember the “long” in longform — you are developing your customer base. You are giving people an experience that they want to be part of for more than just a momentary read. This means a continuous serving of posts that meet their needs — that can be vicariously living through your gorgeous pictures or learning from informative posts. You are giving your customer something that they not only want to check in on every day, but something that keeps you in the back of their mind.
• Quality over quantity — longform marketing is all about establishing a reputation. You want to create content that is meaningful — something people feel good about sharing, referring back to and look forward to seeing more of. How are you making them feel good about themselves over the long run? How are you affirming what they want?
• And it’s about quality over quantity again — much of the metrics around social media that people obsess about is the number of likes or followers. But here’s the thing — what are those numbers and likes actually achieving? Are they converting in to more sales? What is better for your business — lots of likes or a few genuine sales? It is really easy to get wrapped up in the easy to measure stuff like followers and likes but keep your eyes on the prize — who is going to pay you in the end?

This article was originally published on The Art of Making a Living.

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Omkar Patyane.

The post Social media is longform marketing appeared first on New Worker Magazine.

by Daniel Page

One of the greatest challenges for any new writer is to find their voice. Yet when it comes to blogging, it’s also one of the most important things you’ll ever do. There are literally thousands of blogs out there. Thousands of blog posts are written every day. If your own blog doesn’t have a unique angle, it can and will end up lost in the noise.

That’s why it’s important that your writing be uniquely you. That you approach things from a unique perspective and write in a way that engages and captivates. A good voice is the first step in achieving that.

But how do you find yours? If you don’t want to get lost in the noise, you need to instill your own unique personality into your words. How exactly can you do so in a way that resonates with your audience? 

Consider what you love

There’s an old adage that applies here: Write what you know. 

What interests you? What do you love doing? What are you good at? 

People don’t want to read a boring, cookie-cutter blog post about a topic in which you have no real stake. Good writing has a personal feel to it. It’s the difference between listening to a lecturer who reads off bullet points versus a presenter who’s genuinely excited to be there.

When you’re passionate about a topic, that passion comes across in your writing. That passion is contagious. It makes your blog more interesting and engaging to read. 

Look at your own personality

Another piece of advice is that you should try to write how you speak, at least to an extent. The most engaging copy tends to be a lot more conversational in nature. A user reading your content should feel like they’re having a conversation with you.

To that end, how do you talk when you’re with friends, family, and colleagues? How would the people closest to you describe you as a person? Do you have any unique or endearing quirks in terms of how you speak? 

Know your audience

Who are you writing for? 

Your voice should be uniquely you, but it should also resonate with your audience to some extent. For instance, if you have a tendency to be verbose in your speech, you might want to curb it for your blogging audience. Complicated terminology tends to be off-putting to most readers.

Finally, think about the kind of references your audience will understand. Think about how they talk and relate to one another. Adjust your writing accordingly, while still making an effort to retain the things that make your personality shine through.

Just write

I’ve saved the most important piece of advice for last. Just sit down and write. Find a topic you enjoy, sit down, and let loose. Don’t stress the details too much, and don’t worry too much about coming out with a polished piece.

Got writer’s block? Try to set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes just to get words out on paper. Small goals help make writing longer blog posts manageable and successful. 

The important thing is to get a feel for your style of writing, to find out what makes you unique, and to instill that into your professional work. 

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Naveen Annam.

The post 4 ways to develop your voice on your blog appeared first on New Worker Magazine.

by John Williams

Women are a key part of a growing contingent workforce of freelancers, consultants and part-timers. Despite numerous government policies to attract more mothers back into the workplace, retention is still a significant struggle. To find out why this is the case, let’s explore how employers can tackle retention issues and attract a workforce of moms.

Data indicates working moms who return part-time, combining professional careers with raising a family, are increasingly frustrated by the type of space they work in. The research shows that the modern workplace often fails to cater to the needs of mothers and caretakers as they face the pressures of combining busy working lives with lifestyle and family obligations.

Blending lifestyle and work for working mothers

According to UniSpace, lifestyles and workplaces are blending together—the working day demands more of our time, and technology encourages an “always available” work culture. For mothers in particular, office designers have started to recognise the pressure to achieve a lifestyle and workplace balance, particularly for those who are in part-time roles and arguably have to juggle time more than ever before.

A survey of over 50,000 office occupiers showed that engagement in the workplace stays reasonably consistent between men and women of all groups, but it is the retention of female workers that drops, with 69% of people leaving being female (across all age brackets).

Data gathered by WorkingMums.co.uk shows that the number of female workers seeking part-time work, at all levels of the company, is increasing rapidly, but that the number of available opportunities is failing to increase at the same rate.

The survey shows that availability of flexible work is the key career development issue for working moms, with working from home being valued highly, particularly for those wanting to work full-time. Other barriers included childcare costs: half of women currently on maternity leave said childcare costs could prevent them from returning to work.

The rise of female workspaces

The growth of the contingent workforce has been one of the key drivers behind the move toward coworking. The rise of female-specific coworking spaces is a significant extension to this trend and highlights some of the limitations of conventional space for female workers.

In the U.S., female-focused spaces are a growing niche but are also seen as a more adult departure from the “free beer and table tennis” culture that is viewed to be the domain of predominantly male technology startups. While this is a generalization, it seems to have struck a chord, as female-only spaces are sold out and looking to expand.

Due to the lack of flexibility, the introduction of female only workspaces such as The Wing, a U.S. based women-only workspace have been created to cater for busy mothers and women by featuring facilities from onsite nurseries and childcare, to gyms, hairdressers and cafes.

While these spaces may initially be viewed as coworking spaces, their ultimate objective is to become a hub that facilitates female entrepreneurship and supports women at every stage of their journey.

Creating a balanced workplace

Following responses from a survey by Instant Offices, here are some tips that employers should consider in creating a balanced workplace for all employees:

• Flexible policies that benefit all parents: Offering a number of ‘family days’ for both mom and dad to attend assemblies and doctor’s appointments, etc., would enable a fairer system for all involved.
• Choice of mobile working options: Flexible working with multiple offices/sites and 4G connectivity would greatly help parents who are on the go.
• Work/life balance and flexibility for all employees: Providing company-sponsored childcare schemes that would include on-site childcare would improve quality and offer a more practical solution. This includes providing more private space to facilitate phone calls, to on-site caretakers, more flexible hours that enable school pick up and drop off, and a change in working hours during summertime.

Better integrating work and lifestyle elements in the workplace helps to alleviate pressure on work/life balance, and brings to light recognition of the demands that the working day places on parents.

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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by Michelle Arios

The anonymity the internet provides makes it easier for scammers (or at least shady businesspeople) to present opportunities that aren’t nearly as lucrative or safe as they seem. Found an amazing work from home offer? Great! But before you get too excited at the prospect, make sure you’re not falling for a scam.

1. What kind of information do they want from you?

Be careful what you send out. It’s not unusual for a work from home job to require some kind of resume, but it shouldn’t require you to submit a wealth of personal information to an entity you do not know. Make sure you’re following good cybersecurity habits and a healthy dose of caution. Don’t send too much of personally identifying information to an employer you can’t verify. There’s no reason to give them your social security number or any financial information – especially not at the beginning of the process. Never send out anything that makes you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

2. What do their other employees say?

Research other employees of the company. Perhaps they have an employee recognition program or dedicate blog posts to top performers. Reach out to featured or noteworthy employees and ask them what they think about working with the company. If they really love their jobs, they’ll respond to you. You might even be able to independently research them on websites like LinkedIn to confirm the legitimacy of their employment and review their career success.

If you like what you see, by all means apply for the job! But if none of those people respond to your messages, or they are trying very hard to steer the conversation clear of any details – that’s a big red flag.

3. Are you an independent contractor, freelancer, or employee?

Most legitimate work from home opportunities are designed for independent contractors or freelancers. As a freelancer, your relationship with your employer is slightly untraditional. You’re allowed to do things the way you want to and make your own schedule – you only have to meet deadlines and have an end product that fits the employer’s specifications. If the company is trying to call you a freelancer or an independent contractor while treating you like an actual employee, they’re up to no good. Make sure you understand what your role will be and what freedoms (and responsibilities) that role entails.

4. Where did you find the job?

Most legitimate job boards and freelancing platforms have strict standards. They vet people on both ends. They want to know that people posting job opportunities are legitimate companies, and will often verify their identities. Scammers are banned from posting once they’re caught. When you’re considering a work from home opportunity, consider the source.

If you got a random email about a job, saw it on a public forum where nearly anyone can post anything, or found it like a normal advertisement on the internet, you should initially be skeptical. This likely means that there was no oversight or authority to verify the identity and intentions of the person who made the post. Even if you did find the position on a traditional job board, you should always Google the company before you respond with your resume.

Careful, it’s a scam! 5 ways to recognize legitimate work from home offers 5. Do you need to buy and sell things?

Be wary of any work from home job that requires you to buy and sell things. When you become an independent retailer of anything, it’s an exorbitant investment right off the bat. You’re expected to put a lot of cash on the line, sell what you buy, and order more inventory. These multilevel marketing companies often place emphasis on recruiting other people to sell underneath you, promising you a percentage of their total earnings.

This works out well for a select few number of people. After 28 full recruitment cycles, absolutely everyone in the world would be selling that product. It’s not sustainable in the long term. Many people leave multilevel marketing systems with an insurmountable debt and a bunch of inventory they don’t want or need. Think carefully before signing up for one. 

The best way to protect yourself from scams is a combination of thorough research and contemplation. Plenty of people who work from home wouldn’t have things any other way, and they’re quick to spout the benefits of their work-life balance. Just make sure you’re actually being offered a real position.

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Eugene Chystiakov, edited by New Worker Magazine.

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by Ceci Amador

So you finally nailed that remote job; you’re free to work from anywhere and you’ve started calling yourself a digital nomad. But, I hate to break it to you, though all digital nomads are remote workers, not all remote workers are digital nomads.

However, if your job allows it and you’re ready for a change, then you might just be ready to become a digital nomad that can work from anywhere in the world. 

Let’s start with the basics and set the record clear. Below is a short list of questions that help outline the difference between digital nomads and remote workers. 

Are you a digital nomad?

1. Does your job require that you be in a specific location at all times/most of the time?
2. Does your job require that you work during a specific time zone’s business hours?
3. Do you regularly have to meet with people in-person?
4. Do you find yourself living out of a suitcase and don’t mind having a few personal possessions?
5. Can you work from anywhere as long as there is a wifi connection (airports, coffeeshop, bus terminal, coworking spaces, hotel rooms, etc.)?
6. Do you have a mailbox that forwards you mail regardless of where you are?
7. Do you take every opportunity you have to visit a new place?
8. Can you work outside of regular business hours?

If you responded yes to any of the first 3 questions, then chances are you’re not a digital nomad. If you responded yes to questions 4 to 8, then you can rightly call yourself a digital nomad. 

Digital nomads versus remote workers

So what’s the difference between digital nomads and remote workers? It’s quite simple, actually. 

The former, as the name implies, are nomadic in nature, meaning they move around from place to place whenever they feel like it, whenever they get bored of a place and its food, whenever they miss a language they can speak, or whenever they discover a new place they’d like to explore. In other words, they’re constantly motivated by wanderlust. 

Some digital nomads also choose to live in certain places because it is cheaper than living at home or in any one place. 

The latter, on the other hand, tend to stay in one specific place, whether it be because their job doesn’t allow them to travel that much, because they are comfortable where they are, or because they are tied to one place for any number of other reasons. You’re a remote worker when your company allows you to work outside of its offices or headquarters, but rather than travelling, you typically work from home, your favorite coffee shop, or a local coworking space. 

Benefits of remote working and digital nomadism

• You get to work during your most productive hours if you choose, and from environments of your choice
• No long commutes, or no commutes at all
• Better work-life balance
• No office drama
• Increased wellness
• Increased job satisfaction
• Less stress

Digital nomad lifestyle and limitations

Being a digital nomad is pretty amazing. You get to travel and discover new places, you live life on your own terms, you’re free to be inspired by new environments, you can avoid winters if you want (yay!), you can have as much vacation time as you want, you can save money (that is, if you pick a place that’s cheaper compared to your hometown), you can learn a new language—the list goes on and on and on. 

However, it’s not all sunshine, and it is definitely not a lifestyle suited for everyone. Seriously, some of us can’t live out of a suitcase for extended periods of time, and need our own private space (and bathroom). There are various advantages to being a digital nomad, but, as with anything in life, it has its fair share of disadvantages. 

Being a digital nomad means you will spend a lot of time by yourself and away from family and loved ones, which can lead to feelings of loneliness. You also spend time in spaces that aren’t your own, meeting people you won’t (necessarily) get to know very well. Depending on where you travel, you might have a hard time communicating with others due to language and cultural barriers. 

One last note: contrary to what social media would have you think, digital nomads don’t work from the beach. They usually work either from their lodgings or a coworking space. So when you’re a digital nomad, it’s not all travel and fun, and sometimes you end up spending most of your day in the hotel rather than roaming around. 

This, however, isn’t to say you shouldn’t give digital nomadism a chance. That is, if can get the chance. There are still plenty of companies with policies that restrict people from working in different time zones or geographic locations. 

If, however, your company or your job doesn’t enable you to be a digital nomad, being a remote worker is a pretty sweet deal in and out of itself, especially if you enjoy spending time with family and loved ones, if you’re the type of person (like me) that needs a fixed place to anchor yourself, or if you already feel like you have your own personal paradise at home (or at least some semblance of it). 

Still feeling the itch to travel?

If, after reading this, you want to try out being a digital nomad for a length of time, here are some steps you might want to follow. 

1. Get the OK from your job. If you work for a company that allows you to work remotely, but it requires that you be around for specific events, meetings, time zones, talk to your manager about giving you more job flexibility. If, instead, you run your own business or are a freelancer… what the hell have you been waiting for?

2. Get your affairs in order. If you rent an apartment/house, make sure you can break the lease without any problems. If you own your home, consider renting to minimize your ongoing expenses. If you own a car, you’ll want to sell it, and make sure to cancel the insurance as well. Financially speaking, make sure you have enough savings, that your credit card can be used internationally, that you have travel and health insurance internationally, and make sure that your bank account allows you to receive international transfers. 

3. Passport and visas. Make sure your passport is valid for at least another six months. Depending on the places you’ll be going, you’ll want to check for visa requirements and work permits. When you’re travelling, you’ll want to travel as light as possible, so make sure you only take what you’ll really need. 

4. Invest in the right technology. As a digital nomad, you’ll be working on the go at all times. Make sure you have a working laptop (especially a lightweight one), make sure you have a good headset, and invest in an unlocked phone so that you can purchase sim cards wherever you go. 

5. Research. Last but not least, research all of your destinations before purchasing a ticket. Remember that you’ll want to go somewhere with reliable internet connections, otherwise you won’t be able to work effectively. When picking a destination, consider the language, the weather, the culture, the food, etc. 

In the end, it all comes down to lifestyle preferences and your job flexibility. I tried being a digital nomad and lasted for about a year before I started feeling exhausted and that I was all over the place, which prompted me to get an apartment, enroll once again in school, and settle down. In the wise words of  Shania Twain, “It was good while it lasted, but now I’m past it.”

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Tran Mautritam.

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