A Digital Nomad Guide to Working While Traveling in 2025

Prerequisite

The only prerequisite (and the most important) is to make sure that the work you are doing can be done remotely. Jobs that are perfect for the travel and work routine are journalists, photographers, designers, developers, and technology entrepreneurs (feel free to add more in the comments). Of course, this rules out all the work that requires you to be in one place physically. As long as you can deliver your work online, this routine is for you.

Preparation

Choose Your Destination Wisely

There is a reason why I chose Japan. It's because, in order for me to work effectively without jeopardizing my client's business, I needed a reliable infrastructure. I needed to be able to respond to their emails, report progress, and deliver work on the go. This will not be possible if I decided to do a 15-day trek to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, so choose a reasonable destination.

Hours of work per day

Work out the number of hours that you need to work per day and allocate them before you plan your travel. This will help you organize your day more efficiently.

Internet Access

Internet access is your priority when it comes to finding accommodations. Plan this beforehand. Do some research on the availability of free WiFi around the places you are going.

Free Wi-Fi in Japan is not as widespread as I thought when it comes to cafes and restaurants. I either had to go through a painful process of registering (all in Japanese), or I had to eventually pay for it. I ended up renting a Wi-Fi hotspot that gave me unlimited 3G Internet access wherever there is a phone signal, all for the cost of USD3 per day. The key is to prepare before you arrive.

For information on internet speed per location as well as other statistics you might be interested in, be sure to check out:Nomadlist.com.

Buy a Macbook Air

Well, it doesn't have to be a MacBook Air, but anything that will allow you to carry your laptop anywhere you go without making it seem like a chore. I preferred MacBook Air because it is one of the thinnest, most power-efficient, and most durable laptops I have, and that's what you need in order to work efficiently while on the go.

My Perfect Routine

My plan was to somehow work for 6 hours per day, 5 days a week. After a few experiments, I had finally come up with the perfect balance:

Work in the morning and at night

Every day, I started working at 7 or 8 AM for 3 hours, and by 10 or 11 AM, I would go out and explore the city until 6 PM. Then, I would work again for another 3 hours before heading off to bed. That gave me almost 7 - 8 hours to explore the city each day, which is more than enough to make it feel like traveling.

Work While Taking A Break from Travel

Of course, you don't have to stick to the schedule all the time. If you want to work at a cafe somewhere while resting between your explorations, you can, and then afterward you can subtract your time from the remainder of the day.

In Japan, my preferred workplace is at a café called Doutor, mainly because they have plug sockets on almost every table in their cafés.

Work during down times

You can also work during downtime, and trust me, there will be plenty of downtimes when you travel. I have worked on a 5-hour Shinkansen ride from Kyoto to Kumamoto. I have worked on a train from Tokyo to Nikko. I have worked during the 4-hour layover at the Kuala Lumpur airport. The key is to work whenever you can because, after all, this is a travel and work routine.

Travel like Mad during the Weekend

The good thing about this routine is that it makes you feel at home most of the time. So, when it comes to your weekend, instead of going to places you normally go when you are home, you have the option to actually go into full-travel mode. Hell, I even summitted Mt Fuji during my 2-day break. That's the beauty of this routine – you don't have to go far to travel because you are already in the middle of it all.

Tips & Tricks

Be proactive

Every single day, I would give my client an update on what I had been up to, either through a simple email or Skype. Do not disappear for more than 2 days. The key is not to make it look like you are traveling. After all, you are simply changing the environment around you. Work should never be affected by your travel schedule.

Stay at Hostels or use Airbnb to Save Cost

Traveling can be expensive if you are not careful. Hostels are a lifesaver for us solo travelers. The price point (USD25 - 40 in Japan) enables us to stay longer without breaking the bank. If you plan to stay longer (say a week or two) in one place, try Airbnb.

Bend to the Client's Will

If the client wants to Skype at 12 PM, reschedule your day to make it happen. You can postpone a few times, but don't do it often. The client paid you to be available when they want you to be, so don't be a slacker!

Leave rooms for Errors

Don't plan your trip too tightly. Leave a few unplanned days in case of urgent work or unplanned meetings. During my Japan trip, I decided to stay in Kyoto for 3 days without any plans, and then I worked out my plan afterward. This allowed me to be more flexible for both the client and myself.

Yes, It is possible to work and travel

The fact that I wrote this post is proof that it is possible for you to also work and travel like I did in Japan. The future is right now. You can either cling onto the old lifestyle that people who don't know any better do, or you could lead the way to become the remote workforce of the future and live the life you have always wanted.