Are You a Traveling Designer? Tips and Tricks to Simplify Your Life and Work

No matter what ‘Return to Office’ mandates might claim, you don’t need to come into the same building and use the same desk every day to do outstanding design work. If anything, going out and seeing the world is a fantastic way of expanding your visual library and life experiences, growing as a designer and a person.

Ready to ditch the shackles and embrace an exciting new chapter in your career? Here are some actionable tips on making the digital nomad life work both professionally and personally.

Streamline Your Workflows

Digital nomads quickly realize the advantages of embracing a minimalist approach to their worldly possessions. However, many traveling designers won’t bother applying the same philosophy to their work habits. For example, is project management software really helping you keep on top of deadlines, or does it just create busywork disguised as a productivity booster?

Cut out the tools you use once in a blue moon. Create templates to follow for your most common assignments. Stick to one form of communication, like Slack, for all client interactions. Automate the rote stuff, and make sure to focus on one type of work at a time so your attention and concentration aren’t split.

Ensure Safe Communication

These days, the password to their hostel’s or Airbnb’s Wi-Fi is the first and most important question on digital nomads’ minds. Stable internet and a high bandwidth are essential. Still, reputable designers can’t risk compromising sensitive chats and file exchanges with clients, not to mention their personal information and login details. Wi-Fi with an easily guessable password that god knows how many people use should not be your go-to means of connection.

Luckily, eSIMs have established themselves as a convenient and dependable alternative. You can set up a plan beforehand and turn your smartphone into a secure mobile hotspot when you reach your destination. Let’s say you’re traveling to Barcelona – an eSIM for Spain will use local mobile networks and provide you with excellent coverage practically everywhere. More importantly, the provided encrypted connection ensures your data remains secure.

Create Clear Boundaries Between Work and Leisure

Designers who’ve never worked remotely before may not realize how stressful the experience can be. There is truth behind the stereotype of happy people with a laptop in one hand and a piña colada in the other, doing work from a beachside terrace. However, breaking the boundaries of the traditional 9-5 can also mean you’re taking on an unhealthy amount of responsibilities and inching closer to burnout.

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Work-life balance should be a top priority. On the one hand, that means following through. Respecting deadlines and sticking to a routine that ensures you’re as productive as you were in the office. On the other hand, you should also be direct with clients about availability. That means no more revisions or consultations at certain times of day, period.

Stay Organized

When moving around a lot is a core part of your lifestyle, knowing where everything is so you can perform consistently regardless of the surroundings is something top nomad designers quickly learn how to master. On the practical front, that means packing light and keeping essentials like your laptop, peripherals, and stands within easy reach.

Digital organization is even more important, especially if you’re juggling multiple projects with varying scopes and requirements. Keep your asset libraries up to date and maintain offline backups for essential fonts, themes, etc., in case of spotty internet. Meanwhile, you’ll also want to use secure cloud storage to back up ongoing projects for easier collaboration and access without having to depend on local storage.

Keep Costs in Check

Fresh food, attractions, and accommodations at a fraction of the price you’d pay back home are a powerful incentive to become a nomad. Even so, inexperienced travelers can still get blindsided by unexpected expenses or unhealthy spending habits.

For example, you can get unpleasantly surprised by hundreds of dollars in fees if you use roaming without a plan. Even then, paying for an eSIM data plan is a much more cost-effective solution. Besides, your carrier might not have a partnership with local ones or carriers in the next country on your agenda. Retaining data access anywhere with the best eSIM is as straightforward as switching to a new plan.

Other expenses can quickly rack up, too. That’s why it’s important to track everything, preferably in categories like accommodation and food costs, personal expenses, business expenses, etc. A currency conversion app will make sure you don’t get shortchanged. Given remote work’s precariousness, you’ll also want to account for unsteady income periods. Practice living beneath your means when bringing in a lot, so you can live with fewer constraints during lean times.