When we were traveling around Bali, we saw a whole host of digital nomads with elaborate, complex, and spectacular setups in cafes and coworking spaces.
Picture this: screens upon screens, screen risers, ergonomic mice—the works. At first, this seemed very imposing, almost like we were in an alternate reality. However, it wasn’t long into our digital nomad journey that we understood and recognized the benefits of having a setup that works for you when you work remotely.
Kyall and I, when deciding what gear to bring with us on our travels, decided to try and cut down as much as possible. With our savings, we bought ourselves new MacBooks and decided that would be enough to keep us going. For the most part, it was. We were able to get what we needed to do done. Overall, we were quite pleased with the decisions we made here.
However, while we could work, we weren’t necessarily comfortable in our setup. Both of us had multiple tabs and windows open that had nowhere to go. We also experienced back pain from hunching over our keyboards. Our wrists hurt from using the trackpad on our laptops.
Realizing our setups were harming our physical wellbeing, we felt pushed to make changes. We decided to embrace the digital nomad lifestyle we observed in Bali.
Of course, we still have space to contend with. Although we are currently back in the United Kingdom, we are moving around constantly. We are using Trusted Housesitters to chain together house sits, which means we must move every few weeks to a new location. Therefore, we must keep our belongings to a minimum since we are living out of a suitcase and a backpack.
As a result, we need a comfortable desk setup. At the same time, we can’t have too many things to carry around.
With this in mind, we evaluated our priorities. We thought about what we needed to do our jobs and what we could leave behind. This helped us decide on our digital nomad setup.
As a freelance copywriter, I decided on a few essentials. I need my laptop and a mouse. I’m now also looking into getting a second screen to make researching and writing more comfortable.
For Kyall, he needs to ensure he has a riser to stop wrist strain, a keyboard, and a second screen. This adds more things to carry around. However, after making a cost-benefit analysis, these items are essential to improve our physical wellbeing.
However, it’s not just the equipment itself that needs to be considered in a digital nomad’s setup. For us, we need to have a dedicated workspace to increase our productivity and improve our wellbeing, both physically and mentally.
Remote work during the pandemic taught us that separation of space is paramount to our mental health. We need to have a dedicated space to work so that we feel productive while we’re in that space. Then, we ensure our places for rest and relaxation are in a different area, allowing us to ‘switch off’ from work.
In a physical sense, this also allows us to work more ergonomically. Having a desk to work at allows us to improve our posture, stop hunching, and work in a physically comfortable manner.
Again, experience and analysis brought us to this conclusion. As mentioned earlier, we knew that the pandemic taught us that separation of space was essential for us. However, this was something we had to relearn while traveling.
At first, we believed that constantly changing environments would help. We thought we wouldn’t need to separate our work and relaxation spaces. Without a routine, we assumed we didn’t need dedicated ‘productive’ and ‘relaxing’ spaces.
But working from a bed or hunching over a hotel coffee table proved us wrong. We realized we couldn’t work effectively in these environments.
Physically, it was causing us pain.
Emotionally, we felt unproductive in spaces that were confined. On the other hand, we were unable to relax when we had used the bed as a workspace.
To combat this, we sat down to work out ways to solve these issues. We thought back to those digital nomads in Bali and wondered if cafes could be an option for us. However, as budget travelers, we felt that unnecessarily spending money on food and drinks to warrant us a space at a café table would not be the best use of our money. Besides, we are street food lovers through and through. We couldn’t cheat on our beloved street food with café goods.
On the other hand, we did feel that stretching our money on our accommodation budget could be an option for us. Traveling in Southeast Asia allowed us to stretch our budget without breaking the bank. We now travel and ensure our accommodation has a desk so that we can both work comfortably. This has allowed us the separation of space we need and has significantly improved our wellbeing.
Overall, our experiences have taught us that, as digital nomads, we need to prioritize our setup. Although it may seem like a pain to carry around seemingly superfluous equipment and spend more money, it is necessary for our physical and emotional wellbeing. It allows us to work without pain, create spaces where we can be more productive, and still have the ability to relax.
Living as a digital nomad requires careful consideration of both your physical setup and your mental health. The cost of living can vary greatly depending on where you are, but investing in the right equipment and working spaces is crucial. Whether you’re location independent or just starting with part-time digital nomad jobs, protecting your wellbeing is key to maintaining a sustainable and enjoyable digital nomad lifestyle.
Don’t forget to secure health insurance, as digital nomads work in various locations, and you’ll need coverage that suits your lifestyle. Remember, a good internet connection is vital to work remotely and stay connected with friends and family via social media.
We’d love to hear about your experiences! Share your thoughts, tips, or questions in the comments below. Whether you’re a seasoned remote worker or just starting your journey, let’s exchange ideas and help each other create the perfect work-life balance on the road!
