Traveling is a wonderful thing. Whether you choose to do it in your twenties, or later in life, seeing the world can change you. It offers you a great chance to meet new people. People with different backgrounds and beliefs who can broaden your mind and change the ways you look at the world and people that will be a part of your life for many, many years to come. It allows you to visit places that simply take your breath away. To learn how to look after yourself and to be alone. To take part in different activities and have wonderful experiences. To learn new skills and languages and to grow as a person. No matter how old you are, traveling can enrich your life. Some people are lucky enough that they can travel without giving money a second thought. But for others, if they want to travel and have a great time, they must spend years saving up first. For these people, unfortunately, life often gets in the way. Something comes up while they are saving, and their travels get put off. Many never make it. Working as a freelancer can give you a fantastic opportunity. As long as you’ve got internet access, you can work. But, you can still take time off whenever you need it, set your own hours and work as much or as little as you want to. Here are some great tips to help if you want to travel the world while you work as a freelancer.
Budget
The worst thing about working freelance is that you don’t get holiday pay. This means that if you want any time without work, you need to save. Obviously, while you are traveling, you won’t want to be working every single day. You’ll want to be able to take extended breaks, especially around long journeys. This means you need to prepare a budget. Think about how much money you’ll need for however long you are going to be away and break it down. The best thing about working freelance is that you can always earn more. If one week you want to do something special and you go over your budget, you can always work a little extra.
Find Somewhere to Settle
If you want to be able to take a long break, it can be a good idea to put in some extra hours first. Find a nice apartment like these at rumahdijual.com/tangerang/apartemen-alam-sutera and settle down for a while. Work as much as you can, then take a few months off to explore.
Be Inspired
Freelancers often work in a creative field. Some great options include photography, writing, graphic design and web design. While you are traveling, you’ll see things that you couldn’t possibly imagine. Let the beauty inspire you. Instead of sitting and writing in your room, go out. Explore, look around, speak to people, take in the sights. Go to museums and galleries and spend time in nature. Take your laptop, camera or a notepad with you and work where you feel inspired. Let yourself be influenced by your surroundings. Even if you work in a none creative area, like online tutoring or as a VA, you’ll feel calmer and more relaxed if you enjoy your surroundings.
Stick to Your Timezone
This can be hard to get used to, but it can make a huge difference to your earning potential. If your regular clients are based at home, try to work at the times you normally would. This will allow you to communicate with them easily and meet any deadlines you are set. It can also help you to enjoy your travels more. It may mean that you are up early to work. But this will free up the rest of the day to do what you want and have some fun.
Work Like You’re at Home
Yes, you are traveling. But, you can do this without living like a tourist. Take weeks off, just like you’d have weeks off at home. Give yourself weekends to switch off, and the rest of the time, work 8 hours a day, or whatever you would at home. This doesn’t work for everyone. Some people prefer to work intensely for a while, and others prefer to do a little each day. Try a few different routines out to find what works for you.
Don’t Forget Your Admin
As a freelancer, you need to keep on top of your expenses and earnings. It’s not just as simple as doing work and getting paid. If you are new to freelancing, you’ll need to register as self-employed before you start earning money. You’ll also need to keep a record of what you earn, and any business expenses you incur. You can do this with a simple spreadsheet cataloguing how much you’ve earned, when, the invoice number and the client's name. Keep and number all of your invoices in a folder in case you need to double check everything or prove your income later on. You’ll need to keep and record expenses receipts in the same way. If you are away at the end of the financial year, you will also need to look into filing a tax return and paying anything that you owe.
Meet People
Most big cities nowadays have a freelancing scene. More people are freelancing than ever before so get out there and meet other people in your field. Swap stories, learn from them and just enjoy being around people that understand your life. Check out https://desksnear.me to find workspaces you can rent, which are sure to be filled with other freelancers.
Insure Your Equipment
If you are traveling with expensive cameras, computers or other equipment, make sure they are covered on your travel insurance and that you know how to make a claim and get a replacement if anything does happen.
Just Go For it
If you can work as a freelancer and have no other commitments back home, just go for it. What is there to stop you? This might be your only chance, stop putting it off!
