Are you curious about the digital nomad lifestyle and want to learn more? Let me share how I do it.
People often ask me, “What do you do all day?” It’s a tough question because I don’t have a typical routine. I really dislike schedules, which is one reason I love being a digital nomad.
When I tell people I work online and travel, it usually leads to a lot of questions. Saying “I’m a blogger” often confuses them even more, especially when they learn I’m a full-time traveler too.
Blogging involves a lot of work. While I don’t work a ton every day, there are times when I put in 16-hour days. There’s always something to do, and I have a long list of tasks I want to tackle when I have more time. Building my business took time, just like any good business does. Now, I have a streamlined process that makes things run more smoothly.
My average day varies greatly, which is something I love about my lifestyle. I can create my own flexible schedule. Some days, I work from morning to night, while other days, I might work for less than an hour. I’m not perfect and sometimes waste time on social media or binge-watch Netflix. Living on a boat also means there are daily boat tasks, like cleaning or maintenance.
Another common question is, “How many hours do you work each day/week/month?” Since my days vary so much, it’s hard to say. Sometimes, I work 100 hours a week, and other times, just a few hours to answer emails. Some months, I work only ten hours, while others are packed with 100-hour weeks.
Here’s a look at my typical day as a digital nomad and online business owner:
**8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. – Wake up**
We usually wake up around 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., get ready, feed the dogs, and make smoothies. While eating, I check and respond to emails. Then, we take the dogs for a walk, which usually lasts about 30 minutes.
**10:00 a.m. – Work a little**
After breakfast and walking the dogs, I work for a bit. I prefer using daylight hours to enjoy our surroundings, so I might work for an hour, answer more emails, reply to comments, and handle routine tasks for my blog. I get hundreds of emails daily and try to answer each one, even if it’s just a short reply.
**11:00 a.m. – Podcasts and phone interviews**
I schedule podcasts and phone interviews around this time to keep the rest of the day open. I don’t do interviews every day, but some days I have multiple interviews, while other weeks, I have none.
**12:00 p.m. – Eat lunch**
We break for lunch around noon, sometimes making it on the boat or going out to eat. We enjoy trying local favorites in the towns we visit. We also take the dogs for another walk before or after lunch.
**1:00 p.m. – Enjoy where we are**
In the afternoons, we explore new areas. This might include a long bike ride, a hike, visiting a rock climbing gym, or exploring a state or national park. We usually leave the dogs at home since many parks don’t allow pets, and they prefer to sleep.
**5:00 p.m. – Walk the dogs and dinner**
After our activities, we give the dogs another long walk, then feed them and make our dinner. After dinner, I start working for the evening. I find I’m less distracted at night and use this time to brainstorm, create content, manage social media, and interact with readers.
**9:00 p.m. – Go on a final walk**
We take the dogs for one last walk before bed. Afterward, we wind down by watching Netflix or YouTube. We recently got Netflix again and have been enjoying it.
**Writing in the digital nomad lifestyle**
I write all my articles for Making Sense of Cents. I don’t have a ghostwriter and don’t plan to get one because I enjoy writing about topics that interest me. I usually batch write, creating several articles in one go and then not writing for a month or two.
Here’s my process for each new article:
– Think of ideas for new articles. I keep a list of over 100 possible topics.
– Create a monthly schedule of topics and publish dates.
– Write content from start to finish, then send it to my editor.
– Add images, format the article, and add links to related content.
– Publish the article and share it on social media.
– Send an email to subscribers about the new post.
**Busy days**
Some days are more relaxed, but on busy days, I work from morning until night. I do batch work, focusing on one task for the entire day, like writing content, catching up on emails, or optimizing old articles. These days look like this:
– Wake up, eat, walk dogs
– Work all day with breaks for lunch and dinner
– Walk dogs
– Work until bedtime
**What do my assistants do?**
I used to do everything myself, but now I have a team of assistants. They handle tasks like editing, managing social media, and technical management, allowing me to have a better work-life balance.
Did anything surprise you? What would you do differently with a flexible schedule? What questions do you have about my workday?
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