You don’t really know someone until you travel with them
And by someone, I mean my laptop.
Whenever I tried working from a cool place like those Instagram nomads, my laptop would start acting like a spoiled teen whose parents made him go camping.
It would moan and groan and mostly just say that it’s hot and can we please go back to the AC.
So, don’t believe those photos.
How to apply sunscreen on my own back
I met some incredible people. But I learned that work+travel is quite different from solo traveling. When you spend most days working, it’s harder to build real friendships. And asking someone to put sunscreen on your back takes a real friend.
So I had to become more flexible, either with my working hours or my shoulders. Usually, I choose the latter.
Environment shifts creativity
Creativity, in short, is: external input + personal associations = new ideas
Visiting unique places, like tropical islands, is inspiring.
It feeds my brain with fresh input. But living there is different. Over time, I noticed how my surroundings changed my thinking.
For example, while living in Berlin, I’d brainstorm ideas for digital billboards. Here, I’d think of bulletin boards instead, ’cause that’s what I saw around me.
I understood that staying relevant meant living in a similar environment to my audience.
How to appreciate real beauty
I’ve seen colorful animals, wild sunsets, and hidden beaches. Yet, no sight was more thrilling than seeing “100Mbps” on my screen when I ran a Wi-Fi speed test in a new Airbnb.
The sun doesn’t set and rise at the same time everywhere
I mean, I knew that. Sort of. But I didn’t expect how difficult it would be to work with a time difference.
The average lifestyle guru would faint if they saw my “morning routine”:
- Wake up when most chickens are still in the REM stage of sleep.
- Reply to four emails and seven Slack messages in bed.
- Rush to the coworking space.
- Bump into all the drunk people returning from bars on the way.
- Discover that my meeting was canceled.
Not healthy.
And still, you know what, I just can’t wait for the next time. 🙂
In the picture: My office during the last month. Not Instagramable, but pretty convenient.
P.S. I added a yellow filter so that you know it’s Mexico.
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Thanks for reading <3
