There’s never been a better time to take control of your work and unplug from the corporate cubicle, whether as a freelancer, solopreneur, business owner, or employee working remotely from the location of your choice.
That’s what I did back in 2012. My husband and I moved to the Republic of Panama.
I started this website when I realized that I had lived — and worked — in seven different places in five years.
I’m not an expat or a digital nomad — I’m an Anywhereist!
I hadn’t set out to do it, but in the aftermath of the financial meltdown in 2009, that’s what happened. I turned to freelancing, and created work I could take with me anywhere.
Now we’re in the midst of another enormous change, powered by the global novel coronavirus pandemic.
“Working from home” seemed like an unattainable dream for many, but it’s now become the new normal for millions, and many businesses are realizing that maybe they don’t need that big office or campus.
And now, tens of thousands of workers are looking at “working from anywhere” as the new gold standard.
Several countries now offer visas specifically for remote workers, giving them the opportunity to live and work legally within their borders.
Why Move?
There are lots of reasons to position yourself to work from anywhere.
For my husband and me, we had to face the reality that, if we stayed in the US, we wouldn’t be able to afford to retire. Add to this my lifelong desire to spend time in another country, and we began looking at the possibilities of retiring overseas.
We sped up the timetable after my “safe” job melted away in 2009. . .
But then, after we moved to Panama, I came up with the idea for a business, one that’s supported us for nearly 10 years.
Since mid-2020, there’s been a rapid exodus from the more expensive, densely populated US cities. People who are unexpectedly working from home are looking for larger, more affordable housing in less densely populated cities or even small towns, places where they can incorporate a home office (or two), and maybe even some designated remote schooling areas for the kids.
My oldest son, a software engineer, moved to Antigua from Seattle. He’s taking advantage of their new Digital Nomad visa and the lower cost of living. He’s working for the same Seattle-based company he’s been with for several years, and loving his new Caribbean lifestyle.
I have a friend who’s positioning himself to work from anywhere as soon as his son graduates from high school. Besides wanting to see more of the world, he’s concerned that some places may become unliveable due to sea level rise, climate change, wildfires, and other environmental problems.
Your reasons for moving might be completely different from any of these.
What Does It Take to Work from Anywhere?
Obviously, you’ll need some kind of work that pays the bills, whether you’re traveling the world nonstop, settled down in one place for a period of time, or anything in between.
#1. You’ll need a business (or a remote job). You’ll have to decide what that is.
I have a background in writing and in website design. I’ve put together a successful business that uses both sets of skills.
- As a freelance writer, I get paid to write about the art and craft of writing, expatriation, small business, WordPress, and productivity tools.
- I also teach people how to build attractive and effective websites using WordPress.
- My portable career includes some passive income streams as well, things that keep some cash flowing even if I’m traveling or unable to work for a little while.
#2. You’ll need to be nimble, not weighed down with a lot of baggage.
#3. You’ll need a particular type of mindset in order to create, innovate, and experiment.
#4. You’ll need to develop a solid digital infrastructure for your business.
#5. You’ll need the right tools to support your work from anywhere lifestyle.
#6. You’ll need to develop habits that will help you stay on track.
What You’ll Find Here
Here at Anywhereist, I’ll share tools, tips, and information to help you develop your Work from Anywhere (WFA) lifestyle.
The focus will be the Anywhereist Newsletter (if you’re not already subscribed, you can sign up here).
Every other week, I’ll send you a carefully curated newsletter with the best information about WFA. (Here’s a sample newsletter.)
Today, one of the biggest problems for solopreneurs and freelancers is sifting through the huge amounts of information available to find what’s really useful. I’ll do that for you, leaving you free to focus on your work.
I look forward to having you along!
Focus on your Craft, Not the Cr*p
Every other week, I’ll send you the best hand-picked tools, tips, and information to help you do your best creative work from anywhere.
No spam. Promise.