Do you work remotely? Have you thought about living in another country to try the life of a digital nomad?

If so, then by the end of this post I will share with you four perspectives needed by anyone interested in living and being productive in a new international work environment.

When people often think about doing this they immediately think about arranging their accommodations, budget, health insurance, and compiling at least four different Google docs trying to sort out any and every visa requirement. 

While these are all essential ingredients and should be planned for, what can make or break an international living experience is the perspectives we bring along for the ride.

I have lived for long periods in Mozambique, London, multiple cities in Mexico, and Rio de Janeiro. I have navigated alone the processes of making my life productive when I navigate to a new city. 

By the end of this article, you should have a clearer view of some of the key perspectives you will need not only to survive but to thrive as a digital nomad. I will share with you what I have learned across my travels in the hopes that you will have fuller experiences, be more productive, and build stronger relationships.

How will you be productive? 

For most people living internationally, their productivity is the “keys to the kingdom” that ensure that they can continue living a global, remote lifestyle. Building a process and understanding the potential roadblocks is key to keeping productive.

When I travel to a city, I always make it a high priority to establish a comfortable workspace in the place I will be living. 

I love working from coffee shops and seeing new parts of whatever city I am visiting. I have learned, however, that beliefs on whether having Internet is a necessity can vary from country to country and even within different parts of the same city. When I was in Rio de Janeiro I quickly learned that just because an establishment was called a “coffee shop” wasn’t synonymous with “we have internet for customers to use,” a notion I quickly realized I had carried with me from living in the U.S., the U.K. and Mexico. 

So, before I touted my laptop across the city with the expectation for some solid, productive hours at a cute new cafe at the end of my journey, I developed a little process. I learned to go first on a reconnaissance mission: buy a coffee, sit for about 15 minutes, get a pulse on the vibe, and check the internet speed, if it existed at all.

As a work traveler, one of your number one goals is to learn how to create a process where your productivity can thrive while going from place to place. 

Establish your routine

I love exploring new environments. But something that I have quickly learned about myself is that I need at least a certain level of stability. 

One of those cornerstones for me is going daily to the gym. When I arrive in a new city I always search for the fitness gyms in my area and it is a high priority to get a membership within the first week. This provides a ballast for my day on which a lot of my other habits stay afloat, from breakfast to my productive work hours to the hours that I set aside for exploring my new neighborhood.

Be aware of the routines that you find enjoyment in no matter where you live. 

For me, going to the gym has become a stable part of my life for decades. No matter where I live—Rio de Janeiro; London; or Accra, Ghana—this habit gives me a sense of stability on which I can branch out and try other new, more novel things.

Manage your energy

Living internationally—across cultures and in often strange environments—can feel exhilarating but also unsettling at the best of times and utterly depressing at the worst of times. I know firsthand how frequently emotional setbacks can come out of nowhere. And setbacks will come when you least expect them, often spared by the smallest challenges.

Your responsibility is to learn how to manage your energy and emotional health to keep you productive and moving forward. Establishing routines, breathing through the minor inconveniences, and having a space where I can go to recharge have all been essential building blocks in getting from one day to the next ready to live the new environment to the fullest.

Immersion is key

It is my sincere belief that the reason why we should choose to live in another culture for a long period of time is to expand our perspectives on the world.

We can do this either through the places we visit, or even more importantly, the people with who we connect. 

There are loads of online communities for people living internationally, like Nomad List or InterNations. These can be great resources for growing a professional and global network. However, don’t underestimate the importance of building connections with the people who are from the place you are living. You can truly get to know a country—particularly the best places to visit—and the warmth of different cultures by opening up and connecting with locals.

To do this, you have to leave your preconceptions about why people do things, have an open willingness to learn, and see the world from a different perspective. It sounds easier to do than it is, believe me.

For me, a journey of living around the world in different cultures is about testing myself, to see if I can be resourceful and adaptive to new environments. For me, that’s what makes it so exciting. I hope that these few tips I have provided will also help you in case you take the first step to living in a place completely new to you.