Remote working is a growing trend amongst employees worldwide, and it’s no surprise considering the many benefits it brings. Working from home, or an alternative location of your choice, affords you much greater freedom in your professional and personal lives. For a start, you don’t have to face a grueling commute each morning, or sit through a swathe of unnecessary meetings that could have been emails. You can get up later and work to your own schedule until you are ready to shut your laptop and relax.

One of the great things about being a remote worker is the ability to work from literally anywhere in the world. As long as there is an internet connection and a place to plug in your laptop, you can set up shop wherever you choose. There are a lot of cities around the planet that are renowned hubs for digital nomads due to their vibrant social scenes, booming economies, and beautiful locations.

But starting a new life in an unfamiliar location can be a challenge. You need to get your affairs in order to give yourself the best possible chance of success. To help you get on your right away, here are five tips for working remotely in a new city.

Plan ahead

Moving to another part of the country can be a big job, and there are a lot of logistical challenges to overcome. You need to find a place to live, transport all your belongings, and establish your new life in unfamiliar territory. It can be a little stressful if you’re unprepared. For this reason, you should plan ahead and tick items off your to-do list as soon as possible. Let’s say you’re moving to California. Once you’ve found a house or apartment on the east coast, you should start setting up your bills, book a moving company, and apply online for your California state tax ID. Getting all this out the way in advance will make your moving day a lot less overwhelming.

Find a working space

Every remote worker needs a place to work. One of the worst things you can do as a digital nomad is get lazy and start working from your bed or sitting on the sofa with the TV on in the background. For a start, this doesn;t provide the optimal conditions for productivity, and secondly, you will find it harder to distinguish your professional and personal lives. Having a dedicated office space establishes a firm boundary between work and leisure. When you are sitting at your desk you are in work mode until you decide to call it a day. 

There are several options when it comes to finding a working space. You could just use a spare room in your apartment or even corner of your lounge or kitchen if you are on a tight budget. Alternatively, most cities have coworking spaces where you can pay a small fee to set up shop each day, use the wifi and work in an office-like environment.

Network

You probably don’t know many people in your new city yet, but it can really pay to get out there and network. Expanding your contact list can provide you with a range of potential business opportunities as well as a way to promote yourself if you are a freelancer or business owner. Find relevant industry events like conferences and tradeshows in your area and try to attend as many as possible. Make an effort to introduce yourself to people and follow up post-event.

Know your expectations

Even though remote working gives you a degree of freedom and flexibility in your life, your employer will still have expectations they want you to meet. For example, they may want you to be available at certain times of the day, or keep them regularly updated on your progress with certain tasks. Make sure you stay on good terms with your employer and coworkers and you can enjoy your remote working lifestyle in peace.

Take breaks

There are still plenty of old-fashioned people who turn their nose up at remote working, thinking it’s lazy or an easy way out. But there are many remote workers who tend to overdo it, working long hours without any respite. To avoid succumbing to stress and burnout, it’s important to maintain a good work/life balance. Establish a fixed time to switch off in the evening and take regular breaks throughout the day. Use your weekend to wind down and do things that make you happy, rather than constantly thinking about work.