These days, a big trend in telecommuting has seen many professionals and entrepreneurs relocate halfway around the world to Asia. Being able to work while the other half of the globe sleeps is just one advantage – with a much lower cost of living and inspiring work environment, many cities in this part of the world are becoming digital nomad hubs.
If you are thinking of taking the plunge, here’s what you ought to know before jumping…
Start your stay in a serviced apartment
When you first land in Asia, you’ll be overwhelmed by all the people, strange sights, and new things you’ll encounter on a daily basis. All of this stands in stark contrast to the life you are familiar with at home, so it’s safe to say this will knock you off balance.
Don’t opt in to the constant distractions of a hostel – get a corporate serviced apartment instead. This form of accommodation is trusted by multi-national corporations and human resource managers the world over, so you can be confident that they won’t just be comfortable, but they will also have amenities that make them business friendly.
With the help of a few weeks of calm and serenity in your corporate apartment, you’ll have the head space to find the perfect home base in the digital nomad hub of your choice, allowing you to focus hard on your business.
Join digital nomad orientated groups
After you get settled in your place, you will soon stumble upon the next problem in your new digital nomad life in Asia – loneliness. Thankfully, sites like Facebook and Meetup have made the formation of groups around communities easy these days. Indeed, they have become integral to helping remote workers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs find each other in Asia.
Just search [your city + digital nomad] or [your city + expats], and you’ll be able to find a group that will be eager to welcome you aboard.
Sign up for a co-working space
Many digital nomads have no trouble motivating themselves to work from home or a coffee shop. However, some associate these two spaces with leisure, while others crave social interactions while on the job.
Co-working spaces have emerged around the world to fill this need. With super fast internet connections, common areas outfitted with table games and kitchens, speakers which present on a variety of business topics, and after hour socials, it may just be an environment that speaks to you.
Get a SIM card and internet plan for your phone
Asia is an exotic place in many of its corners. While this makes for awesome adventures away from the laptop, it can also mean slow internet speeds and unreliable connections. To ensure these problems don’t derail your work day unexpectedly, it is imperative you buy a local SIM as soon as you land in your chosen destination.
Prepaid mobile internet is cheap in many parts of the continent, and 3G/4G towers often provide better speeds and more reliable connectivity than the wi-fi to which you’ll be connecting. When it fails you, just hook up a tether and get back to work in a flash.