First, a big welcome to anyone who stopped by our new little home here since we created it!
Obviously, we are still growing and building this blog as we plan our adventure, but I’m a little excited to admit that we may get more publicity soon. The first post on this blog was actually written and submitted to a new site that launches February 28th – I’ll share more about it on that day!
The other exciting news is that we enrolled in the Digital Nomad Academy! They just launched and offered a great opportunity for the first class to save some money and provide feedback on their course. The timing was just right, the price was just right, and then a tweet by the Technomads endorsing the course pushed us into action, and we are so glad it did.
Generating an income while we are on the road is really what will make this not an extended vacation but a lifestyle choice, allowing us to stop when we want and not when the funds dictate. Nathan has an advantage here, as working in computers is often done remotely. I have to figure out which of my skills are most marketable as a nomad, but I expect I may have several sources of work rather than just one. I hope to get money from my photography one day, but I’m aware of the struggles photographers face and I won’t have a “local” client base.
Our first exercise has us looking at our ideal schedule for work, social, and personal activities. Unlike most (all?) of the other students, there are two of us working together – so we created ideal schedules which had meal times and family times coinciding as a framework. I was really surprised that when it comes down to it, our ideal schedules are VERY close to our current ones – except for working a lot less hours, and filling in that time with hobbies, fitness, or even possible income generating hobbies such as my photography.
Of course, I expect actually starting our own business will take similar time commitments as our existing jobs, but the point of the exercise was an IDEAL schedule. It was enlightening to see just how much time there is in a day when you get rid of the 40 hour work week. While I think I want lots of “do nothing” time, I felt the desire to make most hours of the day count – just in an entirely different way than I currently do!
It’s not that I don’t currently have those same blocks of evening time free, but that with my current job, I come home weary and low on motivation. This journey – building a business and living in an RV – will take a lot of time and work, but the goal is to make it more meaningful and personal work, with greater rewards beyond just a paycheck.
I’ll be sure to share our experiences with the DNA here and some of the results from our exercises. But the thought I leave you with today will be the ones we just faced –
What would your ideal schedule be? Would you work Monday through Friday? How many hours of actual work would be ideal, assuming you have to do something? (For us, it was around 20-22 hours each!) What habits are most important or nourishing to you? (One of my favorite things was scheduling in a big breakfast on the weekends, I love a relaxed morning to sleep in and cook up a huge meal!)
Most importantly, how could changing an hour or two of your current schedule make it closer to your ideal schedule? You may feel stuck and like you have no control, but I bet you can find at least 1 hour a week to do something that really nourishes you and fuels your spirit.
Even if it’s an unexpected free 10 minutes, I challenge you to take a deep breath and ask yourself what you need in that moment. It may be to sit and do nothing, to have a cup of tea, cuddle with a pet, or do jumping jacks. If you could do ANYTHING you wanted for the next 10 minutes, what would it be?
I give you permission to go do it, and to feel guilt-free about it. Maybe not NOW, but as soon as you have a few moments free. You are worth those few minutes, and oh so much more, simply for being here, for being you, and doing ALL that you do to survive. Enjoy it!!
Bonus points: Make this a daily or weekly routine, each time choosing the activity (or inactivity) that resonates with what you need or want the most.
Sustainable Nomads 