Travel While You Work

Travel While You Work by Mish Slade
(Paperback available to buy at amazon.co.uk, £9.66)

Travel While You Work is aimed at people who like to combine travel and work in order to experience the flexibility and freedom that running your own business on your own terms brings.

Often called ‘Digital Nomads’ these people come from a plethora of professions which not only include tech-related industries such as web developers, programmers and designers, but also writers, photographers, accountants and everyone who can take their work on the road really.

I found the book inspiring because VAs can work from anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection, which made it the perfect resource to share with my own VA community. It’s aimed at freelancers, people who run or are about to set up a business, remote workers, as well as people who manage a team. If you’re not sure which bits apply to you, the Contents section even tells you when chapters to read in order to get the best out of the book, based on your current situation.

Incredibly comprehensive and useful whatever country you’re from, the book covers so much that it would be impossible to list it all here. The main sections though are: choosing an apartment and settling in; logistics and safety; money and taxes; communication and technology (phones and SIM cards; deliveries and mail; TV and internet; how to guard your data; client management; pricing and getting paid; productivity and workspaces; hiring and managing staff and contractors; and remote collaboration. There are also useful checklists, plus a plethora of free resources.

The most interesting part for me was the interview section which contained real-life stories from eclectic travellers, showcasing how others work and travel. I also appreciated having practical advice on how to research your next location, how to negotiate favourable rates etc and allowing for low productivity on travel days, which I may not have considered previously.

As a freelancer with a location independent business model, I don’t live a 100% Digital Nomad lifestyle, but I do take a lot of working holidays and intend to take many more. So, although I knew a fair amount of the information provided in the book, there was so much more that I didn’t know and that I’ll definitely be applying in the future.

I highly recommend this. The insider tips are invaluable, the resources are fantastic and the case studies are priceless.

Reviewed by Joanne Munro, tech-loving VA, thevahandbook.com