Have you ever imagined doing client work while relaxing on a recliner on a sandy beach?
This fantasy doesn’t need to stay in your head. I’ve done it, and it’s … wonderful. Just make sure the sand stays away from your laptop and your mobile is fully charged to provide a Wi-Fi hotspot for a long time 🙂
With those rules in mind, the next step is to pick the best coastal city.… Read the rest
Here’s what my schedule looks like while in Spain. Please keep in mind most of my clients are in the eastern part of Canada and the US. The time zone difference is 6 hours.
Sometime between 8:00 and 10:00 Wake up.… Read the rest
“Know thyself” is an Ancient Greek aphorism.
When you know yourself, you also increase your confidence, accept your weaknesses, and generally strive to be a better human being.
It’s a wonderful goal for sure. And as luck would have it, one way to achieve this goal is to be a digital nomad.… Read the rest
I attended the Salesforce World Tour in NYC today, which was awesome, and I’ll write about that soon. But today is Friday, which usually focuses on remote working/being a digital nomad. So let’s talk about NYC itself.
Living in Montreal, Canada provides me easy access to this city.… Read the rest
Making the decision to be a digital nomad is a big step. It involves re-evaluating your current working situation and lifestyle, and then determining you want a change.
Usually this change doesn’t just impact you. Often there’s a partner to consider, perhaps children, and even extended family members.… Read the rest
Sorry for the late email today. Two days I moved back to Canada and I’m still fighting jet lag.
As some of you know, I spent summers in Canada and winters in Spain, about six months in each spot. Since there is a six hour difference in time, I’ve learned a couple of tricks to help with the transition.… Read the rest
One of the most important observations I made during my many travels is often downplayed.
In the media, there’s a focus on our differences and they are often exaggerated. It doesn’t matter if they talk about people from different continents, countries, regions, states or even cities.… Read the rest
Several months ago, there was a wave of articles talking about “stealth workers”. These are individuals who pretend to be working from home, when in fact they are remote.
Tactics they employ include:
One of the reasons why I love being a digital nomad is the opportunity to embrace minimalism.
Several years ago, I trekked around the world for 1.5 years with just two backpacks; a 65L for clothing and a 25L for tech.… Read the rest
One common objection I hear about trying to be a digital nomad is kids.
Kids make things messier when traveling. They require significant time and attention, their basic needs must be met, and then there’s school.
Obviously the best time to be a digital nomad with kids is when they are young enough to not go to school.… Read the rest
In the 50th episode of my podcast, the appointed host asked me, “What are the rules for being a digital nomad?”
My response was, there aren’t any rules.
Whether you spend time in a “van down by the river” (a reference to a skit by the late Chris Farley on SNL), or half the year in the south of Spain, makes no difference.… Read the rest
Humans are creatures of habit. We like routine because it provides us a sense of predictability and security. It also allows us to make certain plans that don’t change on a whim.
One of the many reasons I became a digital nomad is to avoid the larger and monotonous routines.… Read the rest
Last month, Spain made its digital nomad visa available to residents of not-EU countries. The requirements are low and the benefits are high, making this an absolutely awful offer.
The main requirements are:
OK, that’s not too bad.… Read the rest
A new student of mine is breaking his way into the Salesforce world. He is tired of his current occupation and wants to pivot to something more interesting.
I talk often about starting a career in Salesforce with friends and strangers alike, and recently I’ve been mentoring a relative and a close friend of mine.… Read the rest
Several months ago, I spoke with the owner of a successful bridal shop. They make custom gowns and are well known in the local community. She’s a very capable person with loads of talent.
I spoke to her about my upcoming travels as a digital nomad: Starting in Montreal, I will visit Poland, Vienna, Madrid, London and Spain before returning to Montreal in the spring (I’m currently writing this email in a small town near Malaga, Spain).… Read the rest
Unfortunately, far too many people forget an important observation about life.
They believe things happen to them, that perhaps the world is fighting against them, or that successful people are just lucky.
Instead, they would be better off believing they make things happen, the world is fighting for them, or that successful people just work hard.… Read the rest
As a Salesforce consultant, you have a stressful position. Taking breaks every once in a while, just like I did for the last two weeks, is vital for your health and sanity.
However, even while on holiday, I rarely just sit on the couch and vegetate.… Read the rest
This email is a little deeper and thoughtful than most. I feel the need to work up to it, because it’s not something you just blurt out in the first sentence.
We are all familiar with the expression, “You only live once (YOLO)”.… Read the rest
As humans, we are emotionally and cognitively influenced by our environment.
If a place is dirty and busy, our minds are more easily distracted. If a place is clean and tidy, then our mind can be free to focus on the task at hand.… Read the rest
Many years ago, I fell in love with the quote from Saint Augustine, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page”.
Traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.
When asked why it feels like time speeds up when you age, the common response is something like:
When you’re young, you’ve only lived a short amount of time compared to how long you will actually live. When you’re older, you’re close to the end of your life and the “used percentage” of your life is higher.… Read the rest
One of the many things I love about being a Salesforce architect is the ability to work remotely. Although it wasn’t so common a few years ago, it’s pretty much the default today.
Of course, being remote doesn’t mean you need to stay in your home office.… Read the rest
While working with a client many years ago, there was a full-time employee named David. David was a con artist, or at least he was in my mind.
He had an incredibly powerful way to convince people he was excellent at his job.… Read the rest