From Desk Job to Globe Trotter: Adventures of a Working Expat

By Kelly Joyner.

The world of work has gone through some unimaginable changes over the last few years. The rise of remote working has resulted in a transformation, making working life unrecognizable from what it was just a decade ago. These days, professionals are no longer tied to the office, the nine-to-five, or even to a geographical location. Workers in a huge number of industries and sectors are free to go from desk job to globe trotter and discover the life of a working expat.

The ‘digital nomad’ life offers a unique combination of adventure, professional advancement, cultural immersion, and exploration. It can be a difficult transition, however, and one that involves a significant amount of research, planning, and organization, as well as a certain mindset that embraces flexibility and adaptability, and loves to face new challenges.

If you are considering making the shift and embracing a more adventurous way of living, working, and exploring the world, read on! Whether you are working for a season on a cruise line sailing from Galveston or starting your own marketing business from a hammock on a beach in Thailand, here are a few tips, guides, and insights for anyone embarking on this exciting adventure.

 

Embracing Cultural Diversity

One of the best and most important parts of being a working expat abroad is the chance to get to know a different culture from your own. It is a rewarding, fascinating, and transformative experience, and one that needs to be embraced and appreciated. Immersing yourself fully in the traditions, customs, and day-to-day life of your new home is a significant experience and one that you should take seriously. Some expats have a tendency to stick to expat-only social groups, but by doing this they miss out on the most rewarding aspects of exploring the world.

 

Navigating Professional Transitions

The shift from office worker to digital nomad isn’t always seamless, and working remotely requires a significant degree of adaptability and flexibility. There are all sorts of challenges and considerations to take into account, from working across time zones to the lack of face-to-face communication. Asynchronous working doesn’t just happen, and while there is a huge variety of technological solutions to make collaboration and communication across great distances easy, it still requires thought and work.

Expats also often encounter challenges when it comes to different work cultures, communication styles, and business practices, and will need to understand and adapt to a whole new context. However, embracing these challenges can be an enormous benefit to your career, as it offers a whole new perspective on the global marketplace, making you more adept at navigating professional situations and exponentially more employable.

 

Building Global Networks

Working as an expat abroad offers amazing opportunities to connect with fellow professionals around the world. Building a global professional network is both vital to your success as a digital nomad and one of the most rewarding and important parts of your new life. Engaging with new colleagues from all over the world unlocks extraordinary possibilities for personal and professional growth and career advancement, making it an essential part of the expat life.

 

 

Balancing Work and Life

A healthy work-life balance is an important part of working as an expat abroad. It can be all too easy to embrace the adventure of traveling the world a little too much and forget about your professional responsibilities. Equally, without the structure of office hours, it is equally possible to end up letting work bleed into your leisure time and never fully switching off. Make sure you set yourself clear boundaries between work and personal life, ensuring that you have plenty of time both to fulfil your working responsibilities and relax and enjoy yourself.

 

Your thoughts on Desk Job to Globe Trotter?

Have you ever thought of making this leap? Or do you know of anyone who has? Do you have any other tips for making this transition? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.