Olá!
Here we are – last stretch of the Suitcase Entrepreneur Blog Challenge, woohoo!
It’s been a great way to reflect and visualize what I’d like to create, work on and how I’d like to live.
Thanks for being with me and I hope you can also take some lessons and tips for your life.
Here we are – last stretch of the Suitcase Entrepreneur Blog Challenge, woohoo!
It’s been a great way to reflect and visualize what I’d like to create, work on and how I’d like to live.
Thanks for being with me and I hope you can also take some lessons and tips for your life.
Day 25: What skills do you need to build or refine to be a happy Suitcase Entrepreneur?
If/When I’m location independent and able to go anywhere and still do my work, I want it to be smooth and productive. To make that happen, I want to be a master of balance – work and fun, food and exercise, rest and busyness.
Natalie perfectly pointed out the most important skills to be developed:
Being productive: Set up a realistic to-do list and schedule. You have to learn how much you can actually get done in a day. Focus on the most important tasks first. Once you’re done with them, you feel light and accomplished and you’re ready to enjoy your free time!
I think I’m pretty good with that – I’ve implemented a daily to-do list; I get up early and get important things done. I have also learned to do one thing at a time and not freak out by the amount of work – do today what has to be done today and do tomorrow what can be done tomorrow.
Note: Must learn to stay away from time-wasters like social networks and checking your email every five minutes! Those are productivity killers.
Staying healthy: Being on the road is no excuse to over-indulge or eat crappy food.
You can always 1. find a place to eat fresh, light and healthy food, 2. go to the supermarket or local market and have a picnic or 3. cook your own meals.
Use your free time to do something fun and active like biking, running, walking or playing a sport.
Always have a bottle of water with you. Drink as much as you can!
Be aware of the hygiene conditions and health hazards wherever you are. Do you need any vaccine? Is there any virus or mosquito-transmitted disease going around? Do you have a sensitive skin/stomach/allergy? Keep your health check-up up-to-date.
Keeping up with clients: They are the ones who allow your lifestyle in the first place. Honor your arrangements. Nuff said ;)
Keeping in touch: Being away can get lonely and strand you from your friends and family. Do your best to have some time to Skype, send emails and messages or call them.
I usually email my closest friends to let them know what I’m up to and in turn they tell me what’s going on with them.
I have a group chat for my family only where we share our daily shenanigans.
Connect with your new friends as well! Get to know them better, meet for drinks, chat online. The world is small for those who travel and you can always meet again! I have met people in the USA and years later visited them in Europe. How awesome is that?
On top of that, I would add an important skill to be developed: adjusting your mindset. Travel is not equal holidays in this case.
Day 26: Could you live a minimalist lifestyle? Why or why not? OR What does minimalism mean to you in the context of your ideal lifestyle?
I brought two suitcases with me when I moved back to Belgium 8 months ago.
All my clothes AND my boyfriend’s fit in a two-door closet.
I own less shoes, bags and cosmetics than my girl friends think possible.
I only buy things I really need.
If I would move away again tomorrow, I could fit everything I need in a suitcase or two.
Things don’t make me happy. People, places and experiences do.
So yes, I could live a minimalist lifestyle!
Day 27: What’s your best travel hacking story to date (where you scored a free upgrade, used miles or just got a bonus perk) OR Name 2 ways in which you’re going to become a savvy travel hacker in the next 6 months.
I have no travel plans for the next 6 months (Belgian visa application pending aaaaaaaah!) but in the future I would really like to:
Day 28: What travel tools and services are most important to you when taking your business abroad?
I honestly have no clear answer for this one, since I have no business or service to run from abroad yet but I guess I would make good use of a Smartphone that works anywhere in the world (is that possible?); a fast laptop and internet connection; a good universal adapter; a trusty external drive for backups and a calendar/organizer to keep up with things to do and clients.
Sorry for the super long post, hope you enjoyed :)
If/When I’m location independent and able to go anywhere and still do my work, I want it to be smooth and productive. To make that happen, I want to be a master of balance – work and fun, food and exercise, rest and busyness.
Natalie perfectly pointed out the most important skills to be developed:
Being productive: Set up a realistic to-do list and schedule. You have to learn how much you can actually get done in a day. Focus on the most important tasks first. Once you’re done with them, you feel light and accomplished and you’re ready to enjoy your free time!
I think I’m pretty good with that – I’ve implemented a daily to-do list; I get up early and get important things done. I have also learned to do one thing at a time and not freak out by the amount of work – do today what has to be done today and do tomorrow what can be done tomorrow.
Note: Must learn to stay away from time-wasters like social networks and checking your email every five minutes! Those are productivity killers.
Staying healthy: Being on the road is no excuse to over-indulge or eat crappy food.
You can always 1. find a place to eat fresh, light and healthy food, 2. go to the supermarket or local market and have a picnic or 3. cook your own meals.
Use your free time to do something fun and active like biking, running, walking or playing a sport.
Always have a bottle of water with you. Drink as much as you can!
Be aware of the hygiene conditions and health hazards wherever you are. Do you need any vaccine? Is there any virus or mosquito-transmitted disease going around? Do you have a sensitive skin/stomach/allergy? Keep your health check-up up-to-date.
Keeping up with clients: They are the ones who allow your lifestyle in the first place. Honor your arrangements. Nuff said ;)
Keeping in touch: Being away can get lonely and strand you from your friends and family. Do your best to have some time to Skype, send emails and messages or call them.
I usually email my closest friends to let them know what I’m up to and in turn they tell me what’s going on with them.
I have a group chat for my family only where we share our daily shenanigans.
Connect with your new friends as well! Get to know them better, meet for drinks, chat online. The world is small for those who travel and you can always meet again! I have met people in the USA and years later visited them in Europe. How awesome is that?
On top of that, I would add an important skill to be developed: adjusting your mindset. Travel is not equal holidays in this case.
Day 26: Could you live a minimalist lifestyle? Why or why not? OR What does minimalism mean to you in the context of your ideal lifestyle?
I brought two suitcases with me when I moved back to Belgium 8 months ago.
All my clothes AND my boyfriend’s fit in a two-door closet.
I own less shoes, bags and cosmetics than my girl friends think possible.
I only buy things I really need.
If I would move away again tomorrow, I could fit everything I need in a suitcase or two.
Things don’t make me happy. People, places and experiences do.
So yes, I could live a minimalist lifestyle!
Day 27: What’s your best travel hacking story to date (where you scored a free upgrade, used miles or just got a bonus perk) OR Name 2 ways in which you’re going to become a savvy travel hacker in the next 6 months.
I have no travel plans for the next 6 months (Belgian visa application pending aaaaaaaah!) but in the future I would really like to:
- Use an awesome credit card program that rewards me with miles + Use my frequent flier card as much as possible and get rewards.
- For short getaways, I will look for sales or the cheapest routes and go to places I probably haven’t thought of! That would be quite an adventure.
Day 28: What travel tools and services are most important to you when taking your business abroad?
I honestly have no clear answer for this one, since I have no business or service to run from abroad yet but I guess I would make good use of a Smartphone that works anywhere in the world (is that possible?); a fast laptop and internet connection; a good universal adapter; a trusty external drive for backups and a calendar/organizer to keep up with things to do and clients.
Sorry for the super long post, hope you enjoyed :)