I am lucky enough to work from anywhere and so I choose places to live where I can make the most of my days. This usually means that I’ll spend as much time as I can in a place that is warm and humid because I find the climate to be my most impactful ally.

Getting to know a new area is somewhat different from being a tourist on vacation. I take things a little slower than a vacation and concentrate on finding my feet so I feel settled in my new home really quickly.

Being productive is super important for me so using my energy when I’m living somewhere new is all about balance. It’s actually quite simple – all it takes is a familiar routine. Literally! In a new place, it can work wonders for productivity – it then becomes a small amount of new sensory input combined with familiarity so it’s not an intense change to deal with, even though I may have just uprooted my entire life and moved across the globe!

The routine is simple – it’s work, eat and relax.

  1. I’ll work in the morning and use the afternoons (after about 4pm) to get out and explore, then come back around dark, eat and do some more work or something that helps me to relax. 
  2. Cooking food that I know works best for my body keeps me feeling good without the stress of having to find somewhere new to eat (and then the feeling of disappointment or excitement about the choices available) so I’ll stick with buying groceries and home-cooking for a little while to give my body and my mind the best foundation to be able to adapt to the new environment.
  3. Relaxation comes in many forms for me – and if I’m in a new place it will likely be walking so it’s a dual purpose (but not too intense) stimulation (i.e. finding the resources I need to live comfortably and getting some nice rhythmic movement to physically feel good at the same time). Finding my way around is important so walking gives me peace of mind as well as practical information like the location of the nearest grocery store, phone re-charge place, water, place to exercise and somewhere to relax – these are the always the top locales on my hit list.

Then, when I have the necessities sorted, I’ll look at the added bonuses of tourism that I can include in my stay – museums, archaeological sites, recommended places to eat, typical local foods, cultural activities, beaches, forests – all the other things that I love to do – and schedule something in maybe once a week so that I have something to look forward to while not being too intense to drain my energy.

I find this method to be intellectually stimulating in a really helpful way – the new surroundings keep me inspired to continue with my sometimes repetitive workload and, at the same time, just a little bit excited to be doing something new!

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