The best thing about living a laptop lifestyle is the freedom it gives. You´re not tied to rigid work schedules; you can work anywhere you want and organize your work according to your life priorities.
Having a laptop lifestyle gives work a whole new meaning. You only need a laptop and a stable Wi-Fi connection, and you´re good to go. Plus, it doesn´t matter if you´re an entrepreneur or a freelancer – if you can work remotely, you can embrace this lifestyle.
Here’s what you need to know!
What is Laptop Lifestyle Really About?
A laptop lifestyle refers to being able to work and live comfortably anywhere in the world. As long as you have the necessary equipment (the basics: a laptop and headphones), a good internet connection, and a job that provides enough flexibility to let you work and travel.
Not being tied to an office workspace or a rigid schedule allows you to travel to exotic and breathtaking places, meet new people and cultures, try new activities, and get out of your comfort zone to experience endless growth are a few of the many benefits that living a laptop lifestyle provides.
However, although the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, you still need a certain foundation to make the leap. For starters, building a remote business or having a job that gives you enough flexibility are the first steps.
Let´s go over the key aspects to keep in mind to start the laptop lifestyle.
How to Start a Laptop Lifestyle?
The first step, and the most important one, to embrace the laptop style is to work remotely. You can get a remote job, become a freelancer, or start your own business without depending on any location.
1. Get a Remote Job
In other words, decide if you want to work full-time for a company or start freelancing. Finding a remote job or a freelancing opportunity will let you organize and manage your time. You´ll be able to travel as much as you want, as long as you do your work.
Keep in mind that the laptop lifestyle is not living up to the 4-hour workweek, as Tim Ferris explained. In reality, you´ll have to work 8+ hours a day, but with the difference, you´ll be able to manage your time as you want.
The best part is that due to the pandemic, most companies are now hiring remotely.
If you´re interested in getting a full-time remote job, these are the best platforms to start job seeking:
- FlexJobs
- Remote.co
- Just Remote
- We Work Remotely
- Remotive
- Working Nomads
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
If freelancing sounds more attractive to you, you´ll probably need to have a portfolio (regardless of your industry) to showcase your experience and convince clients to work with you. These are great websites to get freelancing gigs:
- Fiverr
- Upwork
- Freelancer
- FreelancerMap
- People Per Hour
- Simply Hired
- Jooble
Besides having a portfolio, you need to convince ATS and recruiters with a great resume. Here´s how to make one.
2. Become a Location Independent Entrepreneur
The second option, to be honest, is the hardest one. But when done right, it can be highly rewarding: building an online business.
With an online business, you can manage your time, schedule, and travel as much as you want. Basically, you can organize your life without needing to be accountable to anyone but yourself.
These are some ideas of business you can run 100% online:
- Digital marketing
- Online tutoring
- eCommerce
- Business consulting
- Blogging
- Travel agency
Also, you need to have the right tools to conduct your business. Once you define your niche and what you want to offer, make sure you have the tools to get things organized. The basic tools consist of:
- Project management system: Having software to manage your projects is key for organization and efficiency. Here you´ll be able to have all the documents, key projects, and your entire office in a single place. Popular project management systems are Asana, Trello, and Basecamp.
- Payment and finance tools: If your business works with selling and online transactions, then finding a tool to keep your finances in order is key. Here you´ll be able to keep track of all the payments. Great financing tools are Wave Accounting, Zoho, and Workday.
- Communication: Whether you work with clients or you manage teams, you´ll need to have reliable communication tools to come in handy regardless of your location. The most popular ones are Zoom, Skype, Slack, and Email.
- Taxes: As boring as it sounds, dealing with taxes is a must. If you´re planning to run your business outside your country, ensure that your taxes are done correctly. This changes depending on the country, so it´s key to get informed. HR services such as Gusto and Zenefits are a good idea if you need someone else to take care of these tasks.
We created a full guide with everything you need to build an online business – Check it out!
3. Equipment is a Must
Secondly, you can´t live the laptop lifestyle without the right equipment.
A good laptop is necessary to perform your tasks. However, keep in mind that if you want to travel, you need a small and lightweight laptop. Otherwise, it can become a burden to carry around.
These are the best 5 laptops for travelers:
- MacBook Air – Weighs 2.8 lbs
- Dell XPS 13 – Weighs 2.7 lbs
- Microsoft Surface Go – Weighs 1.15 lbs
- Lenovo Ideapad Flex 5 14 – Weighs 3.3 lbs
- Acer Spin 3 – weighs 3.31 lbs
Additionally, having a solid pair of headphones will save you from the occasional times when there are a lot of distractions around you or noise. These are great alternatives:
Besides these necessary tools, having Wi-Fi is what will enable you to work. So, always make sure that in your accommodation, you have reliable Wi-Fi. And as a backup plan, you can consider purchasing a portable hotspot.
Additionally, a virtual private network can also be a handy tool to ensure you always get access to the websites you work with. In some countries, certain social networks and new sites are banned, so a VPN will allow you to work around that.
4. Know How to Get Clients
This step is for both freelancers and business owners. Even if you believe that your business is the best one and that you have all it takes to succeed, you need people to believe it as well.
So, how to reach out to potential clients and convince them to work with you?
The easiest way is to reach out to your existing connections. It could be through LinkedIn or with people who you think might be interested in your service/product.
Once you start getting your first clients, ask them for reviews, recommendations, or testimonials to help you increase credibility.
The Hardest Part is Getting Started
If you´re tired of commuting to the office or daydreaming about working remotely, it´s time to make a change.
Now more than ever, it is easy to get a job that allows you to work from anywhere. And building an online business can also be a great alternative to reaching this desired lifestyle. However, the first step is always the hardest: getting started.
With these steps, you have a solid foundation to start building your laptop lifestyle with everything you need. Remember: you have all it takes!