5 Lessons I Learned as a Digital Nomad in Bali: Insights for Success

In the fall of 2022 I worked from and adventured through Lisbon, Portugal for a month. While I had previously worked and road-tripped across the country as well as worked from Puerto Rico for a month at a time here and there, working from Lisbon felt like my first real experience as a digital nomad. 

I learned and experienced a ton, both personally and professionally and am learning even more throughout my time in Bali. From the value of routine and effective time management to the willingness to invest in convenience and admit my limitations, each experience has contributed to my evolution as a digital nomad. 

1. I Need Routine

While in Lisbon, I had the cutest airbnb on the cutest street. The only problem was that my bedroom was in the back of the apartment and had no windows or natural light, making it difficult to wake up in the morning (I know- excuses, excuses). While I would set my alarm, it often went ignored and I was super inconsistent with what time I would wake up which meant I was inconsistent with when I would start work.

When I was planning my trip to Bali, I knew I had to do things differently.

Even though travel is all about what’s different- scenery, culture, etc. I sill need a routine in place to make sure I’m productive.

Since I arrived in Bali, my day starts just like it does when I’m at home. I wake up by 6:45 and go on a walk. While my views are completely different, my route is about 2.3 miles, just like it is at home. Then, I stop somewhere on my way back home for breakfast. After breakfast I take a motorbike to Tropical Nomad, a co-working space where I’m a member. From work, I’ve been going to the gym and either having something to eat there or coming home and going to dinner. 

While this might sound too structured for some, I’m a business of one, meaning I don’t really get 100% vacation. This is what works for me to be able to retain the reputation and income I need to be able to work from somewhere so beautiful and have the evenings and weekends to explore. 

2. Time Blocking Email

Time blocking my email is the most time saving thing I have learned since being in Bali. Bali is twelve hours ahead of Virginia, where all of my 1:1 clients are currently based. I don’t have any overlapping business hours and wake up to the majority of the emails I’ll receive for the day. 

Before I booked my flight or lodging, I spoke with each of my clients, letting them know my plans and that my response time wouldn’t be as quick as it is while I’m in the same time zone. They were all supportive and knew that I would continue to work hard for them while abroad.

While I don’t want to undervalue my work or the importance of social media, no one is going to die if I don’t respond to an email in less than one business day. I haven’t had any clients upset by my response time and my goal is to remember this when I get home. Instead of constantly checking my email, I plan to check once in the morning, once at midday, and once before logging off for the day.

Tim Ferris, author of The 4 Hour Workweek, recommends checking email just twice a day and offers a comprehensive explanation and Email Auto Responses HERE. I recommend Tim’s content to anyone who’s interested in becoming a digital nomad and reference one of my favorite parables from The 4 Hour Workweek in my blog post, Why I Had to Have a Lifestyle Business.

While my response time is a natural effect of my circumstances, successful email batching is an example of the fact that,

“People will treat you the way that you let them.” 

If you consistently respond to emails within ten minutes, the senders are always going to expect you to respond to their emails within ten minutes.

3. Spend Money on Things That Make Life Easier

I realize that this is a super privileged thing to say and I didn’t always have this mindset or ability when traveling. It took 36 years of being alive and five years of running my own business to get to the point where I’m willing and able to spend money on convenience.

Most important is having the equipment that allows me to be more efficient and productive. For example, I purchased a travel monitor for this trip and it is a game changer. Sometimes when I’m at home I’ll go work from a coffee shop for a change of scenery and it’s always a better idea in theory than in reality. I always end up going home earlier than I intended because I miss my second screen. My new travel monitor allows me to pull up all the tabs I need and work in the same vein that I do from home.

I also paid to be a member at a coworking space. Even though every coffee shop I’ve been to has wifi and there’s a free coworking space down the street from my apartment (they do require you to spend money on food and drinks), having a workspace that I pay to be a part of means that I know there will always be a seat for me and I’m more likely to use it because I want to get my monies worth. 

I also know that I’ll have reliable wifi and I love my ride to the coworking space, which brings me to the next thing that I’ve been spending money on.

When traveling, I like to walk as much as possible. While I walk down to the beach in the mornings, there aren’t sidewalks or convenient routes everywhere I need to go throughout the day, making it impractical to walk. Motorbike is the best way to get around in Bali, with bikes far outnumbering cars. 

My friend Hollie rented a motorbike here and even coordinated a lesson so I could learn to ride as well. After two hours on the bike, I was not confident driving a new type of vehicle and on the left hand side of the road. Instead of driving myself, I order bikes on Gojek (think Uber) and ride on the back with someone who knows what they’re doing. Not only do I not have to worry about my (lack of) skills, I don’t have to worry about directions, where to park, or topping up gas. Being a passenger princess is honestly one of my favorite parts of my day. I get to chill and enjoy the view and only feel like I’m going to die about 35% of the time.

Time equals money and efficiency and I’m grateful to be at a stage where I have the money to save myself time and purchase convenience.

4. Tasks Take As Long As I Let Them

This isn’t new information but apparently it’s something I have to keep learning over and over. If I have something I want to do after work, I can get my daily tasks done quickly. But if I’m just requiring myself to have my butt in a seat from 9:00-5:00, I will let my tasks take me eight hours. And the requirement of having my butt in a seat from 9-5 is a huge reason why I started my own business in the first place.

How am I overcoming this? It’s something I’m still working on but I have been scheduling classes at the gym at 5:15 so that I have a hard cut-off. I have also learned the times of day I work best. For example, I need to focus on work for my business at the very beginning of the day. The client work always gets done because it has to. The client work is what my income and reputation depend on. So when I need to record Reels, write blog content, or work on my course, I know I need to work on it at the very start of the work day.

5. Knowing What I Don’t Know 

While I don’t know everything, I know that I can learn everything I want or need to know. Another favorite non-fiction book of mine is Everything is Figureoutable, by Marie Forleo. I talk all. The. Time. about how being willing and able to Google is a skill. Too many people give up when a simple answer isn’t easily found but a little digging on Google or YouTube can supply all the knowledge you need, giving you a one up on all those giver-uppers (we’re making up words left and right today).

I’ve been using Google constantly since arriving in Bali, from converting currency and translating phrases to reminding myself how to export leads from Facebook ads.

While some skills are gained through experience, like navigating time differences and communicating expectations, many skills, like reading Instagram Insights and editing Reels, can be gained through a Google search.

These five lessons have reshaped my mindset and set me on a path towards sustainable success as a digital nomad… and they’re just the beginning. I look forward to expanding my knowledge, adding value to my routines, and embracing new experiences.

Ready to start your own social media marketing business that allows you to work from Bali (or anywhere in the world)?