The Art of Working From Anywhere
originally published on staays - april 2025
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Since transitioning from a traditional 9-to-5 earlier this year, I’ve fully embraced a life and career without roots—developing strategies from the Blue Ridge Mountains, presenting projects from a remote beach in Sumba, and writing articles from a sunlounger in Hydra. My work-travel approach is a work-in-progress but here are a few handy tips I’ve picked up after a summer of hotel hopping.
Start small. For most of us, it’s not possible to pack up our lives in favour of a nomadic lifestyle. A nice way, I’ve discovered, to live your digital nomad daydreams (but without the hassle of backpacks or hostel hopping) is to extend already-planned trips and embrace the “work-action”. Heading to Athens for the weekend? Tag on a couple of days to the beginning or end of your trip where you can work like a local.
Stick to your usual hours but grab your Freddo Espresso from neighbourhood hole-in-the-wall. No salad al desko here. Treat yourself to a long lunch at the taverna on the square (dakos, saganaki, the works) and then retreat to the AC when the mid-afternoon sun gets too much. We’re all guilty of saying “I could live here” whenever we visit somewhere new. But now you can. For a couple of days at least.
It’s all about the base. I’ve taken calls sitting under wifi routers, from train station benches and noisy cafés. This isn’t a good look. When choosing your hotel think smart - and this goes beyond checking the wifi speed - which needs to be a given. Is there a desk in the room? How’s the light? Do I want to spend time in this space? While everyone assumes you’ll be working from a sunlounger, that’s usually far from reality. You and your laptop will overheat, and you’ll easily waste an hour hopping between lounger and AC which isn’t efficient if you want to wrap before apperitivo hour. Make sure the base you choose is conducive to getting things done.
Embrace holiday you. Work in your favourite wafty sundress (but maybe not your bikini), take early morning dips, and enjoy fresh fish (and a small glass of crisp, local wine) at lunch. You’re not in the office, so try and incorporate those little holiday joys into your work day. Make space to lean into the slower rhythms of your new destination and don’t feel too guilty if you clock off a little early. There will be plenty of time to reply to that urgent email on Monday.