Can you feel the beach in Bali calling your name?
After the last few years we’ve had, it’s easy to get sucked into Instagram posts about traveling the world and following your dreams. But here’s something most influencers and Youtube stars won’t tell you: The laptop lifestyle isn’t for everyone. And let me be the first to tell you, that’s okay.
Being your own boss, living out of a backpack, being a full time digital nomad…it all comes with ups and downs. So how do you know if the laptop lifestyle is right for you?
If you’re reading this, some part of you has been dreaming of more. Of seeing the world and creating a business that makes you actually excited to start work every Monday morning. But making this change is a big commitment, and you’re not sure you’re ready to leap quite yet.
That’s why I put this checklist together: So you can stop bouncing back and forth between going for it or not, and finally put your mind at ease. Go ahead and see how many you check off!
But first…
What is the laptop lifestyle?
You know those pictures you see on Instagram of girls working from a cafe in Bali, sun-tanned and smiling, with their laptop on one side and smoothie bowl on the other? That’s the laptop lifestyle.
Essentially, it means having any online business or remote job so that firstly you can work from anywhere. Some (but not all) laptop lifestylers are digital nomads who travel full-time – meaning they don’t have a home base and live in different countries for a few weeks to a few months at a time.
Others just enjoy the freedom of being able to work whenever, and wherever they want to. They might have a home base in Bali year round, or maybe they live in California but spend the winters in Thailand. The laptop lifestyle looks different for everyone, and you can truly make it what you want!
Sound like a dream? Keep reading to find out if the laptop lifestyle is right for you!
6 Signs You’re Meant to Live a Laptop Lifestyle
1. You don’t want to settle.
Two weeks vacation a year? Yeah, that’s not going to cut it.
You want a job that makes you feel fulfilled, creative AND allows you to actually live your life on your terms. The idea of sitting in an office for the next 30+ years literally fills you with dread, because you know you’re capable of so much more. You just need a little push to get there.
But unlike other entrepreneurs, you specifically know you don’t just want unlimited vacation days, you want to live your normal day to day life shopping at the markets in Mexico, and figuring out the train station in Taiwan. (PS: if that sentence made your heart go pitter-patter, the laptop lifestyle is most likely for you!).
Related Post: How to Quit Your 9 to 5 and Travel the World Full Time
2. You feel like the people around you just don’t get it.
All your friends and family seem happy to settle into a traditional lifestyle, work the 9-to-5 and save for retirement. Are you the only one who thinks there must be something more out there?
The short answer: No way! There are plenty of people out there who feel the same way, and who have already taken steps to live a little differently. (Hint: You can find some of them in the Laptop Lifestyle Entrepreneurs Facebook group!)
Transitioning to a laptop lifestyle can be intimidating and often lonely as you don’t have a normal stable PHYSICAL community to go along with your “home.” This is why it’s so important to surround yourself with a supportive and uplifting digital community (Come say hi on Facebook or Instagram!).
On the flip side, because you travel often and live in other countries, you are always meeting people and making new connections – some just for a night, and some that will stay in your life for a long time.
If you don’t feel like the people around you share your sense of adventure, and the idea of constantly meeting new people excites you, then the laptop lifestyle just might be for you.
3. You’re not afraid of hard work.
You know this isn’t a get rich quick scheme and you’re not going to make a million dollars in passive income your first year. Additionally, if you’re traveling AND starting a business, you realize it can’t just be fun travel stuff all the time. You’re going to have to put in a lot of work, even when you are in these exciting locations.
Starting an online business requires putting in real effort, but you’re ready to go all in! You don’t mind putting in the time to learn new skills or sacrificing a few nights out with friends and feel ready to balance it all – it’s all an investment in your future.
On a similar note, you know this isn’t a phase. This is something you’ve given serious thought to (not just a quarantine-fueled daydream). You’ve done your research and are ready to make an action plan not only to keep building this business but to pack your bags, sell your things, and hit the road.
Related Post: How to Start an Online Business in 2021
4. The challenge of living in a new country excites you.
Living the laptop lifestyle is amazing, but it also comes with added responsibilities. You spend weekends planning how to get to your next destination, finding Airbnbs, looking up transportation and the cost of living in new countries, keeping track of how many days you’ve been in a country so you don’t overstay your visa… and so much more.
Your day to day life is “harder” in the sense that everything is new and most likely not in your native language. Going to the grocery store is a date with Google translate. Finding out how the bus system works takes extra time, and your routine in each location is never quite the same. Everyday life takes more time and energy.
Some people find that exciting, others find it draining. Check in with yourself to see which type of energy this gives you and if you feel ready to put in the work – not only for the business side, but also the logistics of the laptop lifestyle.
I’ve been traveling the world full time for three years, and to me, I love it! But not everyone does, and that’s okay. Check out the video below to hear my 10 favorite things about living abroad. If this video gives you that fluttering feeling in your heart – that’s a sign you’re meant for the laptop lifestyle!
5. You’re constantly browsing job boards online and downloading freebies.
Your Google search history is full of questions like: Where can I find a remote job? What is a digital nomad? How do I start my own business? How can I move to Bali and never have to make small talk at an awkward Zoom meeting ever again?
Okay, maybe that last one was a little specific, but you get the point. You know this lifestyle is possible and you want to make it happen! But first you need answers, and the amount of information out there is frankly overwhelming.
You can start by browsing the AK blog here, which is full of actionable advice about getting started as an entrepreneur, becoming a digital nomad, and creating a sustainable business that supports your lifestyle.
Want an even more in-depth roadmap to success? The Laptop Lifestyle Blueprint is your free 30 day guide to starting an online business, where I walk you through everything step by step – so you don’t lose any more hours down a Google rabbit hole.
6. More than anything, you want freedom.
You want autonomy over your life. You want to be able to choose where you live, where you travel, how long you go for, and all the other aspects of your life. You dream of being able to see the world and explore places like Vietnam, Greece and Portugal.
At this point, you don’t even care where you go as long as you get to travel somewhere!
The great thing about the laptop lifestyle is it’s all about deciding what freedom looks like for you. You don’t need to move across the world or travel to 20 countries a year. Maybe for you, freedom looks like taking every Friday off and spending more time with your family. But the fact that you own your own online business is what makes that possible.
Ready to make the laptop lifestyle your reality?
If you’ve been reading this and nodding your head along, yes, yes, yes, then I have something special just for you!
Laptop Lifestyle Bootcamp is my signature four month group coaching program to help you go from dreamer to doer. Inside the program, you’ll learn to start your business, land clients, and scale to six-figures and be surrounded by tons of other entrepreneurs who want the same freedom you want – so you can finally start living the laptop lifestyle you know you were meant for.
Take the first step to changing your life and check out all the details here!
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xoxo
amanda kolbye
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hey there!
I'm Amanda.
