Choose a workspace that suits you
Before you start hunting for the most Instagrammable work spot (remember, you've moved abroad to work), it's crucial to consider your expectations, tastes, work organization, and financial means. The latest trendy cafe may not suit your activity. Neither might a forest or the seaside. While unusual workspaces attract digital nomads seeking a change of scenery, don't trust every story online. Just like edited photos, thrilling tales of expats working underwater or atop a mountain may not reflect reality. It's good to seek inspiration from other expats, but stay true to your own desires, expectations, and means.
A space where you can work without disturbing others
You've finally found your dream workspace. Since cafes are trendy, you've chosen (and placed your computer in) the hippest one, just two minutes from the beach, with a breathtaking view. The problem is that the place is noisy and not really conducive to work. The tables are too cramped. The constant movement of waiters and customers is distracting, and you don't realize you're also disrupting others. Your computer spoils the postcard-perfect photo. The issue of "cafe laptop squatters" is far from trivial. In tourist cities, hordes of digital nomads have taken to camping in cafes while only paying for a single drink... This has become such a widespread issue that more and more trendy cafes ban the use of computers. Before settling into your workspace, check whether you're allowed to work there.
Remote working: What are your criteria?
Now that the stage is set, it's time for research. You may have already considered your future workspace while planning your move. What selection criteria did you decide on? To refine your choice, balancing your desires with practical criteria is important.
Nature of your activity
It's said that digital nomads need only a computer and an internet connection to work. This is true but might be incomplete depending on the profession and work organization. Many digital nomads schedule occasional meetings or presentations. Others do video editing or record podcasts or radio shows. If this describes you, you'll need a quiet workspace.
Your use of the workspace
Have you embraced the new trend of dynamic work? You couldn't bring your walking desk in your luggage, but you plan to keep moving in your host country. We're not talking about your discovery breaks but about your workspace and how you use it. Some people work while walking, standing, or occasionally gesturing. Which category do you fall into? If you're someone who needs to walk around every hour for five minutes (recommended by doctors!), but you find yourself in a crowded cafe, you might struggle to carry out your mini-gym sessions. If you're used to talking out loud to organize your thoughts, shared workspaces may not suit you.
General ambiance, sound environment
What kind of work environment are you looking for? Is the ambiance you seek related to the country you've chosen? Being a digital nomad in Mexico, Estonia, Mauritius, Norway, Namibia, the Bahamas, South Korea, Brazil, or Taiwan is not the same. Each country has its own richness and culture. The list of countries issuing digital nomad visas keeps growing, and the opportunities for working abroad are multiplying. Efficient work and a good working environment go hand in hand. For example, you'll avoid noisy places if you need quiet. You might be more comfortable in the studious, muted atmosphere of a library. You may prefer the intimacy of a small shared workspace with fewer than 10 digital nomads. Conversely, you might find it easier to work in a "hostel" or festive atmosphere.
Location, type of workspace
If you're looking for a complete change of scenery, you might lean toward unusual coworking spaces. Some companies have become known for their quirky offerings. In Thailand, Kohub allows you to work in the tropics. Currently closed (off-season), it will reopen from November 1 to April 30, 2025. In Portugal, Village Underground lets you live in a converted container. In France, Climbing District combines workspaces, cafes, and climbing walls. There are a number of other unique workplaces (in the countryside, at sea, etc.). The question you need to ask is about their accessibility. Many original places are easily accessible by public transport. Others, due to their very location, will be harder to reach. What are your possibilities? Will you be mobile enough to get to your workplace, even if it's hard to access or far from your accommodation?
Safety
Are you sure to find your laptop after a bathroom break? Will you have to carry your equipment every time you leave your seat? Would you dare invest in a portable toilet (don't get caught for exhibitionism...)? Digital nomadism has its constraints: you carry valuable equipment with you. Therefore, you are a potential target for malicious individuals. When choosing your workspace, think about safety. In a library or coworking space, for example, people often rely on others to watch their belongings during a bathroom break. These places are dedicated to work and are designed to ensure security. Cafes, restaurants, or bars, are not dedicated to work but are convivial meeting spaces. There's more people and more movement. Of course, it's not about suspecting all friendly places of harboring terrible villains. An incident can happen even in the quietest library.
With or without a "digital nomad community"?
Do you want to be surrounded by digital nomads? Do you also want them to work in the same sector as you? Do you need other people to stimulate you? Or, on the contrary, are you the type of person who avoids crowds? Do you prefer to work alone? Again, your work habits will guide you to the ideal place. If the others' company is essential for you, don't be too picky. You won't likely find a workspace that only gathers digital nomads from your industry, with the personality traits you're looking for, and that will also open new markets for you.
Second home or one workspace a day
Some digital nomads want to find the place where they will stay throughout their stay in the host city. They seek a family spirit and a "second home" atmosphere. Others are nomadic even in their choice of workplace: one day here, one day there. Even if they don't leave the city, they move around, test different places, and test themselves in different working conditions. It's up to you to choose what suits you. You can, of course, opt for a middle ground, not changing places every day, but trying two or three workspaces.
Amenities, essential services, budget
Internet, sockets, catering services, snacking options, additional facilities (tables, chairs, private offices, meeting rooms...), opening hours, etc. The choice of your workspace must, of course, consider these essential services. For instance, many coworking spaces offer cultural activities and networking evenings, among others. Some places partner with tour guides to offer city explorations. Others specialize in all art forms and organize exhibitions, but all these services and activities come at a price. Your budget will weigh heavily in the balance. To reduce the bill, keep in mind that you don't have to go to your (paid) workspace every day. You can very well experience luxury coworking once every two weeks and opt for more economical solutions the rest of the time.
Which type of workspace suits you best?
It's now time to choose your workspace: coworking, coliving, time cafe... what are their advantages?
Coworking space
Designed for you and your freelance friends, it's the office for everyone, practical and multifunctional. It remains the top choice for digital nomads. You'll find many coworking spaces, depending on the ambiance, styles, and services you're looking for.
Coliving for digital nomads
It's the intimate version of coworking. The idea is simple: you share accommodation with several digital nomads. It's ideal for expats who like to work in a small group in a shared living atmosphere.
A digital nomad friend's living room
This is the temporary version of coliving if you like your nomadic friends during the day but not so much at night. It is ideal for expats who want to separate their professional and personal lives.
Library, media library
Like coworking spaces, libraries and media libraries are designed for work. Exceptional venues coexist with more minimalist spaces.
Cafe
It's needless to say that initially, cafes were not designed for work. So don't be offended if you're requested to put away your laptop. You are also aware that there are a lot of cafes. Due to the influx of digital nomads, some have adapted and converted into working cafes or coworking cafes. There are also time cafes where you don't pay for consumption but for the time spent. It is an ingenious way for cafe owners to cover their costs.
Hotel
Since COVID, hotels have started offering rooms for remote workers. The service continues and adapts to the needs of digital nomads. Whether it's a palace or a motel atmosphere, there's something for every taste and budget.
Gym lounge
You couldn't bring your walking desk, but you plan to continue your exercise abroad. Good news: gyms have started opening their lounges to digital nomads.
Beach
This is where we often imagine digital nomads, thanks to social media. However, reality usually differs from images of foreigners alone and happy on a dream island (but with Wi-Fi). Beaches are crowded. Volleyballs and tennis rackets are flying everywhere. Sand gets struck in the keyboard. The sun beats down on the computer screen, pounding on the head despite the umbrella. Its rays dazzle, and the heat stupefies. The urge to dive into the water becomes increasingly uncontrollable unless the uncontrollable waves come to you and swamp your laptop. Do you still think the beach is the ideal place to work remotely?
Your accommodation
As you navigate from one unusual place to another, you've almost forgotten there's a place conducive to work: your accommodation. It is a practical and economical solution, especially if you prefer to work quietly alone. Don't hesitate to invest in good accommodation, depending on your expectations and budget.
Why it's essential to choose your workspace wisely
We remind you that you've moved abroad primarily to work. You're not a working holiday visa holder who works to fund their travels. Nor are you a tourist. You are a foreign professional, and the distinction is significant. Keep it in mind to choose your workplace wisely. Make compromises. Respect your host country's culture and blend in. Get the most out of your move to explore the country (after work, of course). This new country might become your new home. Who knows?
