In 2016, my last year in Sydney, this was a typical workday for me:
I wake up at 6 am, get ready for work, and fight with other commuters to get space on the bus and train to get to work. Grab something quickly to eat on the way. Arrive at work at 7.30. My start time is 8 am, but that’s when the phones switch on. I need that extra 30 minutes to respond to the emails that came in overnight. 8 am ‘start’ work. It’s busy, non-stop busy. Lunchtime comes, and even though I have an hour, I rarely take it; I rush out to grab something to eat, get some fresh (well, as fresh as North Sydney air can be) and then go back to my desk, it continues to be busy. I never finish work at 5, never. Most times, I’ll still be there at 7 or 8 pm. Finally, I leave and head home, grabbing something to eat on the way. By the time I get home, I’m exhausted. I’ll watch TV for maybe an hour or less, then fall dead asleep, ready to do it all again tomorrow.
Sound familiar?
My life today in Thailand:
I wake up when my body is ready; I don’t look at the clock; clocks are redundant. I shower and then have a leisurely breakfast, which I’ve cooked or had cooked for me by one of the locals. I sit on the patio and watch the world pass by; my dog pretends to sleep at my feet, hoping for some table scraps. After breakfast, which is almost brunch, I sit at my computer for a couple of hours and do some writing (or not If I don’t feel like it). After that, I will be free for the rest of my day. I might go to a coffee shop, a local temple or one of the many tourist attractions near my property. Lunch is something local made from fresh ingredients. In the late afternoon, I watch TV or read a book. An hour before sunset, I go for a run for at least 10 km. Then I come home, cook something light and healthy for dinner, watch TV for a few hours, and sleep when I’m tired.
Which kind of day would you prefer? The second one, of course, and that’s possible for everyone. You just have to do what I did and escape the rat race.
My website and book, The Digital Nomad Life, will show you how.