This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 29th Nov 2022.

Nienke Nina is an experienced digital nomad, who has traveled and worked remotely for over 4 years. She started her journey by studying and living abroad. During her digital nomad lifestyle, she has been a digital nomad freelancer, a remote employee in several companies, and is today a multi-passionate entrepreneur. 

Nienke Nina is the founder of Digital Nomads Daily and host of the Digital Nomads Daily Podcast. It’s a community platform for location-independent folks sharing experiences and tips about traveling and remote working. On the podcast, you can listen to practical insights and life advice shared by experienced digital nomads, from finding a house to landing a job and everything digital nomads face in their daily lives. 

Follow Nienke Nina on social media! @DigitalNomadsDaily

Check out Rowena’s interview in Nienke Nina’s podcast <A Digital Nomad Family Enjoying It Part-Time with Rowena>

🫶How do you take care of yourself when nomading?

Over the years, I have established different routines depending on location, work situation, and ability to meet others. The following elements help me feel productive and healthy: 

Morning a short me-time: Meditation/yoga at home or a walk in nature without any screen.

Morning from 9 am till 3 or 4 pm working hours: I work Monday to Sunday; instead of a 9-5 workday. I tune in with myself to feel when I need a break. 

Afternoon long me-time: My activities include a long walk, beach hangout alone or with friends, or any other adventures without any screen.

Evening: I work a little bit more and then cook some dinner, go out for dinner, meet with friends, or watch a movie. 

Besides this day structure, I still find it challenging to disconnect from work, reduce screen time (laptop, phone, tv), and include body movement and workout in my routine.

Like Juliana Rabbi, who structures her day with morning routines, Nienke Nina has other rituals to feel energised.

One cup of coffee in the morning - I recently shifted to decaf and feel good about it. 

I fast for around 14-18 hours daily and mostly eat healthy food. So, lots of fruits, little processed foods, and sugar. 

I try to plan my work around my female cycle so that when my hormones take a crazy ride that week, I avoid doing strategy work because I feel more insecure.

When I feel great (so after the period), I do strategy work and focus on collaborations and money-making activities.

I avoid socializing, where people drink a lot of alcohol. This isn’t always easy but in my normal digital nomad lifestyle, I feel better when I don’t drink. It also helps not to have wine in the house, so I don’t even think about it.

Interested in learning more about Digital Nomad tips? Listen to the Digital Nomads Daily Podcast today!

✴️ How do you find community as a nomad?

I usually reach out to online communities like Facebook groups. For example, I post a photo of myself with a short caption including my name, hobbies, and what type of connections I am looking for in a new destination. 

For meeting other nomads, I like joining co-working spaces, hostels, networking events, or workshops. I also join group activities, yoga classes, hiking, food experiences, etc.

I mostly stay in touch through Instagram, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp. I love receiving and sending updates to my closer relationship via voice messages.

If you want to learn more about making meaningful connections, check out Nienke Nina's book - Digital Nomads With Confidence - where she has dedicated a full chapter about community building for digital nomads. 

🌱 How do you consider the planet and minimise your impact?

A couple of things I do and encourage others to do too: 

I don't use single plastics or plastic bags; I travel with many tote bags. I bring my Tupperware for takeouts when I am going out for dinner. I always have a large 600ML bottle of water next to my laptop and water filters. I don't buy small things like candy or anything. 

Similarly to Christen Scalfano, I prefer slow travel and am not a fan of taking many flights. If possible, I will use multi-people transportation like a bus or shared car ride. I avoid places like Starbucks and prefer local stores/producers. I don't shop, and whatever I buy, it's always replacing another item.

On the female side: I use special towels to remove my makeup. I'm a big fan of the cup instead of tampons. Soaps and cosmetics are planet-friendly brands.

🔗Connect with Nienke Nina via her  Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube channel, and website. 🔗

Subscribe to her newsletter today!

…. Meet Christen Scalfano, who is raising funds for the environment by traveling sustainably from the Balkans to Bangkok and follow #DigitalNomadStories 

Or why not meet Han, Juliana, and Charlie, all digital nomads with fantastic stories to share!?

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This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 29th Nov 2022.