Do you feel stuck or unmotivated? When coming up with new ideas feels less like going with a natural flow and more like trying to find a needle in a haystack, it’s a sign that you might need a break.
Freelancers tend to take vacations far too rarely. It’s easy to see why – you don’t have paid days off like regular employees. Every day you don’t work is money out of your paycheck at the end of the month. But there is a way to simultaneously break that mental block andmaintain at least somemoney flowing in – going to work abroad. Some freelancers like to take a retreat in a beautiful city where there aren’t that many distractions. Others go to some adventurous place and soak in the culture and the flair of the place. Whatever you chose to do, a month of working abroad can really do a lot for your career.
Here are the top five ways in which it can help:
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Get a change of perspective
In your own city or town, even if you meet with other freelancers, you’re stuck in a bubble. It’s a bubble of people who share a similar culture, similar ways of thinking and similar everyday experiences.
If you’re busy smashing your head against a wall, sometimes it’s difficult to see the hammer right next to you. Going to a different country can help you take a step back and consider how you are tackling various issues. Even the smallest things, like the way people dress, what they eat and how they communicate with one another can inspire you to rethink your work approach. That change of perspective can be very inspiring.
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Expand your network
A huge advantage of getting out of your bubble is that you will meet new people. You will have to actively seek that out when you’re abroad, though. One of the easiest ways to do that is by planning your trip around a conference or a similar big event.
If you know a lot of people working in your field are going to be in the country or city you’re visiting, you have a perfect chance to expand your network. Getting to know these people is, at first, exactly about that – getting to know them.
Learn their stories, the ways they do business and exchange contact info. You will learn a lot from such connections. Once they have become a part of your network, the next benefit of going abroad for a while kicks in.
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Create new long-term opportunities
The people you meet around the world can be your future colleagues, bosses and, sometimes, even friends. Building a global network leads to long-term opportunities. As a freelancer, you have the freedom to work with the whole world out of your office or the comforts of your home. Utilize that. Turn the new members of your network into jobs and contracts.
This will do two things for you: number one, it’s going to diversify your income. You won’t be that dependent on trends or hypes in your particular country. Secondly, the fact that you work globally will automatically lead to more global clients. After all, people from the other side of the world don’t go looking for freelancers that only work for local companies – they look for people who’ve already dipped their feet into global freelancing.
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Enhance your resume
Spending a month or even several months abroad can look great on your resume. Even more so if you’ve been to a couple of different countries. That sends a message to further clients – the message and always looking for more opportunities to expand your client base and improve your work. It also sends a message that you’re not getting complacent inside your own four walls, but rather looking for a challenge outside of yourself.
Even discounting that, it helps you appear more interesting. Seeing that someone has been to Argentina for a couple of months automatically raises questions. Once recruiters and clients start asking themselves questions about you, you’re one step closer to getting that contract.
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Recharge your batteries
Last but not least, doing some work abroad will mean that you also get some extra time to relax. You will still be working, don’t get me wrong. But working in a new, exciting place has a tendency to feel less tedious.
On your spare time, you won’t be sitting at the couch watching the latest TV show. You’ll want to explore the city, because it’s an opportunity you won’t get every day. You’ll be more active, because there are so many things to experience. Even something as simple as getting your groceries can be exciting in a new country. That is sure to give your batteries that extra jolt they need to function at one hundred and ten percent.
If you had to pick a country to work in for a couple of months right now, which would it be? Tell us in the comment section below!
