2.11 How to Be a Digital Nomad with Kayla Ihrig

kayla ihrig

Digital Nomad Life and Love on the Road

On this episode of the Work from Home Forever podcast, Kayla Ihrig shares her journey as a digital nomad, emphasizing the importance of breaking free from the traditional work mindset. She discusses her initial fear of falling into a routine and waiting for milestones, prompting her to embrace remote work and travel full-time.

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2.11 How to Be a Digital Nomad with Kayla Ihrig – Work From Home Forever

Meet Kayla, a passionate digital nomad, discussing her life-changing journey and upcoming book, "How to Be a Digital Nomad." Kayla shares her experiences, including meeting her husband on the road, embracing the challenges, and building a remote work lifestyle. Key Points: Inspiration for Travel: Kayla's desire to escape the mundane and avoid the trap of waiting for weekends and vacations fueled her journey into the digital nomad lifestyle. Fear of Complacency: A pivotal moment at work made Kayla realize the danger of wishing away life. Remote work offered a way to be mindful and intentional in designing her own life. Traveling Solo: Starting in Mexico, Kayla ventured through eight countries, learning, working, and immersing herself in diverse cultures. Meeting Her Husband: Spanish school in Guatemala led to unexpected connections, and Kayla found love on the road. They established a home base in the Netherlands before going fully nomadic again. Balancing Work and Travel: Kayla emphasizes the need to visualize working while traveling, dispelling the misconception of a perpetual vacation. Upcoming Book – "How to Be a Digital Nomad": A practical guide with a memoir touch, featuring stories of digital nomads spanning five decades, offering valuable insights and tips for aspiring nomads. Kayla's new book, "How to Be a Digital Nomad," is set to release on January 30th, 2024. Available on major platforms, including Amazon, Target, and Barnes & Noble. 🌐 Connect with Kayla on her website ________________________  Do you love the show? Check out our⁠ ⁠⁠official merch page⁠⁠⁠ ⁠on Etsy and support the show! ________________________

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Meet Kayla Ihrig

Kayla’s story unfolds as she travels from Chicago to various countries, finding her way through uncertainties and challenges. The turning point comes when she realizes the value of living in the moment and designing a life day by day. She highlights the pivotal moment when a colleague questions the collective wish to fast-forward through life.

Planning to Become a Digital Nomad

The conversation delves into Kayla’s decision to leave her job, her meticulous planning before embracing the nomadic lifestyle, and the transformative experiences she encountered. The narrative takes an unexpected turn as she meets her husband during her journey, leading to a shared nomadic life.

Transition to Remote Work

The podcast episode touches on practical aspects of remote work and travel, emphasizing the need for careful organization. Kayla’s 10 golden rules include naming and filing everything correctly, a habit she encourages to maintain professionalism and efficiency in a remote work environment.

Sharing Her Story to Teach Others

As Kayla announces her upcoming book, “How to Be a Digital Nomad,” she reflects on the diverse stories of digital nomads spanning five decades, offering a how-to guide with a memoir-like cadence. The book provides practical insights and encourages readers to tailor their nomadic journey based on their preferences and needs.

Other Topics Discussed in This Episode

In a rapid-fire round, Kayla shares her next travel destination, reminisces about her time in Chicago, gives tips on evaluating Airbnb listings, and reflects on the liberating experience of letting go of possessions.

Connect with Kayla

• 🌐 Website: Writing From Nowhere
• 🌐 How to Be a Digital Nomad: Buy Kayla’s book on Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble

Q&A with Kayla

Why did you want to Work From Home Forever?

To choose WHERE I work (and that “where” is usually abroad).

How long have you been Working From Home, Forever?

Since 2017, though I did have some location-dependent work in 2018-2020 to help get my online business off the ground.

What tradeoffs, if any, did you make in order to Work From Home Forever?

I don’t feel I lost anything, I would say it’s been 100% gain.

How do you manage work/life balance Working From Home, Forever?

I developed a set of rules to live (and work) by. I called these the “remote work 10 commandments” in my book. I’m happy to go into further detail but I don’t want to bombard the form.

What’s your best advice to others who want to Work From Home Forever?

Make learning a part of your weekly routine. You take more of life “into your own hands” when you work remotely, and it’s important to be constantly self-reflecting and refining. A podcast on productivity, personal growth, etc. is a must to help you achieve this and expose you to new ideas and conversations (which you have less of working from home vs the office).

What are your three must-haves to Work From Home, Forever?

• 1 – iPad for organization
• 2 – Vitamin D lamp for tired days
• 3 – Good earbuds for getting lost in the music

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S3 E5 Corey Walker: From Marketing Specialist to Instagram for Dummies – Work From Home Forever

In this episode of the Work From Home Forever podcast, we chat with Corey Walker, a social media agency owner and co-author of "Instagram for Dummies" and "Instagram for Business for Dummies." Corey shares her journey from working in a corporate cubicle to running her own successful social media agency from home. The catalyst for her transition was the desire to spend more time with her young daughter, who was in daycare while Corey felt unproductive in her office cubicle. Determined to find a better work-life balance, she began freelancing and eventually established her agency, The Marketing Specialist. Corey highlights the importance of having a dedicated office space at home and setting clear boundaries with clients to maintain a healthy work-life balance. She discusses how the rise of short-form video content has transformed digital marketing, noting the challenges small business owners face in creating engaging videos. Despite the obstacles, she emphasizes the necessity of leveraging platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn to connect with clients and grow their businesses. Corey also touches on the importance of maintaining personal connections and taking breaks to avoid burnout. She shares strategies for managing client expectations and stresses the value of networking and continuous learning to stay ahead in the ever-evolving field of social media marketing. Throughout the interview, Corey provides practical advice for those considering a transition to remote work, whether for a company or as an entrepreneur. Connect with Corey: Website: The Marketing Specialist Instagram: ⁠⁠CoreyCWalker ________________________  Do you love the show? Check out our⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠official merch page⁠⁠⁠ ⁠on Etsy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and support the show! ________________________

1. S3 E5 Corey Walker: From Marketing Specialist to Instagram for Dummies 32:24
2. S3 E4 Stay Fit While You Sit: Ergonomic Tips with Mike Jones 30:57
3. S3 E3 Creating a Kind Workplace: Michael G. Neece on Leading with Kindness 36:30
4. S3 E2 From Family Therapy to Bestselling Author: Jack Lawrence's Career Pivot 30:05
5. S3 E1 Building a Remote-First Culture: Insights from Danielle Cuomo of Virtual Assist USA 27:52