Our rent doubled after we got married, so we became digital nomads. It was challenging until I established a daily routine.

• Sarah Khan, 33, and her husband both had flexible jobs and dreamed of living as digital nomads.
• Their rent getting doubled was the push they needed to pack up and go.
• It's been 10 months, and she's found that following this daily schedule helps her stay grounded.

Our landlord doubled our rent last year — it was the final push we needed to go remote.

My now-husband and I had been talking about it for years. We pictured ourselves spending long stretches living and working near beaches and nature. The desire only grew stronger during the quiet of the COVID lockdowns. But like many Singaporeans, we were tethered by the demands of our jobs and an apartment lease that kept our feet firmly homebound.

Not being able to afford our apartment was the perfect push.

After all, we had everything lined up: I'd been freelancing, as a content and editorial strategist, for a year, and my husband had a remote job. Being location-independent was feasible, and since we hadn't yet decided on starting a family, this window of freedom felt worth seizing.

We ended our lease, packed up, and took the plunge into nomadic living. Ten months in, we've made homes out of Bali, Rome, Tuscany, Bangkok, Phuket — and soon, Alicante, Spain — spending two to three months in each place.

Nature and novelty

There's no question: our life feels fuller now. In just a short time, we've packed in some amazing experiences: a digital detox retreat in Cambodia, train-hopping across Italy, staying on a farm near Rome, and hiking through national parks in Thailand. Even the mundane tasks — like grocery runs or riding a scooter to the gym — feel fresh and new.

More meaningfully, this year has given me a fresh lens on life and work.

I often felt pressure to follow a conventional script — buy a home, climb the corporate ladder, and have kids. But this journey opened my eyes to different possibilities of a life well-lived. We've met people building companies, writing books, and designing lives that prioritize meaning over milestones.

Working remotely has helped me dream bigger and embrace the idea that success doesn't have to be confined to one path.

Harder than expected

That said, this lifestyle isn't without its challenges. A few months in, the cracks began to show.

One big misconception about being a digital nomad is that it feels like a permanent vacation — that work plays second fiddle to leisure. Think: those laptop-on-the-beach shots. The reality is less glamorous: most days, you're indoors, working.

In the beginning, I constantly felt torn and caught in between: not quite in "vacation mode," but not working in a traditional sense either. I remember sitting in a hotel lobby in Ischia, watching vacationers frolic in the sea, while I stayed glued to my screen, powering through a 9-to-5 writing shift.

These days, I try to establish clearer boundaries. I accept that some days are for work and some are for play, and theme my days accordingly.

On paper, city-hopping sounded exhilarating; in reality, it often left me feeling scattered. Each new city brought wonder, yes, but came with a new round of logistics: finding a decent gym, adjusting to a new timezone, and resetting my workspace.

Just as I'd hit my stride, it was time to pack up again. The frequent travel can be disorienting, especially when you're balancing full-time work obligations and life admin.

Thankfully, we've since shifted to what's often called the "slomad" lifestyle, spending two to three months in each place. This slower pace has helped us find a rhythm that feels more sustainable, one where we can settle in and build routines.

A routine that travels with me

Working and traveling sounds like a dream — and in many ways, it is. But I've also learned how essential it is to stay grounded in daily rituals.

Noticing how my productivity and well-being often took a hit, especially when adjusting to a new city or timezone, I realized I needed a "transferrable routine" — something simple but effective that I could recreate anywhere.

After lots of trial and error, I've used Notion, a productivity app, to set this daily rhythm:

• 6:30 a.m. meditation and yoga
• Breakfast with my husband at our favorite local café
• 1 outreach or visibility action (e.g. following up with client leads)
• 30 minutes of focused writing
• Movement (typically strength training or Pilates)
• Reading fiction and/or catching up on favorite Substacks
• Wrapping up work by 5:30 p.m. so we can squeeze in a sunset swim
• A FaceTime or text with someone back home

Most tasks only take 10 to 30 minutes, but together, they help me stay grounded, healthy, and aligned with my bigger goals without getting overwhelmed. They eliminate decision fatigue as I find my footing in a new environment, keep me consistent with what matters, and make each new place feel a little more like home.

As someone attempting to build a career while on the road, this routine gives me the structure and space to do meaningful work and move my projects along, without constantly feeling like I'm playing catch-up.

Moving forward

My husband and I originally committed to this lifestyle for a year. Ten months in, and despite the challenges of being nomadic, we're not quite ready to stop, so we've decided to extend it for at least half a year.

Though I miss the comfort and familiarity of a permanent base, we're excited to keep exploring.

Thankfully, this time, I feel better equipped to stay grounded, even in flux.