Looking back at the year 2021, my first year working remotely as an Online Marketing & PR Strategist for ClickDo Ltd. and SeekaHost Ltd. full-time, I had some wonderful moments, enjoying freedom and the digital nomad lifestyledespite restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Here are some impressions of my 2021 as a digital nomad & my takeaways:
Wherever I work from I look for opportunities to swim, exercise and use a sauna and steam room:
Summer is my favourite time of year:
whenever I get a break from the laptop, I enjoy the sun, sea and the best beaches in the UK:
Working on a computer all day long:
I realised how important movement breaks are at the home office and have added a standing desk, an exercise bike and yoga equipment to my home office:
Especially during the lockdowns I understood the impact of being restricted with moving freely and this is reflected in this short video by photographer and videographer Petra Eujane:
Final verdict of 2021:
It’s been a year full of flexible yet hard work that challenges but equally fulfils me and I look forward to more remote working perhaps outside the UK in 2022 as a digital nomad.
If you want to give it a go:
Then check out my digital nomad guide and let me know how you get on by contacting meor reaching out on social media:
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
London is my home and home to some of the most prestigious and sought-after hotels and coworking spaces in the world.
As a remote worker, I spend the majority of my time working from my apartment in East London where I have everything I need and love.
But having such a selection of leisure facilities at my doorstep, I can’t help but venture out every now and then.
Setting up my home office elsewhere for Co-Working inspires
I find it inspiring and motivating to head to a new space to work from and experience a change of scenery. In a vibrant city like London, this is easy to do as you find an endless number of luxury hotels, cafes, libraries, and coworking spaces. I personally am a sucker for a room with a city view and spa facilities as it allows me to take a time out from working in front of the computer all day and to complete a short digital detox. It helps to refresh the mind, refocus on the tasks ahead, and process some more blogging or content ideas. It’s the ideal way to combine work and pleasure for the perfect work-life balance. Staying at an iconic hotel that you’ve always wanted to visit gives an extra kick.
I may indulge in such a venture once or twice a month. I do this instead of going out or spending money on clothes as I find this much more rewarding. Plus, most hotels and coworking spaces have nice restaurants and bars where you can still enjoy a cocktail or meal in the evening before calling it a night. In fact, one of the conveniences of setting up my home office at a London hotel or coworking space is that I am served a wonderful breakfast buffet in the morning. By that you already have a fantastic start to a productive day, saving time and being offered healthy fruit salads, smoothies, and ok, that odd pancake might slip in there. But wouldn’t you be tempted to test this pancake maker?
Leading a healthy lifestyle while working remotely
Should I really feel guilty after breakfast, fortunately, I have the option to make use of a gym or swimming pool for my personal fitness regime? As a remote worker spending a lot of time sitting in front of the laptop, this is a daily ritual I hardly ever miss. My body craves movement and exercise after hours of barely moving and I use this time to completely switch off from work and focus on my well-being. I have come to learn that this is vital for my productivity and health and will therefore only stay at hotels and coworking spaces that offer such facilities. I usually do 10-20 minutes of cardio exercises and then around 20 minutes of toning, finishing off with stretching. A daily 15-20 minute yoga routine is also included usually and a short 15 minute guided meditation either after getting up or before going to bed.
You may be wondering where to find these London hotels and coworking spaces at a good price and I can assure you, there are many great finds if you just look in the right places. People often think that London is super expensive and it totally can be, if you pay the full price. But as a very competitive marketplace, you can often dig out great discounts and offers. I usually compare prices on lastminute.com and booking.com. If I’m not happy with what I find there, I look for vouchers on Groupon, TimeOut London, or VoucherCodes. That way I would achieve a price cut of at least 15% and at times of up to 40%. So, doing your research can certainly pay off, especially for that luxury experience you have in mind.
Manuela’s favourite Coworking Places to work from
So, what are my recommendations as a London blogger, writer, and enthusiast? I’m still planning on checking out many more hotels and coworking spaces here, but for now, I’m a fan of
The Collective in Canary Wharf
Top facilities like swimming pool on the 20th floor with stunning views, cinema, playroom, café, restaurant/bar with imperfect service, but seriously good prices + calm workrooms with printers and speedy WIFI.
Modern hotel with cool features like bathroom wall changing to transparency with a push of a button while enjoying stunning views of London, basement gym and swimming pool with jet for advanced swimmers and sauna. 38th floor bar and restaurant looking out over the river Thames and London where you can comfortably sit and work with free WIFI. If you prefer a quieter space they also offer work areas on the first and second floor and meeting rooms or bookable work spaces.
Stylish hotel with a fantastic breakfast buffet included, featuring a pancake maker + a lovely gym overlooking Stratford, decent sized rooms with a good working desk space and even a kitchenette for self-catering.
A sleek modern hotel with a lovely and colourful lobby area, featuring darts and a soccer and pool table game + a big gym and swimming pool, steam room, and sauna. The lobby offers a lot of space to work from in the calmer corners and other little treats like a foot massage machine help you relax even more.
The inviting lobby in the entrance hall offers great spaces to either work or conduct meet-ups and record videos with wonderful natural light flowing in. It features a nice pool with jacuzzi and sauna and is obviously a great choice if you’re about to travel from Heathrow. Don’t forget to book with the incredible breakfast buffet including freshly made smoothies.
I won’t mention all of my secret tips here yet, but if you want to explore more London coworking spaces, check out this guide. And for London hotels, you can browse through this article covering some luxury hotels. Join the movement and become a digital nomad to work from anywhere you fancy while enjoying life’s advantages.
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.
London, my home and a city that normally never sleeps is about to be in lockdown as I write this with bars, pubs and restaurants closed from tomorrow as the government announced today.
So, I decided to have my last drink in public before I have to have it at home in isolation.
I sit by the river Thames with a view over St. Paul’s. While I look through the menu, I ask myself: which flavour do I want to taste last before I live in isolation?
It’s tough, I’m indecisive. I hate having to do this and without sounding dramatic here, I feel I can slightly relate to someone on death row having to choose their last meal.
Tough Decisions lie ahead
Ok, I can do this. I go for something cheerful, full of life, refreshing yet grounding. A cocktail with a strong pineapple flavour, however, not overpowering, not sweet. Well balanced with gin and topped with lavender foam. I am in love; I feel free looking out to London’s ever-changing but continuously impressive skyline.
In the background I hear legendary Abba singing “there’s not a soul out there, no one to hear my prayer”. The bar is not full on this Friday night, but a few people are enjoying a drink like me. I reminisce on the days where I would enjoy a glass of wine on a Canary Wharf rooftop bar while writing blog articles under the sun. The uncertainty of when I will be able to work outside my home again while freely choosing where to work from gives me an eerie sensation.
I take a sip and realize that the intensity of the flavours and notes in my cocktail, the colour, the shimmering foam – they would not feel the same in isolation. The surroundings of where I have my drink, the atmosphere, the view, they all add to my sensory experience.
Working from Home during Isolation
I see an empty boat passing and I wonder how I will make it through this isolation period. Thankfully, I have so many pleasurable experiences to go back to, so many amazing people I can have a drink with in virtual meetings. And I have my main work tool with me all the time so that I can write, communicate and record everything I do – my laptop & smartphone.
For now, I will have to work from home. No matter how much I love to travel and work from different places, I know this is the time to put my head down and work hard. Because there certainly will come a time where I can live the laptop lifestyle again and when it comes, I want to be ready for it.
And for the cocktail, I’m confident it will taste so much better once I can truly appreciate it again. Alone or with someone somewhere again.
Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.