Need a Break? Your Revenue Mix Should Say ‘Cool, Go.’

This week: how having diverse income sources lets you pause on more demanding work when needed, because freedom isn’t just movement; it’s the power to step back as life calls for it.

✈️ Welcome to Midlife Nomads, your weekly hit of real talk, smart ideas, and helpful tools for building a location-independent life through remote work, travel, and business.

When you need to take a time-out, do your systems have your back?

This week, we’re sticking with the theme of building multiple income streams… because I’m living the benefits of it in real time.

I’m taking a break from client work right now, not for a sabbatical or a big trip, but because I need to. By nature, Fred doesn’t love stress (fair), and I need space in my schedule to put myself first.

If I had a regular J.O.B., I’d be completely dependent on whatever employer or government benefits might be available. And here in Canada, when you’re on short- or long-term disability, you’re expected to make do with very little. Recuperating on a beach somewhere outside your home country is entirely frowned upon.

You're stuck when you’re working, and you’re stuck when you’re unwell. You’re just… stuck.

But because I’ve been self-employed and location-independent for years, intentionally building different types of income streams, I can step back from one or two without flying into a full-blown panic.

It didn’t happen overnight—but it did happen. By design. And you can do it, too.

In case you missed it, my last One Step Closer column explored a powerful way to build that kind of flexibility: productizing your services. How can you package what you do so it’s less by-the-hour and more outcome-based—something you can sell again and again without constant customization?

Check it out if you haven’t yet:

One Step Closer: Escape the Hourly Grind with a Product Mindset + This AI Tool

In other (decidedly more fun that disability discussions) news, I just saved €1,300 on an upcoming trip by arranging a housesit! 🏡

Nope, I didn’t know the people beforehand. This was 100% cold-pitching-into-the-universe, then evaluating opportunities before coming to the right agreement. The sit covers my whole stay, the homeowner is lovely, and the place looks gorgeous. Plus, I get a kitchen and will save on dining out costs by cooking for myself, which I enjoy anyway.

Honestly, this is one of the most underrated ways to cut travel costs and experience a place like a local.

If you’re curious how to get started with housesitting, I’ve put everything I’ve learned into a no-fluff mini-course just for you. You’ll find platforms I use, how to write a standout application, red flags to watch for, and how to land sits that actually fit your lifestyle. And you can do it all on your phone in under an hour.

Full subscribers, read on for more interesting things that caught my eye this week including a super smart take on audience-first product development, a sneak peek at an upcoming digital nomad visa option, what’s really happening with Italy’s permit, and an AI tool to help you create, repurpose, and promote your content.