Remote Work Is Not a Life Plan (And What To Do When the Hustle Creeps In)
Remote work isn’t the goal; it’s one of your vehicles for getting there. This issue is about choosing intention over always being on, plus a few reads worth your time.
✈️ 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.
Working at the beach isn’t the flex we’ve been conditioned to believe it is. Especially not if it’s the only way you can keep up.
There have been stretches of time in my life (and I suspect maybe you’ve had them, too) when every available moment was filled with work. Long days, short nights, and no real off-switch.
For me, that season returned with a vengeance during the pandemic. Like a lot of remote workers, I leaned into the hustle because, frankly, there wasn’t much else to do. Travel was off the table. Distractions were limited. And in a fully remote business, it’s easy to confuse a schedule packed full of paid gigs with genuine success.
I took on too much. It served a purpose at the time, but getting out of that mode was more difficult than expected. Even as travel reopened and life began to regain some shape, I found myself defaulting to overwork.
Filling every gap.
Saying yes too quickly.
Taking on the wrong types of work, with unreal deadlines and way too many meetings.
I had to start paying closer attention, not just to my calendar but to the cues in my own behaviour. When I catch myself having to be available outside of my core hours or pushing work into weekends, it's usually not about ambition. It’s about slipping back into old patterns that I should know by now leave me feeling drained.
It helps to pause and ask: Why did I choose this life in the first place?
If that sounds like it comes from a place of privilege, believe me, it wasn’t always this way. I come from a Canadian village of 800 people. The year my marriage ended, I made a grand total of $6,000 (yes, for the year) and spent several months homeless, in a shelter, with two kids under 4 years old.
You absolutely have choices — you can even choose to build an entirely different life for yourself. It took me a long time to believe that but now that I know, it cannot be unseen. I cannot, will not, return to a life of servitude to others at the expense of my own happiness and stability.
You 100% get to choose that for yourself, too.
It won’t be easy, and it surely won’t happen overnight, but I promise you: the steps you take today are leading you solidly in a certain direction. Make sure it’s somewhere you actually want to go.
Consistent reminders of where you want to go and how you’re going to get there help.
Recommended reading: Ditch the Office, Keep the Paycheque: Earning Remotely on Your Terms
A walk outside during work hours. A midweek lunch without the phone. A weekend off the grid, even if emails are piling up. These aren’t indulgences, they’re recalibrations. They’re small but important ways to stay aligned with the kind of freedom we build a remote business or career around.
I spent this past weekend packing and prepping for a work trip to the UK that includes a little side quest; something I’ve intentionally carved out time for. I’m taking a few days to explore the Isle of Skye, where my ancestors once lived. It’s not a vacation so much as answering a quiet invitation that’s been sitting in the background for a while.
These kinds of detours don’t happen by accident. You have to make room for them… not just in your calendar, but in how you build your life. You can stay tethered to the desk, always reacting, always available. Or you can structure your time around what matters most, including the days that aren’t billable.
That’s one of the real advantages of location independence: not just working from anywhere, but being able to set the pace. Because freedom isn’t found in being always on. It’s in knowing when and how to step away.
✌🏻 Miranda
P.S. Keep reading for nomad and remote business insights. These are a few of the things that’ve caught my interest recently.
Speaking of Isle of Skye…
Jennifer Barnett’s latest is a quiet gut-punch that weaves the loss of Virginia Giuffre into reflections on the Isle of Skye, tulip fields, and the thin line between escape and connection. Her writing is just so damn good, and if you’re not reading Stroopwaffled yet, you’re missing out.
👉 Read Isle of Skye, Virginia Giuffre, and tulips from Stroopwaffled
Top Countries for Nomads with Healthcare Needs
If relocating to a country with excellent healthcare is a priority, you’ll want to check out this guide that highlights ten destinations where quality care, accessibility, and affordability align. Several also offer investor-friendly residency options, ideal for expats seeking both wellness and long-term stability.
👉 Read Best Countries to Relocate to for World-Class Healthcare from Nomad Capitalist
Cold Himalayan Mornings & Lessons in Letting Go
I absolutely loved this raw, funny, and deeply personal travel story from Mary Bartnikowski. In it, shares share her adventure traveling across Nepal with her son, from power outages and bus delays to rhino sightings and cultural mix-ups. It’s a vivid reminder that the best travel stories don’t come from staying inside our comfort zones.
👉 Read Nepal: Winter on the Rooftop of the World by Mary Bartnikowski
Lessons from the Blue Zones
Those looking for a more grounded approach to wellness might enjoy this reflection on how Blue Zone principles like purpose, movement, and deep connection can inspire a healthier, more intentional life. It's a timely reminder during Mental Health Month that true well-being comes from aligning mind, body, and soul.
👉 Read The Mind, Body, Soul Connection: Harnessing Blue Zone Wisdom for Everyday Wellness from The Midlife Nomad (another one!)
And in case you missed it…
I shared a couple of new destination guides in recent weeks to inspire your travels:
Shoulder Season in Barcelona: Plan to Travel Smarter & Skip the Crowds
If Barcelona’s on your radar for fall, now’s the time to start planning. September to November is shoulder season, which means milder crowds and better prices. But the most desirable places to stay can still fill up fast.
Work, Wander, Repeat: A Midlife Nomad’s Guide to the Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands aren’t your typical digital nomad destination. You won’t find co-working cafés on every corner, and strong Wi-Fi can be difficult to come by. But what you will find is raw beauty, jaw-dropping biodiversity, and the kind of stillness that reminds you why you wanted a different kind of life in the first place.
Full subscribers can check out my full collection of destination-specific recommendations, insider tips, and reviews here. I’m adding new ones each month, with a focus on amenities and experiences for 40-60+ year old wanderers like us.
P.S. Like what you see here? Upgrade to a full subscription and get even more tips and resources for midlife nomads carving their own paths.
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