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Welcome back to Nomad Cloud. This week week’s dose of digital nomadism takes us to Sri Lanka which has a new digital nomad visa. We also explore the role of AI in remote work as this “trend” seems to be getting more spotlight in almost every industry. Let us take you into the ☁️.

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• Sri Lanka Finally Launches Its Digital Nomad Visa - What To Know

• Role of AI for Digital Nomads

• How Remote Work Changed This Dad’s Life

• Community Spotlight: Should nomads take vacations?

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Sri Lanka Finally Launches Its Digital Nomad Visa - What To Know

In a move set to appeal to remote work enthusiasts worldwide, Sri Lanka has officially launched its Digital Nomad Visa. Originally announced in 2021, the visa allows individuals to work remotely for global clients or companies from the South Asian nation. To qualify for this permit, applicants must have a monthly income of at least $2,000, routed through the Sri Lankan banking system. The visa is renewable annually upon verification of funds and covers the applicant's spouse and dependents. However, holders are not permitted to seek local employment or engage in domestic business activities. This initiative, proposed by Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, aims to attract global talent and boost Sri Lanka's tourism, aiding its economic recovery from COVID-related restrictions. Figures from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority show a significant increase in tourist arrivals compared to the previous year, signaling positive momentum for the nation's tourism industry. Read Full article here.

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Daddy’s home: How remote working has changed family life

It’s not a secret that remote work has positively impacted the lives of parents and their families. Here are a few personal stories you might enjoy and take inspiration from (whether you’re a parent or not) highlighting a few personal stories. Kevin Bennett, a father of two, initially returned to work after his daughter Emily's birth but later embraced remote work when the pandemic hit. This allowed him to support his wife Aisling with childcare, making a significant difference, especially with breastfeeding.

Vodafone, Kevin's employer, adopted a hybrid working policy, providing him with more flexibility to balance work and family life. He also had access to extended paternity leave. Fathers like Kevin are now more engaged in childcare responsibilities due to remote work opportunities, contributing to greater gender equality in parenting.

Clive Bowers, another father, shared how remote work transformed his family's daily routine. He could now actively participate in the school run, spend more quality time with his children, and contribute to household tasks, leading to a stronger bond with his family.

Paul Byrne's story emphasizes how remote work allowed him to collect his children from school, support his partner, and reduce childcare expenses. Remote work also blurred the boundaries between work and home, creating a more supportive work culture.

Gerard O'Carroll, a lecturer and father of a child with special needs, discussed how working from home helped him support his family and his son's needs, while also volunteering for Down Syndrome Ireland.

Remote work has given parents the opportunity to be more involved in their children's lives, contribute to household responsibilities, and strengthen their relationships, marking a positive outcome of the pandemic for families. Read Full Article Here

The Role of AI in the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

In the realm of digital nomads, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a game-changer. It streamlines their work and enriches our lives. AI's impact is vast and we would probably be here all day if we told you all of them. So let’s cover the most applicable ones for Digital Nomads:

1. Task Automation: Mundane chores are handed over to AI, saving nomads time for meaningful work and exploration.

2. Virtual Assistants: Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa are indispensable, aiding with scheduling, reminders, and local insights.

3. Communication: Language barriers are broken with AI-powered translation apps, making cross-border collaborations smoother.

4. Personalization: AI tailors experiences, suggesting productive work hours and leisure activities, aiding work-life balance.

5. Digital Security: Public Wi-Fi is risky; AI detects unusual patterns, enhancing security, and offers secure VPN services.

6. Travel Planning: AI-driven apps recommend destinations, accommodations, and flights, providing real-time updates for flexible travel.

As you can clearly see, AI elevates productivity, communication, personalization, security, and travel planning for digital nomads. However, balancing automation with human interaction is key. The digital nomadic lifestyle is about more than work; it's about cultural experiences, human connections, and freedom. AI enhances this journey, making it enjoyable and productive. Read the full article here.

COMMUNITY CORNER

Steve Tsentserensky shares the importance of taking time off even if you travel full time.

Full disclosure, Olu asked me to write something for Nomad Cloud a couple weeks back.

The invite happened to line up with my family visiting me in Croatia and my first real vacation in 3 years.

I told him I’d get it done on that vacation.

But not in those terms.

I just said I’d get it done.

It would’ve been about nomading in Croatia or freelance writing or something to that effect.

Knowing Olu, if he knew I meant I’d do this over vacation, he certainly would’ve told me to wait till I’m back.

Here’s the thing…I didn’t do it over vacation.

I didn’t do anything on vacation (my communication could’ve been better though, sorry Olu).

I just existed.

And it was glorious.

I wrote absolutely nothing for a week.

Seeing as how writing pays my bills, that’s pretty wild.

Which brings me to the point of this whole spiel.

Taking time off is critical for digital nomads.

Particularly if you run your own business as I do.

I’m not talking about slomading and making time for work and play while traveling. I did that for most of last year, working between Croatia, America, Colombia, Albania, Georgia and Belgium.

It was grand.

But it wasn’t vacation.

I thought that was fine though. I was moving slowly enough that I could work as needed and then enjoy the countries I was in during my downtime.

That works but, again, it’s not vacation.

Vacation, according to the good folks at Merriam-Webster means, “a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation”.

Vacation is detox from the everyday.

It’s a natural reset.

A cure for burnout.

A destresser.

A motivator.

And something I massively undervalued and underestimated.

It gives perspective, creates clarity and improves productivity (and maybe even helps you live a little longer).

Not to mention that giving yourself permission to do nothing – and not feel bad about it – is self-care to the highest degree.

I for one will be taking more time off in the future, whether it’s the occasional long weekend or full weeks off every now and then, I’m sold.

So, a few “pro” tips from a newly minted vacationer:

• Put your vacation on your calendar and don’t mess with it – guard it, in fact

• Communicate that’ll you’ll be unavailable well in advance, no one likes surprises in business

• Work harder before the vacation and get projects done in advance if possible so your clients still get the deliverables they need

• Turn off all work-related notifications or delete the apps entirely (i.e., Slack, Asana, Notion, etc.)

• Seriously, notifications off, don’t open your work apps

• Be in the moment and enjoy it, let your mind drift away

And if you’re gonna vacation, you may as well do it in my favorite place, Croatia 😉

P.S. Need something a bit less anecdotal?

• According to the World Health Organization, “745,000 people died in 2016 from stroke and heart disease due to long hours.”

• From Verywell Mind, “a four-day "long weekend" vacation had positive effects on well-being, recovery, strain, and perceived stress for as long as 45 days.”

Harvard Business Review notes, “if you take 11 or more of your vacation days, you are more than 30% more likely to receive a raise.”

P.S If you’re interested in watching Steve’s story on a viral CNBC piece, click here to watch on Youtube.

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