After a month in Bali, I'm done with the 'work from anywhere' dream

I tried working from Bali for a month because so many freelancers say it's perfect. I found it really hard. The time zone meant I was on calls at odd hours. Spotty internet made me lose a big job. I missed my normal desk and chair. It was lonely since I was always inside working. I left after three weeks and now I plan trips between projects. A fixed home base lets me focus and get more done.

3 comments

3 Comments

grace5082mo ago

Honestly you just did it wrong though. Coworking spaces in Bali fix the internet and chair problem, plus you meet people there. Time zones mean you can knock out deep work in the quiet mornings before anyone back home is even online. It sounds like you tried to replicate your exact home office routine in a villa, which misses the whole point. The flexibility is the perk, you just have to plan for it.

the_john2mo ago

Absolutely, @grace508 nailed it. I made the same mistake my first month, stubbornly trying to work from my Airbnb's wobbly table. Then I finally caved and got a pass at Dojo in Canggu. Game changer. The internet was stupid fast, the chairs didn't kill my back, and I actually made friends over coffee. Those early morning hours before the US wakes up? Pure magic for getting real work done. You're totally right, the villa is for after hours, not for pretending it's a proper office.

miles722mo ago

My first week in Ubud I tried the villa desk thing and my back was shot by Wednesday. Switched to a place called Outpost, got the weekly pass. Like the_john said, those 6 AM to 10 AM blocks are silent gold for writing code. You get your real work done, then the social part kicks in naturally over lunch. The villa is just for crashing and watching Netflix, not for eight hours of focused work.