This digital nomad launched an app while traveling through 20 countries

Digital nomadism might be on the rise, but many people still find it hard to wrap their heads around this concept. How can one, they wonder, deny the urge to lounge lazily on a beach chair, or grab a backpack and go hiking, when the waters and mountains are just within reach? The digital nomad must have superhuman concentration powers, they conclude.

Strangely enough, all these “distractions” are precisely the reason why these people choose to live life on the road in the first place. And far from pulling them away from work, it actually gives them the motivation needed to get work done. Just ask Jay Meistrich, who recently launched a project management app called Moo.do while traveling across 20 countries. Here’s an excerpt from an article he wrote on Medium:

I was surprised to find out that I’m significantly more productive while traveling. But it makes sense. If I’m only in Rome for a week, why would I waste my time on Facebook? Being constantly surrounded by novelty reduces my boredom and increases my focus, and even makes me feel healthier and more creative.

Meistrich tells Tech in Asia that his mind and body slows down if he falls into consistent patterns. “I need variety in surroundings and activities to keep me going strong. I’ve never had coffee, so I need an exciting day ahead to get me out of bed,” he adds.

Getting his creativity on

Being on the road opens up a world of possibilities for the creative to get work done. While Meistrich spends most of his working hours in coworking spaces or cafes, he reveals that cruises are actually one of his favorite places to get productive.

“They were weird because everyone around me was on their one big vacation of the year and my friend and I were sitting on our laptops out by the pool,” he admits. “[But] I could do a morning excursion to explore an island, and get back for a productive work day.”

In fact, because onboard ship wifi is expensive and slow, Meistrich ended up doing a lot of work offline and pushing code from ports. The first version of Moo.do, in fact, was built on a seven-night cruise in Australia.

Meistrich has spent the last six months in Southeast Asia, moving between Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore, Koh Phangan, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Da Nang. In particular, he’s found Chiang Mai and Ubud to have the best work environments, due to their abundance of wifi cafes and coworking spaces.

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