Sunday, March 12, 2023

 

Immunity Boosting Berry Smoothie with Vitamin C & D


The winter months have arrived, and cold and flu season is upon us. Ramp! Up your teen’s daily vitamin intake with this delicious berry smoothie to help keep their immune system strong. Ramp! Up the Day, our feature ingredient, is fortified with vitamin C & D to support a healthy immune system. This recipe features antioxidant-rich blueberries, and raspberries for an added vitamin C kick!


Before we dive into this quick and easy breakfast option for teens, let’s tackle some frequently asked questions!

Why are vitamins C and D important?
Vitamins C and D are important micronutrients to support tissue repair, reduce inflammation and fight infections. Both of these vitamins are naturally occurring in several food sources. However, teens can benefit from fortified sources of vitamins C and D, especially in the colder months. Ramp! Up the Day is a fortified source of vitamins C and D that can be included in your teen’s daily routine.

Do I have to use berries in this recipe?
Berries are a delicious source of vitamins and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system. However, if your teen is not a fan, there are a ton of other fruit options that offer immune system support. Papaya and Kiwi are both jam-packed with vitamin C, and would make a delicious addition to a smoothie. Alternatively, adding a handful of spinach to this recipe provides vitamin C and antioxidants, and is very mild in flavor.

How can I add protein to this recipe?
One scoop of Ramp! Up the Day already provides 8g of plant-based protein, as well as high-quality nutrients to support focus, mood and attention in teens. For an added protein boost, you can also add high-protein yogurt or protein powder to this smoothie recipe.

What foods provide immune support?
Luckily, there are a ton of foods that can help support a healthy immune system in teens. Look for leafy greens, citrus fruit, and superfoods such as ginger and turmeric. As always, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as healthy fat sources is the best way to ensure your teen is getting the nutrients they need!


Immunity Boosting Berry Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
1 scoop of Ramp! Up the Day
8 oz (240 ml) of cow or plant-based milk
½ banana, fresh or frozen
¼ cup blueberry and raspberry medley, fresh or frozen
1 tsp chia seeds
3 ice cubes

Directions
Add milk, banana, berries, chia seeds and ice cubes to a blender
Add 1 scoop of Ramp! Up the Day
Blend until smooth
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to let us know and share on social media using the hashtag #RampUptheDay. We can’t wait to see your breakfast creations!

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Top Cryptocurrencies Other Than Bitcoin in 2022

 




Invest in the top cryptocurrencies this year.

The best cryptocurrencies to invest your dollars or other fiat currencies in for the upcoming year are listed below.

Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) Chains

While we don’t have the space in this article to examine the minutiae of Ethereum Virtual Machines (it’s best to refer to Ethereum’s own description of EVMs), which can be quite arcane even for experts, a few words by way of an explanation are in order. The keyword here is interoperability.

Ethereum was the first blockchain with smart contracts, but other chains have evolved to offer smart contracts using EVM as their standard smart contract engine, meaning that layer-1 blockchains are interoperable. Rather than developing completely new ways of creating smart contracts, which are chain-specific and therefore limited, EVM-compatible blockchains ensure that smart contracts created on, say, Polygon are recognized by Ethereum nodes, allowing devs to copy their dApps or tokens across different chains.

A token on an EVM-compatible chain, then, becomes far more interesting as an investment option given its increased compatibility and interoperability. Below are some of the best EVM-compatible cryptocurrencies (

Binance Coin (BNB)

With $76 billion in 24h trading volume, 600+ cryptocurrencies from which to choose, 90 million registered users, and some of the lowest transaction fees, Binance is the largest and most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the world. Originally an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, Binance’s BNB is issued on Binance’s own blockchain and is used for transaction fees payments (on the Binance Chain), entertainment and online services, financial services, and even travel bookings.

If you’re a fan of footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, and TikTok celeb, Khaby Lame, then you might be interested in what Binance has in store with its BNB Coin and NFTs. With Lame’s knack for making complex things easy to understand, Binance is betting on the social media influencer’s potential to draw newbies into crypto (and Binance).

If all goes to plan, Binance will be able to leverage its partnerships, further solidifying its place at the forefront of crypto-related developments.

Polygon (MATIC)

For those interested in scaling Ethereum/Web3 apps, Polygon offers some impressive numbers. According to its website, Polygon boasts 1.3 billion recorded transactions, 130 million wallets, and just under 3 million active monthly users. Its native token, MATIC, is an ERC-20 token and is used within the Polygon ecosystem to settle payments as well as for governance.

It’s also an EVM-compatible sidechain with a long-term vision of becoming Ethereum’s “internet of blockchains” as well as a Layer 2 aggregator, which will allow it to leverage Ethereum’s security while providing faster speeds and lower costs for developers to use independent yet interoperable blockchains.

Despite a steep drop in price since autumn 2021 and a substantial increase in tokens in circulation, MATIC’s value remains high, thanks in part to the Ethereum Merge, and investors are bullish on its long-term prospects. And with 19,000 dApps running on the network and Ethereum scaling solutions, MATIC is one to keep on your watchlist.

Fantom (FTM)

Fantom is a fast, high-throughput open-source smart contract platform for digital assets and dApps (or decentralized applications). According to its website, there are 200+ dApps that have already been deployed on Fantom ranging from DEXes, cross-chain bridges, lending and borrowing, and yield optimizers to NFT platforms, tools, and wallets.

Fantom uses a directed acyclic graph or DAG, which looks more like a graph than a chain and is seen by many as a possible substitute for blockchains due to greater efficiency when processing online transactions or when handling data storage. Due to a special proof-of-stake consensus mechanism called Lachesis, Fantom can currently handle approximately 4,500 transactions per second (TPS), while result of their experiment suggest up to 10,000 TPS (!).


Avalanche (AVAX)

If you’re interested in the fastest smart contracts platform in the blockchain industry, then look

no further than Avalanche. In addition to Cardano and Solana, Avalanche is considered one of Ethereum’s main rivals, although the former two have lost quite a bit of ground in this respect.

Touting 6,500 transactions per second, Avalanche uses three separate blockchains, its exchange chain (X-Chain), contract chain (C-Chain), and platform chain (P-Chain), with each one having its own specific role to play in the Avalanche ecosystem. And as you might have guessed, AVAX attempts to solve the blockchain trilemma (fast, secure, scalable). Users might also be interested in the “Core” non-custodial browser extension, which enables users to interact with Web3 powered by Avalanche.

Fast, low-cost, eco-friendly, and with NFTs gaining traction on its marketplace Joepegs, AVAX has significant potential as a smart contracts platform for decentralized applications, earning it a spot on our list of best cryptocurrencies in which to invest.

Sunday, January 2, 2022

A new motorcycle for a new decade. The 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R is just the third generation of the LC8-engined ‘BEAST’ since the bike was created in 2014. The KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R was presented and tested by international press for the first time in and around the Portimao race circuit in Portugal in early February and here – with the help of the bike’s originator – are four reasons why THE BEAST had the experts growling. 1 – is the desired position in the Naked bike market segment, and the newly-reshaped LC8 v-twin is No.1 for weight-to-performance with a hefty 180hp and 140Nm of torque on tap. KTM has squeezed more power but significantly dropped the kilos. This evolution came from a brave decision to get radical with KTM’s most extreme expression of a street bike. “We said: ‘let’s make a clean cut and start with a white sheet of paper’ and the end result has been amazing,” said Product Manager Adriaan Sinke. “A great big v-twin engine really defines what this bike is all about; that character that no other engine can provide,” he adds. “The peak figures are a lot but I’d rather talk about how the bike harnesses the power. The street is not a predictable environment so you cannot always go into a corner with the right amount of RPM and with this LC8 you have so much flexibility. There are bikes that deliver their power and their torque at much later levels: we believe that this [instant torque] is the definition of what the SUPER DUKE is all about. It doesn’t matter what gear you are in; you are always in the right one to pull yourself away. You don’t need to be sitting at some crazy high RPM to be able to overtake traffic.” KTM is using words like ‘ultimate Naked bike’ to encapsulate the 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R, and the experience of riding it that is both comfortable and confidence-inspiring thanks to refined handling but also pulse-quickening and fiercely capable at speed, as demonstrated by the smiles and antics of riders after six twenty-minute sessions around the Portimao circuit. For the motorcycle’s creator, Hermann Sporn, his fourth SUPER DUKE (he led the 990 project in 2005) continues to fulfill the definition of what a Naked bike should be, certainly in KTM’s vision of extreme, purity and performance. “When can you really enjoy a superbike on the road? It is pain to ride one, literally,” he reasons. “In the hands, the leg, the seat, the damping was too harsh. Those bikes are made for the racetrack and they are really good where you need the maximum power and want to find the limit. The big advantage with the SUPER DUKE was the huge amount of torque, and it was easy to ride, more comfortable and gave you a better view in traffic.” “Naked bikes are more forgiving: you can use any gear and change the line and that’s not always possible on a sports bike,” he adds. “The front end is really secure and now it has the same kind of feedback as a superbike where riders can get on the gas and slide out of the corner. You can also brake very deep and know where it will slide. You have that sensitivity from the new frame and that also helps for the street and avoid bumps and altering lines. We spend a lot of time working with WP to improve the front fork and the shock absorber. We made a lot of comparison tests with other suspension suppliers and motorcycles and said: ‘we need to be right at the top level’. I believe now we are better. I wanted the 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R to win comparison tests!” 2 – years. That’s how long Project Leader Sporn and his crew needed to overhaul KTM’s flagship model. It was also a spell in which they had to deduce how to improve what was already a very appealing and attractive motorcycle. The LC8 boasted a rock-solid base. Sporn knew there were gains to be had in other areas. “As soon as the ’17 version was presented we were working on this one,” he explains. “We had a meeting and talked about the behavior of the bike and how we could – and would like – to make it better. We were able to look at each and every part and totally separate the concepts, in fact, the only parts we kept from the chassis of the old bike was the rear axle and the adjuster. When we wanted to redefine the engine that meant a lot of small details and we wanted something lighter, faster-and-easier shifting.” “One of the things we wanted to keep was that easy handling; everybody knew it was an easy bike, even for a non-experienced rider,” he adds. “It was important to keep this and improve it. It was also important to maintain the ergonomics of a road bike, so for the rider that wants a trip over the mountains is not going to be uncomfortable. That meant looking closely at the seat, and again the comfort.” “We had those references but knew there were more places to look,” he goes on. “One was the feeling with the front wheel, and with a completely new frame, we could make a large step. From our calculations we saw that we had to go much higher with the torsional stiffness. We are using the engine to help us with the frame in this respect. We had three times more torsional stiffness compared to the older SUPER DUKE and it made the feeling ‘safer’: you can notice it immediately. It is faster and more stable to turn in and holds the line even over bumps and on the brakes.” “We knew we had to do something better on the rear too. People knew the old SUPER DUKE was a cool wheelie machine but we calculated what would be the right amount of anti-squat behavior to hold the motorcycle more in its position. To do this we raised the engine and we spun it a bit backward and increased the center of gravity. In the beginning, we were testing on the track a lot to find the best solution: why would we do that when we are not making a race motorcycle? It’s simply because when you are riding near the edge you then know what will happen. We had the possibility to move the swingarm pivot higher and we played around with the stiffness of the chassis with the variances of tube and wall diameters and thickness. We have different engine mounts. We were looking for the best compromise to find the best feedback. In the end, the frame is shorter and stiffer swingarm, and we have a completely different shock mounting. On the old SUPER DUKE, we had a direct mount on the swingarm with higher compression you did not have that many possibilities. Now we have the linkage you have much more travel on the shock and this helps you to control the damping behavior. These main changes to affect the riding behavior.” Fast forward to the EICMA show in Milan in November 2019 and the covers come away from the 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R and Sporn’s vision becomes public. 9 – Could be for the fact that 90% of the motorcycle is fresh; the 2020 incarnation is no mere makeover. A strong element of the new range of attributes is a revitalized electronic package with the ability to engage 9 levels of traction control in Track mode. The Rider Aids and engine management capabilities are part of the large modern heart of the SUPER DUKE with Motorcycle Traction Control, Motor Slip Regulation, Lean angle ABS, Supermoto ABS, and a 6D lean angle sensor (side-to-side, forward-and-back and drift) among the filters through the ride by wire throttle that are enhanced to give the rider a close and more sensitive feeling of what is going on with the bike. The ability to tweak and explore the different ‘shapes’ of the 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R on the narrow Portuguese B roads and then around the grippy expanses of Portimao illustrated the versatility and fun factor of the motorcycle. Helping analyze and sharpen this aspect of performance was former MotoGP™ rider Jeremy McWilliams. The Northern Irelander’s input was particularly useful for the TRACK mode (alongside the default STREET, RAIN & SPORT) where that 9 level of traction control comes into play: 1 being a very limited quantity for slick tires on a track and 9 the equivalent of rain setting. The KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R was tremendous, stable and slidey fun at 4 around Portimao. “The idea was to come up with new software that will allow more connection between the bike and the rider,” explains McWilliams. “It’s new logic. With our nine-channel TC and track mode, we wanted to make that riders who are at a high level are happy to use traction control rather than switch it off. There is little point in having the feature if riders want to disengage it because it was interfering with their ride. You can use traction control to full power in the wet and then drop it down to between 3-6 for, say, the A-group riders.” “With these bikes now you have to rely on traction control to make everything safe but you also want to enjoy the ride. We wanted people to have the feeling that you are accelerating as fast as you possibly can without – what our R&D guys call – ‘hold back’, so you can play around with that. Sport mode is designed to be level 4; anything below is for race track and slicks.” Fear not though. The KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R is not being smothered by cutting-edge bike tech. “Electronics progress and much more is possible but at the same time I think we have to be careful not to go too far with it, especially for this type of motorcycle,” says Sinke. “we worked on making the bike better and more fun and more accessible. We should not be taking things away. The motorcycle should be central, and the electronics should be peripheral to help you enjoy the bike more.” 0 – zero fat. KTM has ‘doubled-up’ in various aspects of the 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R. How? Well, the styling and looks convey the ethos of the brand while also serving an acute design purpose. The components that create the aesthetics are made with the same function/form duality. “If you can design a part that is functional and make it visible and look nice then you don’t have to cover it up,” reasons Sinke. “It means less parts and you can save weight.” An example: the subframe. “The first part is cast aluminum – which we use on several other KTMs, which is very light – but the cool and interesting part is the rear end: it’s composite and not a plastic cover,” he says. “It is actually the load-bearing part and where the passenger sits, has their footpegs and also the number plate. Everything bolts onto it and there is no need for brackets and extra parts: it means we can again save weight. The composite part of the subframe weighs 900 grams and can hold 1000kg. It’s incredibly strong and incredibly light.” The 2020 KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R is slim, compact and striking. It’s in the heavyweight division but looks and moves like a robust lithe pugilist. With some of the KTM PowerParts accessories – an array was on display at Portimao – then it becomes even meaner (credit as well for the blue/orange paint job that is a classier look compared to the Beast 2.0). “The bike is ‘in-your-face’ and that is our brand in every possible way,” smiles Sinke. “If you park this bike by the side of the road little boys run-up to it. It turns heads. It looks cool, it sounds cool, it feels cool.” The minimal design is countered by a raft of impressive detailing. The improved LED headlight now houses the central air-intake, there are new handlebar switches next to the position-adjustable and high-res TFT display (KTM’s best and clearest dash yet), new tank shape, WP APEX suspension and specially-designed Bridgestone S22 tire resists the power and augments the positive traits of the KTM 1290 SUPER DUKE R. The wheels are CAD-crafted and molded for more ‘dieting’ and the thorough approach to weight-loss even applies to the construction of the plastics. “It’s a small thing but the central part of the plastics is thinner – you don’t need the same thickness throughout because they don’t have a load-bearing capacity and we were able to save more grams,” says Sinke. The beauty of THE BEAST is that the motorcycle can appear and feel like something so raw but then also offer all the facilities and options a rider could ever want to suck-out the very best of the ultimate Naked bike.

Monday, March 29, 2021

14 benefits of solo travel



There's nothing quite like discovering a new place on your own – taking it all in without anyone but yourself. Anyone who's done it can tell you that the benefits of solo travel are endless. Still, that's not stopping us from highlighting 14 of the most compelling perks of traveling alone. 


1. You can be completely selfish

This may be the only context in which selfishness isn't really a bad thing. Traveling with others means making plans with others. Checking out local landmarks, museums, restaurants and attractions can be challenging when each traveler has something different in mind. But what if you could spend each day anyway you like? Fancy spending six hours in a single museum, or trekking for miles in chilly conditions? Go right ahead.


2. You meet interesting people

When you travel with others, you typically stick together. In other words, you're less likely to wander away from your group. But traveling alone brings something truly valuable to the table – you'll be more likely to chat with locals, meet new friends and generally be more sociable. 


3. You can devour as many books as you want

Two major perks of escaping day-to-day life while on vacation include sleeping in and reading as much as you like. But when you're traveling with others, you're usually nudged to put your book down and come back to the group. Solo travel gives you the opportunity to read to your heart's content.


4. You come to know yourself more intimately

These days, we're constantly bombarded by stimulation – relentless connectivity to others, as well as the Internet. Rarely do we get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. Solo travel provides the opportunity to do just that. Being on your own in a new place serves as a permission slip to slow down, without the distractions you'd feel buzzing around you when traveling with companions. Being alone, and really embracing it, is a wonderful part of solo travel.


5. You can rest without feeling guilty

Feeling wiped out from a long flight? Or from exploring a new city on foot? Let's face it, there's only so much running around you can really do. But when you're traveling with friends, the pressure to keep going can be intense. When traveling alone, on the other hand, you can head back to your room for a guilt-free mid-afternoon nap.

Travelling alone can provide the restful break you really need.

Traveling alone can provide the restful break you really need. Photo: Darkydoors/Shutterstock


6. You step outside your comfort zone

When traveling with friends, you often troubleshoot travel hiccups together. Can't find your way around? The solution usually comes by talking it over. Taking a trip on your own means you have to get out of any tricky trip situations by yourself, which can help with problem-solving, dealing with pressure and developing self-belief. 


7. You're less likely to feel stressed out

When you're out and about with your usual friends from home, it's easy for old routines and group dynamics to creep up on you. Not so when you're on your own. You’re there for you and you alone – the only drama you’re going to experience is the drama you make yourself.


8. You'll have the time and inspiration to work on creative projects

Been dying to delve into a creative project? Whether it's writing poetry, developing a new business plan, or playing the guitar, traveling alone provides the opportunity – and inspiration – to tap into these desires. When you're untethered to the demands of others you'll probably find it easier to nurture your creativity.


9. It might make you happier in the long term

Research suggests that getting into vacation mode has the potential to increase our happiness levels. And spending time alone has also been shown to stave off depression. The takeaway? Heading off on a solo adventure just might be good for your overall well-being.

Solo travel can help you develop new skills.

Solo travel can help you develop new skills. Photo: Daxiao Productions/Shutterstock


10. You'll probably improve your language skills

What better way to learn a new language than to throw yourself in head first? Full immersion in a foreign culture (and tongue) is possibly the best way to dismantle the language barrier. When traveling with others, you're more likely to rely on them for help with translating. And, let's face it, chances are high that you'll communicate with one another in your native language. When you're alone, on the other hand, you're forced to constantly practice the new language.


11. It'll give your confidence a boost

There is something to be said for heading out into the world on your own with no social safety net, so to speak. Forging a path in solitude and making your way through unknown terrain can do wonders for your self-confidence and personal authenticity.


12. It's more cost efficient

It doesn't take a maths wizard to see that traveling solo is easier on your wallet. Being on your own means only purchasing one set of flights, as well as single accommodations, excursions, meals, and so on. This may not sound like much, but if you're planning an extended trip, these expenses can add up fast. Going it alone means you'll have more cash leftover to spend as you choose.


13. You're less likely to be hassled 

Solo travel makes you less susceptible to being hassled on your trip. An over-persistent vendor is less likely to harass you as a single person simply because there’s less potential return. Traveling alone means you can more easily blend in with the locals which gives you more license to barter. That said, traveling alone doesn't automatically mean that you're completely safe from hustlers. It's always wise to watch your back when abroad, whether alone or in a group.


14. It can help your problem-solving and decision-making

Solo travel can help you to channel your courage, especially during times of personal growth and change. It can help you to clear your mind, creating some much-needed space to mull over major life decisions that you may need to make.


Ready to head off on your next solo adventure?

Insight Guides can help plan and book fascinating solo trips in destinations around the world for you. Simply get in touch, telling us when you would like to travel and your ideas for the trip. Local travel experts will then create a personalized itinerary especially, which you can amend until you are totally happy with every detail before booking. 



Beyond work from home: Why ‘digital nomads’ think they’re the future of remote life




With much of the professional world shifting to remote work and widespread acceptance of the concept among previously skeptical corporate management, the traditional idea of work-life balance is being pushed in new directions, including a concept of remote work-life-tourism never before imagined.

Drew Sing, a fully remote growth product manager at a technology start-up, has been living and working from Lisbon, Portugal, since the beginning of March, after a few months in London. He had planned to fly back to the U.S. in May, and had even booked three flights back, each with a 24-cancellation policy, but when he looked at the Covid-19 trends in the U.S. versus Europe, “each day I spent here I said, ‘I think I will stay.’ I think this is a safe place to stay during these unprecedented times.’”

Sing is not new to the digital nomad lifestyle. He left the Bay Area in 2018  to live a remote life, and bought a home outside Seattle — which he rents out, but where he maintains a basement apartment for himself — and a sleeper van in which he can travel within North America and work remotely when he is there.

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“I realized that I could work from co-working spaces, and live the nomadic lifestyle,” said Sing, who just published a book on how to work a remote job from anywhere, titled, “Work From Abroad.”

“There are lots of books on traveling and exploring the world on a budget, but not on continuing a career and being a productive employee while living from anywhere,” he said.

Digital nomads: From niche to next to normal 

Despite international travel limitations, Emmanuel Guisset’s start-up Outsite — which offers professionals co-living and co-working spaces around the world in locations including Hawaii, Mexico, Portugal, Bali and the U.S. West Coast — is betting that what is called the “digital nomad” lifestyle is bound for mass adoption in a post-Covid-19 world.

“Before the pandemic, we were fitting a niche of people ... nomads, freelancers, tech workers. Because they can work remotely, they choose to live a different lifestyle,” said Guisset, who is founder and CEO of Outsite. But now his business is discovering more individuals looking for a long-term stay.

Opportunities to work remotely from anywhere in the world are currently limited. Within the U.S., cities and states have banned short stays in vacation rentals, including in Tahoe and Hawaii, areas where Outsite has locations. In many European and other international destinations, a U.S. passport has transitioned from long-time advantage to handicap. And there are many mandatory quarantines around the world once a traveler arrives at a destination.

Outsite’s Bali location is closed because there is no local tourism for it, and its Costa Rica location has only a few locals from the capital city of San Jose, as well as American ex-pats. But the European locations, especially the coastal ones (Ericeira and Biarritz), “are full with Europeans and a couple American ex-pats,” Guisset said.

Some countries are encouraging foreigners, including Americans, to come on special visas to spur their local economies, such as Barbados, Estonia and the the country of Georgia. And people already are traveling within the pandemic limitations wherever possible, Guisset said. The quarantines, in fact, are leading to longer stays. “Travelling now is much more difficult so people want to stay longer to make it worthwhile,” he said.  

Outsite is seeing professionals breaking leases in U.S. locations, spurring demand for longer stays in outdoor-oriented and beach locations like Tahoe, Santa Cruz and San Diego. “They want to live in cheaper, smaller cities, closer to the nature,” he said. 

How to become a worker of the world

Digital nomad Sing’s basic points of advice: workers need to start with an understanding of their job and hours and time zones. Working North American hours has meant Sing never considered Asia. “I’ve done the math on when I would have to work and it would be difficult,” he said.

When thinking about working from abroad as a North American professional, certain continents and areas make more sense: South America, Central America and Western Europe.

“Newly remote professionals still need to abide by hours, which is fine, but it is not hard to work from 1pm -9pm or 2pm-10pm in Europe. You’re free when people are at dinner, or you can go to a cafe in the morning, and that  can be a beautiful lifestyle,” Sing said. And for remote professionals who are not on a specific company clock, “it opens up everywhere.”

VIDEO03:51
Here’s which pandemic job trends may outlast the crisis

Sing uses Airbnbs for living, but as a self-described “solo remote professional,” he also pays for an Outsite membership, so he can work in a collaborative environment. “It can get lonely so community is important,” he said. The Outsite location he uses in Lisbon is “not packed,” but it is occupied by five to seven people a day.

Right now, younger professionals who travel for nightlife and bars are not going to be able to have the experiences they want, “but if you enjoy a nice meal and glass of wine and don’t need to have a bustling life, it’s great,” Sing said of his Lisbon experience. “It is a little quiet, but when you talk to the locals, they talk about how it is pleasant.”

The slower, more restricted life of Covid-19 that he has experienced in Lisbon brought Sing to a realization about a better work-tourism life balance. “When you are working, not just vacationing, it almost makes it easier to be more mundane in terms of routine,” he said. 

“I feel safe and productive and I have friends here now. ... The next narrative will be you can work from not just somewhere cheaper than the Bay Area in the U.S., but the next wave is outside the US,” Sing said.

Employers and the work-from-anywhere life

Erik Dyson, CEO of the disaster relief nonprofit All Hands and Hearts, runs a lean operation and his staff were already 85% to 90% remote before Covid-19. “It never made any sense to say, ‘You’re an amazing chief marketing officer but you have to move to Massachusetts, where we have our headquarters’. It made no sense to compel people to congregate in one place,” Dyson said.

As an NGO, All Hands and Hearts also can’t offer the same money as corporations, even if it can attract a demographic of young workers from similarly desired backgrounds and mindsets. That led Dyson to look for ways to use quality of life as a way to make up for the nonprofit’s inability to compete on compensation.

“We made an early decision to embrace, as a recruiting strategy, that you can live wherever you want to live, and you will make less money, but we are mission-driven,” he said.

Almost all of its team is very young, less than 30 years-old.

Think about all-remote workers. The idea of home is great, but you still need opportunities for human interaction and ways to experience the world, whether Dubuque, Iowa or Costa Rica.

But Dyson discovered that remote work doesn’t always even come close to working the way it should. When All Hands and Hearts brought about half of its 200 staffers to a meeting in Puerto Rico a few years ago, many revealed feelings of isolation and loneliness working from home. “It sounds great, but they missed the informal conversations. ... wake up, I’m in an apartment, go to computer and work all day, teleconferencing, but don’t ever talk to people or see people,” Dyson said. “One of the big things I heard was, ‘I miss human contact with co-workers.’”

He was struck by the digital merger of the Airbnb and WeWork models when he learned about the Outsite approach — it is not the only business model of the type, with another called Selina also making a bid for young remote workers — and All Hands and Hearts decided to buy memberships for all of its non-program staff, any staff not working at disaster sites.

“We said, ’if you miss human contact, go live in Portugal for a month, and the monthly burn is not much more than having an apartment, so go when your lease is up,” Dyson said. “If I can help people extend tenure with us, it was worth the money. If I can move someone from two years tenure to three years, that is a huge uplift, but it’s unrealistic to think they’ll do this job for seven years,” he said. “People sacrifice, including on salary.”

“Outsite is not cheap,” said, digital nomad Sing who described it as a “luxurious hostel” given its cohabitation and coworking design. “It’s geared to a professional crowd that can afford it, not, if you will, the backpacker crowd.”

Outsite provided All Hands and Hearts with a 50% discount on memberships, which ended up costing All Hands and Hearts roughly $10,000, “real money to us,” Dyson said. But he said the cost, even to a tightly budgeted charity organization, pays for itself when the work benefit leads an employee to stay longer.

An Outsite membership is $149 annually, or $249 for a lifetime. Members can then access any location, with local prices varying from $50 nightly (Portugal) up to $120 (San Francisco). Members receive discounts when they book a week, or a month, and in off-season or last-minute periods. Members also gain access to an online community, and as many are not travelling right now, 70% are using Outsite for the professional networking aspect, Guisset said, seeking knowledge from communities and travelers around the world about their current situation.

“We want to encourage longer stays and slower travel,” Guisset said.

Some of the more exotic locales, such as Hawaii, are still out of reach for many All Hands and Hearts workers, even with a membership. So last Christmas, All Hands and Hearts gave a $300 credit with Outsite to employees for a week in Hawaii or a month in Portugal. “We don’t give bonuses,” Dyson said.

Unfortunately, that program rolled out around February, “and then Covid hit,” Dyson said. “They have the credit sitting there and can’t travel, but I think it will come back. ... They will go live there and check out places, and if you as an employer can enable me with Outsite or flights or work hours changing, I see that as a huge benefit and I know our people are appreciative.”

VIDEO04:11
This Uber Eats driver made over $8,000 in a month working 12-hour days

Not all remote workers are created equal

Dyson said as a CEO how has managed a mostly remote staff for years, he has a warning for companies swiftly transitioning to a work-from-home paradigm: not all employees know how to work remote, or work well remotely. He dismissed concerns that employees are more likely to waste time at home, and said the nonprofit’s experience offering unlimited paid time off showed that it is never the policy, but the person, that ultimately dictates success. “We never had a problem, not a single person had to be let go because of unlimited PTO,” he said.

But measurements compiled by All Hands and Hearts of employee workload indicate that not all workers are created equal when it comes to their ability to be productive in a remote environment. 

“Some people can’t work remote,”  Dyson said. “I think the big challenge is not a metric measuring the productivity of all people doing it, but finding those who can. ... I spent 20 years living the corporate life and I was always traveling and I am going crazy now, six months at home. I am hearing from my team every day, everyone going stir crazy, they like to travel and are just pinned down, and European folks already started to travel because they can. ... Think about all-remote workers. The idea of home is great, but you still need opportunities for human interaction and ways to experience the world, whether Dubuque, Iowa or Costa Rica.” 

The nonprofit is already seeing that desire to travel in the volunteer staff of 8,000 to 10,000 workers it brings in from around the world to rebuild schools in places like Nepal and the Bahamas. Earlier this summer, All Hands and Hearts opened bookings for a mid-Sept. volunteer opportunity in the Bahamas and it filled all the open spots for the first four months of work in a few days.

“There is a huge desire among the younger demographic,” Dyson said. “Everyone’s life has been upended, college students leaving school, taking a gap year, and people who left jobs. People being given flexibility they never had before.”  

I would like to return back to the U.S. to see friends and family, but it could be closed until 2021 or longer. ... It is almost as if when I go back to the U.S., I’m kind of trapped essentially, and that’s why I’m taking the liberty ... if I have all my needs met, why not stay?
Drew Sing
SOLO REMOTE PROFESSIONAL

Whether workers like Drew Sing and employers like All Hands and Hearts will cede being the exception and become the rule in the world of work is impossible to predict — like many features of a post-Covid world. But the way people outside of the existing digital nomad lifestyle are thinking about their own future is changing.

Dan Wasiolek, a senior equity analyst at financial research firm Morningstar who covers the lodging and travel sector, said when he read the recent headlines about J.P. Morgan and Ford going to hybrid work models, it hit him as being “meaningful” for an analyst who covers hotel companies reliant on properties in urban centers. But it also struck him personally, as a worker.

“As an analyst, I don’t feel like I need to be in an office to be productive, and that’s something I can measure and show it to be the case. I think there will be lots of people like me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m 50% in the office permanently. And it does allow me to say, ’OK, if I want to be in San Diego for the next five days with my family and work that Wednesday and Friday from there, and have a long weekend, it will be easier,” Wasiolek said. “There is going to be an incremental portion of workers that will be in some sort of nomad life, not work six months from anywhere, but longer weekends, or a week here and there. That seems reasonable and realistic.”

Outsite closed a post-seed round of funding during the Covid crisis, but the company declined to disclose details, and it is currently raising a real estate fund to buy distressed hospitality properties in areas it thinks will be popular post-Covid. Guisset said a lot of hospitality property managers were hoping for a good summer and lacking a sharp turnaround, will be more likely to sell properties as the season turns back to what would be dependent on business travel as vacations end.

“Business travel is in shambles and will never be the same. Some destinations and hotels will have to adapt to a new kind of tourism where people travel less frequently but stay longer,” the Outsite CEO said. “When the real estate market was really high and hotels were doing really well, it was really hard to find those properties. Now it’s much easier. We’ve already seen a lot of properties going to the market at discounted rates.”  

“The tables are turned,” said Sing. “It’s odd. No one can leave the  U.S., but I’ve been given freedom to be able to maybe go back home, or go to another country.”

Sing said he would consider going to Mexico, still open to Americans, or the U.K. or Ireland, because they are not EU countries tied to the Schengen Agreement on borders and travel. Americans can still fly to Mexico, and in addition to its existing Tulum location, Outside is about to open one in Cabo.

“I did not think I would be away this long,” he said. But as it has become more difficult to just hop from place to place, “this remote working lifestyle is almost more enjoyable,” Sing said.

As for an eventual return to the U.S. from Lisbon, or another international location, Sing still owns his place in Seattle that he can go back to, but due to the circumstances, he says he is happy with his decision to be in Lisbon. “But I’m a remote pro, with a home base. It’s unique, kind of new. ... I had to come to terms with a whole new world in March... I had to come to terms with being here for a long period of time. I would like to return back to the U.S. to see friends and family, but it could be closed until 2021 or longer. ... it is almost as if when I go back to the U.S., I’m kind of trapped essentially, and that’s why I’m taking the liberty ... if I have all my needs met, why not stay?”

Saturday, February 20, 2021

Benefits of Freelancing career


 Benefits of Freelancing

  1. Flexibility
  2. Autonomy over work
  3. Not tied to one location
  4. Self-employed
  5. Decide your own income



Freelancing is a growing trend, especially within the United States and parts of Europe. But what’s so great about it that people are willing to set aside the perks of free office snacks and unlimited Keurig coffee?

Let’s discuss the benefits of becoming a freelancer.To familiarize yourself with the concept, be sure to catch up on what is freelancing, as well as the freelancing definition.

Tip: Want to start a career as a freelancer? Be sure to get on a freelance platform.

The following list outlines some of the many benefits of being a freelancer:

Flexibility

Freelancers know how much work they can get done in what amount of time. This means they’re able to create their own schedules. This is especially helpful for freelancers who have kids or pets that might need care during the day.

Freelancers can put themselves on a typical 9 to 5 shift, or they could choose to work only on nights and weekends.

Autonomy over your work

Freelancers have the divine freedom to say yes or no to certain projects and clients. At an agency, an employee might be assigned a client that they had no choice but to work with. Freelancers don’t suffer from the same obligation.

If a client turns out to be particularly fussy or unrealistic, a freelancer can choose simply to never work with them again. Also, freelancers are not beholden to a company, so they can even deny clients based on personal or moral reasons.

Not tied to one location

With the increase of freelancers, especially freelance writers (what is freelance writing?), the remote workforce is growing. One benefit that comes with this is the ability to live anywhere, as opposed to staying local to where you work.

Benefits of Freelancing

Take me for example. While I’m not a freelancer, I am a remote employee for G2. While their headquarters are in Chicago, I live and work out of my home in New York City.

Many freelancers leave the security of office life because they are simply tired of, or unable to, remain centrally located to the office.

Self-employed

Freelancers are self-employed, meaning there is no manager looming over their shoulder, making sure all work is done in a timely manner. Freelancers act as their own boss, finding their own clientele, doing the work, and sending invoices for payments.

The freedom of being able to control your own work and quality of work is an attractive prospect to many people.

Decide your own income

Freelancers have the freedom to decide what their work is worth. While the price might start out low, especially for beginners, rates can rise over time. This is a very attractive concept to many. Deciding your own income means never working for less than what your time is worth.

Freelancers do have the responsibility of pricing their rates reasonably, however. If a freelancer shoots too high, they may find it hard to book and retain clients.

TIP: Spread the word about your services by creating a profile on G2 and encouraging your customers to leave reviews.

Freelance freedom

As you can see, the benefits of freelancing all boils down to one thing: freedom. Those who pursue this career are taking on many difficulties, but with the benefit of knowing they are the only person who gets to tell them what to do.