Imagine waking up in a cozy Airbnb in Bali, sipping your morning coffee while answering emails from your hammock, and then wrapping up your day with a swim in crystal-clear waters. You didn’t call in sick or request vacation time. You simply brought your laptop—and your income—with you.
Welcome to the laptop lifestyle—a way of working and living that offers freedom, flexibility, and the ability to design your life on your own terms.
In this blog post, we’ll break down:
- What the laptop lifestyle really means
- Who it’s for
- Common myths and truths
- Popular paths to get started
- Step-by-step action plan to begin your transition
- Tools and resources you’ll need
💼 What Is the Laptop Lifestyle?
At its core, the laptop lifestyle refers to the ability to earn a living online using a laptop (or tablet), untethered from a traditional office. It’s about location independence, time freedom, and creating a work-life balance that aligns with your personal goals.
You can run a business or work remotely for a company—from your couch, a beachside café, or a co-working hub in Lisbon. As long as you have Wi-Fi, you can work.
People living this lifestyle include:
- Freelancers
- Digital entrepreneurs
- Remote employees
- Content creators
- Online coaches and consultants
👤 Who Is the Laptop Lifestyle For?
This lifestyle isn’t just for tech-savvy millennials or Instagram influencers. It’s for:
- Parents who want to spend more time with their kids
- Travelers who crave exploration without financial burnout
- Entrepreneurs building businesses without overhead
- Corporate workers looking to escape the cubicle
- Creatives seeking more time for passion projects
If you’ve ever felt trapped behind a desk or longed for the freedom to work when and where you want—this could be for you.
🛑 Common Myths About the Laptop Lifestyle
Myth 1: You need to be rich to start.
Truth: Many digital nomads begin with just a laptop, Wi-Fi, and a few hundred dollars.
Myth 2: It’s only for influencers.
Truth: Most people living this way aren’t influencers—they’re writers, marketers, coders, consultants, and virtual assistants.
Myth 3: You have to travel constantly.
Truth: The laptop lifestyle is about freedom, not constant travel. You can work from your home, a cabin, or a different country every month.
Myth 4: It’s all passive income.
Truth: Many remote workers trade time for money—but they do it on their own schedule, often at better rates.
🔥 Popular Ways to Live the Laptop Lifestyle
Let’s break down some common laptop lifestyle income paths:
1. Freelancing
Offer services like writing, design, web development, bookkeeping, or project management on platforms like:
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Toptal
- Freelancer
2. Remote Employment
Work full-time or part-time for a company remotely. Job boards include:
- We Work Remotely
- Remote OK
- FlexJobs
- Working Nomads
3. Digital Products
Sell downloadable items like:
- Ebooks
- Templates
- Online courses
- Printables
Platforms: Gumroad, Teachable, Podia, Etsy (for printables)
4. Affiliate Marketing
Earn commissions by recommending products and services. Use a blog, YouTube, or social media to build trust and guide purchases.
5. Dropshipping or Print-on-Demand
Sell products online without handling inventory. Tools: Shopify, Printful, Printify, and Spocket.
6. Virtual Coaching or Consulting
Offer one-on-one or group coaching sessions online in your area of expertise (business, wellness, relationships, etc.).
🧭 Step-by-Step: How to Start Living the Laptop Lifestyle
✅ Step 1: Assess Your Current Skills
Make a list of things you’re good at that are marketable online. Examples:
- Writing
- Admin work
- Social media management
- Web design
- Coaching
- Editing
Even if you think your skills are “basic,” there is likely demand for them.
✅ Step 2: Choose Your Income Model
Pick ONE income path to start. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Start with freelancing, a side hustle, or remote work—then evolve.
✅ Step 3: Build an Online Presence
You’ll need:
- A simple website or portfolio (even a LinkedIn profile can work initially)
- A way to accept payments (PayPal, Stripe, Wise)
- Basic branding (name, photo, 2–3 sentence bio)
Optional but helpful:
- Instagram or TikTok (for personal brand)
- Email list (ConvertKit, Mailchimp)
✅ Step 4: Find Your First Clients or Job
Use the platforms mentioned earlier. Also:
- Reach out to your existing network
- Offer free or discounted work to build a portfolio
- Create simple case studies to show your process and results
✅ Step 5: Create Systems & Routines
Once you get traction, make your life easier with tools like:
- Calendly for appointments
- Google Workspace for file storage
- Notion or Trello for task management
- AI tools for writing, research, and outreach
🌴 Tools to Power the Laptop Lifestyle
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Notion | Planning and organizing your business |
| Google Docs | Document writing and sharing |
| Zoom | Client calls and virtual meetings |
| Canva | Graphic design and branding |
| ChatGPT | Content writing, automation, ideation |
| PayPal / Stripe | Getting paid globally |
| ConvertKit | Email marketing |
| ClickUp | Project and team management |
| Wise | International money transfers |
| Remote Work Job Boards | Finding gigs or full-time remote roles |
✈️ Realistic Expectations
The laptop lifestyle is liberating—but not always glamorous.
You will need to:
- Set boundaries with clients
- Manage your time and productivity
- Handle taxes and time zones
- Stay disciplined without a manager
But the reward? The freedom to shape your life around your values, not your job.
🚀 Final Thoughts
The laptop lifestyle isn’t just a fantasy—it’s a growing movement of people choosing freedom over familiarity. Whether you dream of working on the beach, homeschooling your kids while running a blog, or just skipping the morning commute forever—it’s within reach.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start. Step-by-step, project-by-project, you’ll build a lifestyle that lets you live life on your terms.
I created Freedom of Location website to share information for those seeking freedom and looking for ways to earn income without having to be in the office. Time has change and so should the way you earn a living.
There have been a recent push by corporate America to get people back in office and let’s be honest if you can do it from a laptop there is no need for you to go into an office.
I personally hate going into the office everyday and hence why I created the Freedom of Location.
So if you are looking for ways to make a living without going into an office, we share useful information, products and methods to help you escape the 8-6 office nightmare as it’s no longer 9-5. Join our newsletter and continue check out other articles on the website.