#72: The New California Dream, European Night Trains, Mastering Deep Work
A nomadic writer's guide to borderless living.
Hey folks š
In a few weeksā time, Iāll launch a policy paper called The Great Migration: Digital Nomads, Remote Work and the Future of Citizenship with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, where Iām currently a Tech Policy Fellow.
Iāve been working on this project for six months, so Iām excited to finally share it with the world. If youāre interested, sign up to get an email when it drops. Itās about a 10-minute read.
-Lauren
š Links of the Week
āļøšµš¹ The New California Dream Is in Portugal (LA Mag)
Portugalās expat scene is booming, especially among former residents of California. This story examines whatās driving remote workers away from San Francisco and towards Portuguese cities. Spoiler: itās a mix of lifestyle, low taxes, high-quality healthcare, and growing cultural capital.
š§ šŖšŖ Estonia Is Benefiting from British Brain Drain (NY Times)
Supported by Estoniaās futuristic system of digital government, British businesses large and small have figured out they can access the EU market post-Brexit by registering Estonian e-companiesāwithout ever visiting the country. So far, Estonia is estimating ā¬51 million in tax gains from Brits rebasing their businesses there.
š (Take note, global wanderers: Portugal is winning on residency and Estonia is winning on business registration. Weāll all be changing our jurisdictions for stuff like this as we do utility providers by the end of the decade, mark my words.)
ššŖšŗ Exotic and Sustainable, European Night Trains Are Coming Back (Big Think)
The German Greens have an exciting proposal: a trans-European night train network to connect 200 towns and cities across the continent by 2030āfrom Lisbon in the west to Moscow in the east, from Helsinki in the north to MĆ”laga in the south. Hereās what it looks like:
There are obvious benefits here in terms of reducing emissions, and itās also smart for governments to capitalise on the slow travel trend (which has been bolstered by remote work, despite all the border restrictions.) Letās hope the project moves from proposal to reality.
š£š» The Best Remote Work Perk for Employees? Leave Them Alone (Fast Company)
Tech executive Henry Shapiro calls bullshit on staff perks like free food and nap pods, arguing they have always been about tethering employees to the office rather than rewarding good work. With sharp insights for the future of employee benefits and recommendations to shape better company culture.
š”š¼ The Complete Guide to Deep Work (Doist)
Fadeke Adegbuyi shares strategies from Cal Newportās bestselling book Deep Work. Her goal is to teach you āhow to master the #1 job skill that will never be obsoleteā. Covering: the difference between productivity and busyness, building positive work routines, personal accountability, good scheduling habits, and avoiding distractions.
šļøšļø Smart Cities: How to Attract a Digital Generation (Sand Hill Road)
This podcast episode (~16 mins) looks at the rise of āanywhere jobsā, the exodus from major cities like London and New York, Estonian e-residency, and how jurisdictions are competing to attract and retain knowledge workers post-pandemic. With insights from my colleagues at the Tony Blair Institute. Listen now: