Why discipline, speed and clear self-management are crucial
Working where others go on vacation?
Playa del Carmen. Turquoise blue sea. Palm trees in the wind. Sand between your toes. People who live and work here often hear the same phrase: “Oh, you’ve got it good, it’s like a permanent vacation!” What sounds like a cliché is everyday life for many of us who live and work abroad. But working abroad doesn’t mean being on vacation. It means taking responsibility. Creating clarity. And above all: having discipline.
Because while others dream of a remote life, a balancing act between focus, time zones and self-management begins here every morning.
In between times and fully operational
When the offices open their doors in Germany on Monday mornings, Mexico is still in deep darkness. I live and work in the GMT-5 time zone, which means that when I sit at my desk at 7 a.m., it’s already 2 p.m. in Germany and therefore half-time in the traditional working world.
What many people don’t know: I then have a maximum of one hour to process and analyze the first five hours of the German working day and get straight into action. E-mails, inquiries, decisions, feedback. All in one go. I often say with a smile that no interim manager can move that quickly.
And yet it works because I want it to. And because I take it seriously.
Self-discipline: the underestimated superpower
Working remotely often sounds like freedom. In reality, it means structure. It means not shuffling to your desk in your pyjamas, but being present, both physically and mentally. It means not being distracted by the tropical sun, the colorful life outside your door or the illusion that you can do everything later.
Discipline is not a restriction here, but a form of self-respect.
I have been living in Mexico for over ten years, working with German companies, placing interim managers and building B2B marketing strategies. Without clarity, structure and the ability to prioritize in seconds, I would sink. The speed with which I grasp things and set them in motion is an advantage, but it also requires strength. Every day anew.
My tip for anyone who wants to go abroad or work remotely
If you dream of working as an expat or digital nomad, don’t just ask yourself where you want to be, but above all:
How do you want to work? How do you want to live: permanently, not just for three weeks?
Because yes, for me it is paradise. I love the sea, the culture, the life here. But my everyday life doesn’t consist of coconuts and sunsets. It’s about responsibility, punctuality, decisiveness and the ability to be present every morning, even if I feel like I’m living “between times”.
Like in the Netflix series Dark, in which spaces and times overlap, I often move between calendars, countries and realities in my job. But I have learned that if you lead yourself, you can be successful anywhere.
Want to know what remote working looks like in real life beyond Insta-romance?
Then let’s talk on the phone.
About the author
Ich bin Corina Hoch, AI-driven B2B-Marketingstrategin, SEO-Expertin und Mental Health Coach zwischen Deutschland und Mexiko. Seit über zehn Jahren arbeite ich remote aus Mexiko und begleite Unternehmen, die in einer zunehmend digitalen und AI-geprägten Welt sichtbar werden und wachsen möchten.
Mein Arbeitsschwerpunkt liegt im B2B- und Interim-Management-Marketing:
Ich entwickle SEO- und AI-Search-Strategien, die Webseiten nicht nur in Google, sondern auch in ChatGPT, Perplexity und Gemini auffindbar machen. Dazu gehören Content-Clustering, AI-Optimierungsstrategien, Case Studies, Landingpages, Lead-Gen-Systeme und die komplette digitale Positionierung von Unternehmen.
Mit meinem Ansatz verbinde ich präzise Analyse, klare Sprache und echte Relevanz ohne Marketing-Overload, dafür mit Wirkung.
Parallel dazu baue ich mit AlmaSeren meine zweite Säule auf:
Ganzheitliche mentale Gesundheit für Frauen, insbesondere in Phasen der Neuorientierung und beruflichen Transformation. Dazu gehören Coaching, Retreats, Workbooks, Meditationen, Resilienztrainings und ein verständlicher Zugang zu mentaler und körperlicher Balance.
Beide Bereiche gehören für mich zusammen:
Nachhaltiges Wachstum, ob im Business oder persönlich, entsteht erst, wenn Klarheit, mentale Kapazität und strategischer Fokus zusammenwirken.
In meinen Artikeln teile ich Insights aus 10 Jahren New Work, der Arbeit zwischen zwei Kulturkreisen und meiner Rolle als Brückenbauerin im internationalen Kontext. Mein Ziel ist es, Frauen zu stärken, Orientierung zu geben und den Mut für neue Wege zu fördern.
Mehr über mich auf LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corina-hoch/
