The Key to Surviving the Jungle Lifestyle in Belize - Discipline

As an expat, the jungle living lifestyle is likely a completely new concept. Moving to a country like Belize is immensely exciting but comes with an entirely different way of living, from personal choices to cultural adjustments. Surviving the jungle lifestyle in Belize through discipline is essential, as the initial excitement can quickly give way to mental exhaustion and burnout. Living in the jungle is very hard work, and without a level of discipline, one may find themselves on a plane back to their home country within a few short years.

My Story

I live on a 42 acre farm deep in the jungle, down a two mile unmaintained road, isolated from the village of Scotland Halfmoon. About six of my acres are cleared, while the rest is reclaimed jungle. Every day, the jungle tries to take back the six acres I use.

On this cleared land, I am responsible for keeping the jungle back. This includes cutting grass, chopping and cleaning over 1,000 young fruit trees, and maintaining and cleaning five small chicken coops, including slaughtering the chickens. I also build and maintain all infrastructure projects, cleaning and maintaining, inside and out of an 800 square foot house including underneath said house. Along with building a 1,000 square foot greenhouse, with plans to construct a bunch of cabanas. On top of that, I do all my own cooking, laundry, and traveling to the city for supplies and passport stamps.

In the past year, another Canadian has joined me on the farm. He uses the greenhouse and has helped by taking over the electrical aspects on the farm, small engine repair, and water pump maintenance. While having those tasks off my plate helps immensely, everything else still falls on me. The only way I can pull all this off is through hard work – and that hard work is possible because of one thing: discipline.

Every expat’s “jungle living experience” is unique. You might live on a good road, have the financial means to solve your challenges with money, or not be too deep in the jungle. You might be retired, have a strong support system, or – like me – have none of those advantages. What keeps me going, day after day and year after year, is discipline and routine.

Establishing a routine through discipline helps structure the day, increase productivity, create a sense of accomplishment, and maintain your lifestyle and everything that sustains it – from your belongings to your home, buildings, and property.

Here are a few of the points I plan to touch on:

How long does it take to complete a task in Belize
Seasons and daylight
Morning rituals, waking up early, no matter what
Doing hard tasks first
Productivity builds momentum, momentum fuels productivity
Jungle lifestyle maintenance discipline
Complacency is dangerous
Evening prep. Have tomorrow’s plan figured out tonight
Mental discipline
The power of small habits & The 5-Minute Rule: small actions prevent big problems
Discipline equals freedom
Predictability creates stability
Physical hardship is mental training – The power of self-reliance
Balance
Stages of discipline
What a Typical Day in the Jungle Looks Like for Me
In Conclusion: Embracing Discipline in the Jungle

My road during the rainy season – the jungle can really test you

How Long Does It Take to Complete a Task in Belize

Back in Canada, my weekly grocery shopping routine often took me less than an hour – from leaving my apartment to returning home. In Belize, it’s an entirely different process. I wake up at 5 AM to get everything ready and feed the chickens before biking two miles down an unmaintained, often flooded, and muddy road to the village. There, I change from rainboots to regular footwear and I wait for the bus – a beat-up, refurbished school bus from the U.S. – for an uncomfortable hour and a half ride.

I usually arrive in Belize City at about 8:30 AM and rush around making all my bi-weekly purchases to catch the 12:30 PM return bus. By 2 PM, I’m back in the village, where I now have to hump all my purchases back down the same flooded and muddy road I came out of eight hours earlier.

What once took me an hour in Canada now takes me over eight hours in Belize, which is not a bad ratio to factor in for most Belizean projects.

If I am getting groceries or hardware supplies from the village, it is about a four mile bike ride. Because of road conditions and other distractions, a simple trip to the local grocery store and back takes about two hours. If I’m in the middle of a project and screwed up on sizes or quantity, I sometimes end up making three (quicker) trips in a day.

The road I travel for groceries & supplies during the rainy season

Bottom line: everything requires far more effort and time to accomplish.

When a one hour task now takes eight hours you need to be efficient and disciplined with your day and time – all the time. As slow as things get done in this country, because life is such a daily adventure time flies. Before you’ve completed a third of your dry season projects ever get accomplished the rainy season is already back.

Public transit in Belize will definitely test you

Seasons and Daylight

Most North Americans experience four seasons and a yearly increase in daylight hours. In Belize, however, we have only two seasons – the wet and dry seasons – and we don’t get the benefits of longer days of summer.

Throughout the year, the sunrises between 5:30 AM and 6:30 AM, shifting gradually as the seasons change, with earlier sunrises in the summer and later ones in the winter. Sunsets follow a similar pattern, occurring between 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM, with later sunsets in the summer months and earlier ones in the winter. That means that compared to a North American summer, we lose five to six hours of daylight a day during the summer in Belize.

This loss is significant, especially considering that life in Belize is far more outdoor-oriented than in North America. Jungle living requires constant upkeep, and much of the work must be done outside. In Belize once the sun sets the mosquitos come out to play often forcing us expats indoors for the night.

The sun sets early in Belize

The Dry Season in Belize

Belize experiences two distinct seasons: the dry season and the wet season. Historically, the dry season lasts from December to June. That being said, as I write this it is now the first week in February, and it’s as wet as they have ever been – we’re still waiting for the dry season to begin. Since I arrived in Belize over three years ago, every season has been unpredictable, extreme, or just plain weird.

For North Americans, think of the dry season as summer and the wet season as winter. During the dry season, things are dry, and not muddy which means that if you live on a poorly maintained road, as I do, you can finally transport building materials. You now have a window of opportunity to be more productive with fewer rain-related interruptions on projects.

During the dry season, you’ll want to be as productive as possible.

Often I bike from the village to pick up lumber on my bicycle – notice the muddy ground

The Wet Season in Belize

Belize’s wet season runs from approximately June to December and also coincides with hurricane season, which is a whole other category of concern. The wet season brings flooding, mud, and frequent and regular interruptions that can delay projects by many months without warning.

To make the most of the dry season, you need to plan ahead during the wet season. Think about what you want to accomplish and ensure you have all the necessary building materials for the following year.

Through discipline, plan your day wisely according to the season. Create a list of projects and daily tasks, then structure them into your routine based on daylight and nighttime hours. Factor in the weather—schedule outdoor work for sunny days and reserve indoor tasks for rainy ones. A well-planned day ensures efficiency and keeps you productive, no matter the conditions.

FYI, the rainy season is a great time to thoroughly wash and clean inside the house

Progress is greatly diminished during the wet season

Morning Rituals in the Jungle, Waking Up Early, No Matter What

When I first arrived in Belize, I started setting my alarm for 6 AM to take advantage of the more daylight hours. I’m not a morning person, and I often went through stages where 6 AM felt like a struggle. But I also noticed that by the time I was actually ready for work and heading to feed the chickens, it was after 7 AM – sometimes closer to 7:30 AM. I was losing nearly an hour of daylight every day.

As mentioned before, when the sun sets, the mosquitoes come out to play, and all work stops. Even though I go to bed earlier than most, I often found myself too physically exhausted at the end of the day to be motivated to work on blogs, etc. Instead, I wasted precious hours in front of the TV or scrolling on my phone.

Recently, in my third year here, knowing I had a busy dry season ahead, I realized that I was being lazy about dragging myself out of bed at 6 AM. I decided to start going to bed even earlier – around 9 PM – and set my alarm for 5 AM. It turned out to be one of the easiest and most productive habits I’ve ever developed. Now I have time I need to get ready for the day, plus 30 minutes to work on my blogs, and I’m out the door by 6:30 AM to feed the chickens. I wish I had started this habit thirty years ago.

Waking up before sunrise helps set the tone for the rest of the day. Also, always make your bed – it’s a small but important way to start your morning with a win.

Sunrise at 6:30 AM

Another blog post I wrote – Mastering Your Mornings: Streamlining Decisions for a Productive Day

Doing Hard Tasks First

Belize gets hot, with intense humidity. Do the hard tasks first! Tackling the most physically demanding jobs early means you’ll be working in reasonable temperatures and still have energy before the heat and humidity drain you.

For me, the hard or physically demanding tasks would be mixing cement, chopping with my machete, or moving dirt or gravel by wheelbarrow. Since I usually have five projects going on at a time it lets me schedule the toughest tasks in the morning and transition to less physical work in the afternoon.

Also, it’s just natural to get lazy or get distracted, but in general, the hardest jobs are the most important ones. By getting the hard job out of the way first thing, you develop discipline – habits that carry through the rest of the day.

When I first arrived in Belize, I realized that an essential part of my success here would be to have a greenhouse. Part of my building plans included putting in a patio stone floor. Unfortunately, patio stones aren’t readily available in Belize. My greenhouse would require 1,200 patio stones, and I would have to make all 1,200 patio stones myself.

For almost four months, six days a week, my first task of the day was to mix five buckets of sand/gravel mix with half a bag of cement and a bucket of water. That mix produced a dozen patio stones per day, or in other words – 50 bags of cement X 100 mixes. I can tell you – the only way I ever finished that job was through pure discipline.

I had to mix 100 piles of cement to make 1,200 patio stones

Every day – 12 more patio stones

My shade cloth greenhouse (without shade cloth)

Another blog post I wrote – Embracing the Challenge: It’s Hard to Do Hard Things and How to Overcome

Productivity Builds Momentum, Momentum Fuels Productivity

The more disciplined you are, the more you get done. One of the rewards of accomplishing more is the ability to accomplish even more – it creates momentum, and momentum drives results.

The goal isn’t necessarily to do more tasks; it’s about gaining the freedom to do the things that you truly want. But living in the jungle comes with endless hard work that never seems to end. Fortunately, for me, I want to experience as much of the outdoors and jungle as possible. Productivity allows that for me, it’s a win-win result.

Another blog post I wrote – Unlocking Success: The Power of Persistence and Grit

Jungle Lifestyle Maintenance Discipline

Due to the extremes in heat, humidity, and rain, you will notice nearly all of your possessions will deteriorate, break down, rot, and rust at an accelerated rate. On top of that, acquiring these items – whether purchasing, building, or delivering them – requires a much greater investment of time and money in Belize than back home.

I have to wash and clean every part of my house on a very regular basis, on the outside, including my zinc roof, eavestroughs, and exterior walls. On the inside that includes interior walls, ceilings, and even underneath my house – almost four times a year. In contrast, there were areas in my Canadian home that I never had to clean in my life.

Frequent washing and cleaning also forces you to inspect areas for termite infestation and premature rot. Storage areas and storage bins should be very routinely emptied, cleaned, and checked for cockroaches, termites, rust, and decay. I routinely inspect all areas beneath my house with a flashlight looking for rot and termites.

Regularly loosen and tighten tool and machine bolts to prevent lost or rust-seized bolts. Inspect any engine or motorized equipment or tool very regularly.

Living in the jungle means daily, constant cleaning and maintenance. Discipline makes that task smoother.

The jungle can be a beautiful place – it is totally worth the challenges

Complacency is Dangerous in the Jungle

Belize and the jungle are not a place you want to have an accident. Medical standards here are not quite the same as in North America, and an emergency in the jungle can be either life-threatening or extremely difficult to respond to.

Part of a disciplined lifestyle ripples into how your mind determines how you proceed with certain tasks. Careless attitudes can lead to complacency, which leads to accidents. Be disciplined and mindful of where you put your feet or hands at all times.

Some of the most common jungle-related accidents caused by complacency can be getting stung by a scorpion, cutting yourself with your machete, or chainsaw accidents. Also walking into a wasp nest, or twisting your ankle navigating uneven jungle terrain. All these things have happened to me, except for a chainsaw accident, and I’ve been fortunate enough to never have to visit the hospital as a result of an accident.

Scorpions & wasp nests – Always watch where you put your hands and walk

Evening Prep: Have Tomorrow’s Plan Figured Out Tonight

Every evening before bed, I like to have my plans for the next day figured out. There is something to be said for removing as many morning decisions as possible. I generally make a Plan A and a Plan B – with the latter accounting for rain.

Mental Discipline in the Jungle

Physical discipline strengthens mental discipline because pushing the body beyond discomfort trains the mind to endure challenges, and resist excuses. When you consistently demand effort from yourself—whether through physical hardship, structured routines, or overcoming fatigue. This causes you to build resilience that carries over into decision-making, problem-solving, and overall mental toughness.

When troubles arise, we don’t rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our discipline.

In jungle living, hard times will come—whether it’s a sudden storm, an equipment failure, or an unexpected setback. You won’t magically develop the skills or mindset to handle it. Instead, you’ll rely on the habits and systems you’ve already built.

If your home maintenance is disciplined, you won’t be scrambling to fix a leaking roof during a downpour.
If your routines are structured, unexpected challenges won’t throw your entire day into chaos.
If you’ve trained yourself to push through discomfort, the isolation, heat, or demanding physical work won’t break you.

Jungle living requires a level of preparedness that isn’t just about survival—it’s about sustaining a way of life. The discipline you build in normal times determines how well you handle difficult situations, such as hurricanes or prolonged power outages.

A new septic tank hole and leach field trench – these jobs can’t be done during the rainy season, and it’s best to tackle them first thing in the morning.

The Power of Small Habits & The 5-Minute Rule: Small Actions Prevent Big Problems

Small habits, repeated consistently, create powerful long-term results. In jungle living, simple routines—like regularly maintaining tools, checking for leaks before the rainy season, or waking up at the same time each day—prevent small issues from turning into major problems. Over time, these small, disciplined actions build efficiency, resilience, and a life that runs smoothly even in an unpredictable environment.

The 5-Minute Rule is a simple but powerful mindset: If a task takes five minutes or less to complete, do it immediately. This prevents small issues from piling up and becoming overwhelming later. In jungle living, where neglecting even minor tasks can have serious consequences, this habit is especially valuable.

How It Applies to Jungle Living:

Fixing Small Repairs Before They Become Big Ones: A tiny roof leak ignored today turns into a major structural issue after a heavy rainstorm.
Keeping Tools and Gear in Working Condition: Quickly sharpening a machete, oiling a door hinge, or checking a water pump prevents frustration and failure when you actually need them.
Preventing Clutter and Disorganization: When every tool, supply, or resource has its place, and you put things back immediately, you avoid wasting time searching for essentials when they’re needed.

Why It Works:

Eliminates Procrastination: Small tasks seem insignificant at the moment, but they add up. The 5-Minute Rule keeps responsibilities from snowballing.
Saves Time and Energy: A quick action today prevents a larger, time-consuming problem tomorrow.
Reduces Mental Load: When you immediately handle small tasks, your mind stays clear and focused rather than cluttered with a growing to-do list.

In a jungle setting, where convenience and quick fixes aren’t always available, the 5-Minute Rule ensures that discipline keeps you ahead of problems rather than constantly reacting to them.

Unfortunately, even discipline doesn’t save you from every tough job

Another blog post that I wrote – Mastering Discipline: Why the Price of Regret Far Exceeds the Price of Discipline

Discipline Equals Freedom

Discipline isn’t about restriction—it’s the foundation of true freedom. When you commit to structure, consistency, and responsibility, you eliminate chaos, stress, and last-minute scrambling. Whether it’s maintaining your health, managing your time, or staying on top of daily obligations, discipline ensures that life runs smoothly. The more disciplined you are in handling the essentials, the more freedom you have to focus. On what truly matters—pursuing your goals, enjoying your time, and living with a sense of control rather than constantly reacting to problems.

True freedom isn’t about avoiding discipline; it’s about embracing it.

Predictability Creates Stability

A disciplined routine reduces risk and increases efficiency by ensuring that essential tasks are completed consistently and without unnecessary guesswork. When you know exactly when and how things get done, you eliminate wasted time and decision fatigue. True freedom doesn’t come from avoiding structure. It comes from creating a system that supports your goals, well-being, and survival. The more predictable and reliable your daily habits are, the more control you have over your environment, allowing you to focus on what truly matters without constant stress or uncertainty.

Physical Hardship is Mental Training – The Power of Self-Reliance

Relying too much on modern conveniences—like easy access to food, electricity, and technology—creates a fragile way of living, especially in unpredictable environments. When a hurricane hits, the power goes out, or flooding cuts off supply routes, those who depend solely on external comforts struggle the most. True self-reliance comes from developing the skills, discipline, and mindset to adapt and function even when conveniences disappear. The more you prepare, the less you have to panic when circumstances change.

I’m fortunate to have experienced certain physical and mental hardships that have prepared me for self-reliance here in Belize. Firstly, I’ve been single and alone most of my life. I was a long-haul truck driver for six and a half years, routinely driving through places like downtown New York City and mountain driving during winters. On a bicycle, I biked through Atlantic Canada and Quebec during the 2019-20 Canadian winter. As part of that ride, I biked the Mexican Baja for a month, enduring 46°C (115°F) temperatures, as part of spending two years biking from Canada to Belize.

Some of my physical tests – camping in a tent during the winter & biking through 46°C (115°F) temperatures

Balance Living in the Jungle

When I first arrived in Belize, I was so excited to work outside that I couldn’t sleep at night in anticipation of the following morning. I worked tirelessly every day, and after many months, I realized that no matter how hard I worked, I would never catch up – and eventually, I burned out.

For the first time in my life, I forced myself to take a Sabbath. While I generally do a little work in the morning, Sunday is my guilt-free day to be unproductive. I permit myself to be unproductive, nap in my hammock, and recharge guilt-free.

Since I know myself to be hard-working and productive, I prioritize one to two larger adventures as well as two or three mico-adventures, around the country each year.

Nothing here is easy, and virtually nothing goes as planned. Over time, this will wear on a person. I think, in a similar way to how a prolonged winter can affect a person’s mental health, mood, and personality. The wet season can be equally as tough with all the rain, mud, and flooding. For me, the mud is the worst.

I try to be careful about changing tasks up and if I’m in the mood for something specific, I do that. I also try to be mindful of not overdoing a job that I may normally enjoy. Most importantly, I try to listen to my body when I’m tired – am I truly tired, or am I just making excuses?

Part of every Sunday is spent in this hammock

Stages of Discipline

Everyone has their own level of discipline, but the person who constantly says they’ll start “tomorrow” is setting themselves up for failure. Discipline isn’t about grand gestures—it’s built through small, consistent daily actions. Setbacks are inevitable, but they should never be an excuse to stop moving forward. Each day is an opportunity to improve, and the key is to take action now. A good plan executed today is always better than a perfect plan that never gets started.

A good place to start – a clean & organized living space

Another blog post I wrote – Embracing Resilience: The Wisdom of Winston Churchill’s Timeless Quote

What a Typical Day in the Jungle Looks Like for Me

The following is a typical day in the jungle for me. Depending on the weather or priority of certain jobs. I may focus on just one type of work in a day or for many days, such as chopping or building. The best part is that whatever I am working on, I’m outside, exposed to nature – birds singing and flying by, bugs, and snakes.

5 AM alarm goes off – morning duties, including making my bed, reading one chapter from the bible, and morning prayers
6 AM – 30 minutes to work on my computer
6:30 AM – feed and care for chickens and dogs
7 AM – one of my more physically demanding tasks such as chopping, mixing cement, moving dirt or gravel
If I need to go to the village for groceries or supplies, I go in the morning to avoid quitting work earlier than necessary. I find if I go to the village in the afternoon, the trip takes twice as long, which wastes time.
11 AM – shower, post my social media short reels to all platforms, make lunch, have a coffee, and clean up.
1 PM – back to work, often I build, or frame things in the afternoon. Using power tools and building things out of lumber is not generally as physically demanding.
4:30 PM – feed and care for chickens and dogs
If there is still time in the late afternoon, I may go back to chopping.
6:30 PM – shower, make popcorn, make dinner, and clean up
9:00 PM – go to bed. Repeat.

I journal and blog about everything I see and do every day – Welcome to My Website

Start by making your bed

In Conclusion: Embracing Discipline in the Jungle

Living in the jungle is a test of both physical and mental resilience. It’s a lifestyle that demands hard work, commitment, and, above all, discipline. Without it, the challenges of isolation, unpredictable weather, and constant maintenance can quickly become overwhelming. But with discipline, not only do you build a system that keeps your life running smoothly, but you also create space for true freedom. Freedom from stress, chaos, and burnout, and the freedom to pursue the things that matter most. Whether that’s tending to your land, nurturing your relationships, or exploring the beauty of your surroundings.

Discipline in the jungle doesn’t mean rigid restriction; rather, it’s the key to stability, predictability, and self-reliance. The habits you develop today—no matter how small—compound over time and transform your ability to thrive in even the harshest conditions. From morning rituals to evening preparations, every action contributes to the foundation of your life in the jungle.

As you continue your journey, remember that balance is essential. Push through the discomfort, embrace the hard work, but also recognize when to rest and recharge. The jungle lifestyle is about more than just survival—it’s about sustaining a life of purpose, growth, and personal fulfillment. By embracing discipline, you not only adapt to the environment but also shape a life that is rich with possibility, even in the wildest of places.

In the end, the jungle might be wild, but with discipline, you can make it your home. Are you disciplined enough to handle the jungle?