The life of a digital nomad is one many of us aspire to. I mean, who wouldn’t want to explore the world and experience different cultures without having to set foot in an office to fund it? Luckily, widespread access to the internet and smart technology has made it easier than ever to become a digital nomad.
But is it really as good as it seems?
For those of us who haven’t experienced it yet, it can be easy to romanticise the nomadic lifestyle. Yet it isn’t without its hardships. In this blog, we’ll address some of the misconceptions associated with digital nomadism and provide advice on how to overcome some of the challenges.
Let’s start with an excerpt from Investopedia’s definition, so we’re all on the same page.
“Digital nomads are people who are location independent and use technology to perform their job. Digital nomads work remotely, telecommuting rather than being physically present at a company’s headquarters or office.”
- Don’t confuse it with a holiday
Let’s get one thing straight from the start: being a digital nomad is a lifestyle choice, and unfortunately, not a holiday. When you start out you need to figure out how you’re going to divide your time between work and play. For instance, will you work for six months and travel for one? Or will it make more sense for you to work while traveling and take one day off for every three you work?
Everyone’s journey will be different and depend on income and the nature of their work, e.g. short projects vs ongoing clients.
- It’s not all pajamas and lie ins either
When working remotely, it can be tempting to make the most of your new found freedom and work in your pjs. Now this is fine every now and again, but if you do it all the time it can have a negative impact on your productivity and mental wellbeing.
Dressing “for work”, even when you’re a digital nomad, will help you differentiate between life and work and make you feel more professional. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear jeans though!
- It can be a lonely experience
Traveling the world with your laptop can be incredibly fulfilling, but be prepared for bouts of loneliness. Being somewhere temporarily makes it hard to build close bonds and connections with people.
Which is why it’s sometimes a good idea to stay in one place for longer or return home occasionally to time to reconnect with old friends and family.
- You might need some help
Depending on the nature of your remote business and how successful you are, you might decide you need to hire an additional person to help with the load. Now, you’re probably drawn to the nomadic lifestyle because you don’t want the responsibility of employing people, right?
That’s fine, because you can always utilise other remote workers and freelancers. For instance, you might decide to use a Live Receptionist to handle your business calls while you’re on the move.
- Be prepared to branch out
In the early stages of client building, you might have to take on different jobs to fund your travels. This is actually a great way of diversifying your skill set, and you can always niche-ify down the line. For instance, if you’re a copywriter, you might decide to add “social media management” to your remit.
- You’ll have to sacrifice things
This one’s slightly obvious, but as a digital nomad you’ll need to scale back your possessions. All you really need is your laptop (a lightweight one, ideally), some clothes and the basics.
But other than material things and home comforts you’ll also have to sacrifice things in terms of relationships. It goes without saying that you won’t be able to spend as much time with friends and family – but then again there’s always Skype and Whatsapp!
- Education is also important
When you’re on the move all the time and focused on living your best life, it can be easy to fall behind when it comes to new trends and skills. Upskilling is important if you want to stay ahead of your game, but thankfully there are so many online courses to choose from nowadays.
- You need a contingency plan
It’s always a good idea to have a backup plan in place for if things go wrong. Think about what might happen if you lose your biggest client – will you still be able to survive or will you have to go home?
It’s worth setting some savings aside for all eventualities. And it’s okay to go back to “reality” for a bit; if you need to go home and get a regular job to get you back on your feet, don’t feel ashamed. We can’t all live the dream forever! …Or can we?
- It can be expensive initially
Setting yourself up can be expensive at the beginning, but it really does help to have good quality essentials – especially a laptop that’s light and allows you to work quickly. It’s also a good idea to insure any expensive tech you take with you on your journey, just in case.
- Joining a digital community helps
To help relieve any feelings of isolation, why not join a digital community of like-minded people? Location Indie, for instance, offers support and advice to digital nomads. You can sign up for their weekly newsletter, read the blog or listen to one of their regular podcasts while traveling to your next destination!
One good example you can look at is https://lifehackerguy.com/ on how he works for himself on the internet.