Intro to Becoming a digital nomad
In recent years the term Digital Nomad as skyrocketed in popularity.
The lavish nomadic lifestyles have been blasted all over social media with people talking about how they are making $10K per month from some beach in Bali or Costa Rica but is that a valid representation of what it means to be a digital nomad and is it the right lifestyle for you??
For some, yes! That truly is their experience, but I wouldn’t say it paints a proper picture of this lifestyle as a whole. To me, It’s an embellished image presented to the public through the lens of social media and only represents a small portion of digital nomads around the world!
Many more digital nomads are sat at cafes in Turkey or Colombia, working diligently behind the screen and not flaunting their lifestyle for all to see.
But I digress... because I am here to speak to those who are just starting out on their professional nomadic journeys and the path you choose to take is completely in your own hands.
How about we first take a dive into what this lifestyle actually means. Then We’ll go through some pros and cons, leaving you to decide for yourself if this is something that is right for you!
Let’s define the term “Digital Nomad”
A digital nomad is a professional who has the capabilities of doing their work and earning an income online, from anywhere in the world. All they really require is a laptop or smartphone, and a decent internet connection.
To become a digital nomad, you need to first acquire an in-demand skill or, alternatively, be in a current role that can be transitioned completely online leaving no need for a physical location from your employer.
But what sort of jobs are available to break into a lifestyle such as this you may ask - No worries adventurer because I’ve got you covered!
Here are a few examples that instantly come to mind:
Freelance Writer
Graphic Designer
Programmer
Web Developer
Virtual Assistant
Blogger
YouTube Creator
Video Producer
Social Media Manager
Online Teacher
And so much more!!
As we head in 2024 the number of jobs available online will continue to grow. My suggestion would be to find a profession that intersects along the lines of an activity you enjoy, or don’t mind doing and an area in which you have knowledge or skill within.
Many of the digital nomads I have met around the world learned their skills online and then leveraged those skills to gain clients or positions with companies that allow them to be fully remote. This can take time but is 100% achievable.
Others work for companies from their home countries who allowed them to move their position fully remote. So, if you are already in a position with a company where most of your work is online, perhaps this is something that could be arranged with your employer. (You would know best about your situation)
Alright, now that we know what a digital nomad is, and a few potential jobs on the market to live this lifestyle, I’d like to break down several Pros and Cons to living this nomadic dream!
First, The Pro’s:
Flexibility/Create Your Own Schedule – Digital Nomadism will give you the opportunity to live and work from anywhere with an internet connection. You will also avoid having someone breathe down your neck micromanaging and ensuring your work gets done. The creation of your schedule is in your hands. This means you get to decide when the best time to work is for your lifestyle, as long as you are accomplishing the work needed.
Cost Of Living – Having the opportunity to work from anywhere also means you can live somewhere significantly cheaper than your home country. Places such as Southeast Asia, and Latin America are incredible choices as they are beautiful, and far cheaper to live than areas like North America or Europe.
Travel – With no need to be in any one physical location for your work, you can jet off to new and exciting places whenever you see fit. Depending how you like to live your life, you could work from a new country every month, or you could hunker down for several months at a time. This lifestyle provides you with the freedom to pick up and move around if you get tired of a certain location, or if you happen to get that little itch on the bottoms of your feet.
Work Life Balance – What’s the point of being about to work from anywhere if you don’t explore?! Working remotely in another country will give you the opportunity to earn a livable wage while simultaneously allowing you to scratch that urge of exploration and adventure. With you being in control of your schedule, you will be in a great position for one of the best work life balances out of anyone that you know of!
Networking Opportunities – There are so many other digital nomads exploring the world and that number will only increase in the coming years! Many will do their work at coworking locations or in cafes spread out amongst the cities. These are great opportunities to get networking and gain contacts from all over the world. They can be from within, or outside, the industry in which you are working. And depending on who you meet, there is always the potential to form incredible friendships, or work opportunities collaboratively with one another.
Personal growth – Finally, and what I consider most important is the opportunity for personal growth. Being a digital nomad comes with many challenges and facing these head on will fast track your personal growth. Stepping out of your comfort zone, learning more about the world, shifting perspectives, overcoming challenges - are all great ways for us to grow as individuals!
And ultimately, we can’t have the good without the bad because that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
The cons to becoming a digital nomad:
Isolation And Loneliness – Let’s be real, often when you arrive in a foreign country, you won’t have any connections. With time you can build up a network of likeminded digital nomads and you can meet many amazing people, but I would be lying if I said this lifestyle never got lonely from time to time. You won’t have your family or hometown friends close by, but they are always available online or over the phone. In my opinion, you are never truly alone even if it may feel like it.
Work Life Boundaries – With you being in full control of your schedule the lines can become blurred. While working remotely you may end up working longer hours and may find it difficult to switch from “Work Mode” to “Life Mode.” It is best to create a rule for yourself that you only work within a set period time, because what’s the point of living a nomadic lifestyle if you never take the time to enjoy it and explore?
Unpredictable Income – Depending on the job you choose to do online; the income can be incredibly unpredictable. As a freelancer, you may have several months in a row where you make an above average wage and then all of a sudden, a couple of clients decide to go in a different direction, no longer needing your services and you are back to cold emailing, looking for new leads. It is best to ensure you have the funds necessary to support yourself in times such as these. This is more so for the freelancers, and less for those of you who work for a specific company remotely with more job security.
Logistical Challenges – There can often be difficulties in foreign nations dealing with government agencies to acquire visas, dealing with language barriers, or navigating foreign environments. This is all part of the process. And although they may seem like daunting tasks, - don’t get me wrong, they can be incredibly frustrating to deal with at times - they are all situations that can be overcome with a little bit of patience and perseverance.
Internet Reliability – This should be obvious but not every location in the world is going to have top of the line high-speed internet. If you rely heavily on the internet for all your work, ensure you are staying in locations that provide what you need. Try to avoid that cliche Instagram lifestyle of having your laptop on every beach if it doesn’t allow you to get your work done properly.
Healthcare And Insurance – Finding quality healthcare can be difficult at times depending on where you are in the world. If you don’t have any insurance through your employer than I would highly suggest getting some sort of travel insurance. You can tell them the countries you’re travelling through, get a plan based upon that, and it will provide you with some peace of mind while living abroad.
Constant Adaptation – Similarly to the logistical challenges you will face abroad, you will always need to be willing to adapt to new surroundings. Countries across the globe have different cultures, customs, and environments that you will need to navigate. The constant need to adapt can be emotionally and mentally draining while forcing you to build up your resilience.
As you may have noticed many of the Pros and Cons are similar because they just happen to be two sides of the same coin. What one individual may find to be the most frustrating and annoying part of living a nomadic lifestyle, another may consider their favorite.
Much of this lifestyle comes down to your perspective!
If you have read this far than I am going to make the bold assumption that becoming a digital nomad is something you’ve thought about for some time but just haven’t quite made that leap of faith or perhaps don’t know where to start.
Let me just say, that by reading these types of blogs you are already on the right track to obtaining your dream life but be careful of mental masturbation!
At some point, if this is the lifestyle that you are most attracted to, then you need to start implementing!
All you must do next is to decide whether the life you’re living now is truly what you want, or would you rather travel the world full time while working on your or own time?
Do you want the freedom?
The experiences?
The personal growth?
Do you want to simply exist, or do you want to LIVE?!
If you want to become a digital nomad, working from a beach in Costa Rica, or a café in Chiang Mai then there will always be some sort of trade off. You may have to sacrifice the comfort of your couch, put time into learning a new skill, anxiously navigate foreign environments, etc. are you willing to endure those trade offs?
The internet is jam packed with amazing content about every subject known to man!
You can acquire the skills to earn a livable wage online. Travel the world. Meet new people. Gain once in a lifetime experiences. Create new opportunities. Build a network of likeminded individuals from across the globe. And so much more!!
All you must do is put in the work… I truly believe that.
I am choosing the incredible over the comfortable - What about you?