Embracing The Digital Nomad Lifestyle: Combining Work + Travel
This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon and Rewardstyle affiliate, we may earn a small commission for any purchases made through these links. Click here for the disclosure statement.
““Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that...mountain.” ”
We’ve all seen it. The aggravatingly-enticing photos of those people who are working on their laptop with feet in the sand (are they even working, you wonder…), one hand on a tropical cocktail, tan and rugged, living under a cabana backdropped by a f***ing volcano or Mount Everest or the Grecian islands. Their so-called digital nomad Instagram is making you regret all of your life decisions that did not lead you to exactly where that individual is sitting, sipping pinky-up and smugly smirking that they get to call this movie scene their workspace.
Now that nearly 1 in 2 Americans are working remotely, and opportunities for remote work have increased drastically since the onset of Covid, more and more remote workers have embraced a digital nomad lifestyle.
Even before 2020 and that year’s monumental transition to digital work, there was a social surge in popularity and trend in glamorizing this life, and curiosity surrounding the lifestyle has increased.
How do they manage to make a decent income while traveling? How do they afford costs of living and travel simultaneously? How did they find remote work that allows them to jump international time zones? Is that flexible, transient environment only a good fit for certain people? What challenges would this lifestyle present?
If you have remote work and are looking at opportunities that are now available to you, you may not be sure where to start. This article is meant to be a jump-off point and resource for those of you remote workers who want to transition to the magical digital nomad life.
How to Become a Digital Nomad
A digital nomad, defined, is: someone who earns their income virtually using technology and remains location-independent, often prioritizing travel as a lifestyle. They embrace a nomadic or expat lifestyle, working wherever there is an available internet connection the world over. They could either be employed by a specific company or make their living as freelancers.
Note: If you do not work remotely yet and are still dreaming of the day you can work outside of an office space, check out our article on remote work opportunities. We provide a pros/cons list of working from home to give you a better idea of what to expect when working remotely, how to secure remote work, and if those circumstances are something you could thrive in!
““If you think adventures are dangerous, try routine: It’s lethal.””
Could a digital nomad life be the right fit for you?
You may be wondering if this transient, highly mobile and shifting environment could work for you. Here are a few of the major factors to consider.
Pros
Meeting new, like-minded people along the way who are also interested in travel and exploring as a way of life.
Experiencing new cultures and places, on a local level rather than a tourist level. Being remote allows you to dive a little deeper and experience a destination as a short-term home, if you allow a few weeks or months in one place. You can call that new place home for however long you wish!
Traveling without taking time off work. Your PTO can remain PTO! You don’t have to ask off work to go on trips anymore!
Independence is yours. Choosing not to be tied down to anything opens up a number of opportunities; you can choose to live without a car, without a lease, without a mortgage, with minimal responsibilities. It is a strange transition to slowly cut the socially-normal ties and live with a more short-term focus than long-term. You are the architect and designer of your lifestyle!
You never have to live through another winter again, if you so wish. Thankfully, you can just move wherever the sun is shining.
““I would rather own little and see the world than own the world and see little of it.””
Cons
The general lack of stability, while liberating, can wear and tear on you. This is a roadblock that many hit eventually, of growing weary of constantly being on the road.
Loneliness. If you haven’t found the right friends or people on the road, you may feel isolated and disconnected as you travel away from friends and family, no matter how cool your environment may be. Also, the impermanence of friends that you do meet may also negatively affect you. After all, it is great to get to know new people, but knowing that either you or they are leaving shortly, can limit the depth or length of that friendship.
A poor work-life balance could lead to letting your work performance suffer. When there are so many distractions around you, it becomes easier to take it for granted and let your responsibilities slide a bit.
You are limited by WiFi. You better hope that your hostel has reliable WiFi so that you can show up for work!
Misconceptions of The Remote Work Lifestyle
You don’t leave your problems behind. Sorry all, they follow you around the globe and eventually catch up with you, and this time, you are without your support system at home.
The Instagram inspiration of balancing this lifestyle makes it look extremely glamorous, but that can be misleading. There is usually a great deal of research involved in transportation, accommodation, and the other logistics of each location. It can be exhausting to plan so many moves and transitions and changes.
How to connect socially as a digital nomad
One major holdback for many people who are considering this lifestyle is the concern of not finding solid friends and being alone as they wander. There are many ways to remedy this, some structured specifically for digital workers and others for travelers in general. These are also ways to find your nomadic accommodations!
Join Facebook groups
Look for global groups and also groups specific to the city you’ll be in. These communities are always looking for ways to connect with each other in person around the world! Each travel destination in the world has Facebook groups designed for the traveling community, so be sure to research the specific city you will be basing out of. These digital communities organize meet-ups, share pertinent information, and facilitate connections and friendships; they are definitely worth checking out!
Here are a few:
Outdoorsy Gals (U.S. based)
Join a work-travel program
A work-travel program could be a great jumping point, as these programs take care of logistics and also guarantee a social community and workspace! Prices vary depending on location, length of stay, and benefits, but if you are willing to invest a little into this lifestyle, you could find these communities a great fit.
Some top programs structured:
Join a co-working space
Every major city will have co-working spaces for any and all remote workers to join. It can be a great stabilization to have an “office” to work out of when moving around so much.
Stay in a hostel
Choose a hostel instead of a hotel or Airbnb, for the social factor. Hostels are incredibly open and friendly spaces!
Other Resources to Browse
You may be wondering what other sort of opportunities are open to you as a nomad. There is a steadily increasing list of options, but here are a few ideas and resources to spark inspiration and create realistic ways to support a nomadic lifestyle:
Read more: 4 Reasons to Volunteer with WWOOF
Digital Nomad Hotspots Around the World
Where do digital nomads tend to gather? Below is a list of the popular bases and destinations that have attracted remote workers over the years. These listed cities generally have a built-up community and support system, easing the path for social and professional networking.
Globally:
Budapest, Hungary
Lisbon, Portugal
Canggu, Bali, Indonesia
Prague, Czech Republic
Cape Town, South Africa
Krakow, Poland
Taipei, Taiwan
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Belgrade, Serbia
Zagreb, Croatia
Tbilisi, Georgia
Tulum, Mexico
Melbourne, Australia
Here is a cool logistical breakdown by Forbes of a few global digital nomad hotspots.
In the United States:
Los Angeles, CA
Charleston, SC
San Francisco, CA
Asheville, NC
Fort Collins, CO
New Orleans, LA
Nashville, TN
Portland, OR
““The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself.” ”
My experience as a digital nomad
My own limited experience has just begun, in June 2021. Prior to that date, in order to keep travel as a priority in my life, I sought a different job position in each location I wanted to live in, both abroad and within the US. There were perks to that seasonal travel work lifestyle, but I am finding that the certainty of year-round, full-time digital work is more suitable to my goals. Being remote provides both the independence and security I was personally looking for. It provides more flexibility in relation to location, time management, and lifestyle—because now, my work goes with me wherever I go, instead of the opposite.
To this date, I have not taken being a digital nomad internationally, due to Covid travel restrictions and all of the red tape involved. Instead, I take it in my hands to explore the great U.S. and get to know the corners of this country as best as I can for the time being. So far, I have spent time in Hawaii, bounced around different states in order to spend time with cherished friends and family, and relocated to Salt Lake City. Future bucket list items include a summer in Alaska, committing to van life around South America, bouncing around hostels in central Europe (especially Paris and London), and exploring southeast Asia and eastern Europe.
I have lost count of the different addresses I’ve had over the past three years. When asked for my address, I usually refer to my parent’s home because, odds are, I will not be at my current location long. For me, this is my opportunity to get to know foreign cultures and social spheres on a molecular level, dive into different lifestyles and neighborhoods, and understand the differences and commonalities between people.
It is my chance to see and understand life in the different ways that it is lived over the world. It is a learning, liberating, and humbling experience, to both live on my own terms but also adapt to and adopt the lifestyle of the location I find myself presently in. Read more on why I believe travel is important here!
In this tech-filled age, becoming digitally remote is more and more an available opportunity to you. I hope this article inspired some thoughts on which direction you want your own nomadic journey to take!
““Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things: air, sleep, dreams, sea, the sky — all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” ”