How to Become a Digital Nomad & Work from Anywhere
We have all been suffering from the restrictions of various types for the last few months, the dream of combining work and traveling never left. However, many jobs these days only require a good internet connection and a laptop or even a smartphone to be done, and even more will likely appear soon. So how to organize your work on the go and get new experience seeing the world without productivity loss? One of the most successful ways is to become what we call a digital nomad.
What Is A Digital Nomad?
What does digital nomad mean, you may wonder? Digital Nomadism has many definitions, but at its core, what it means is that you are able to work while traveling the world. This gives you an unprecedented amount of freedom in what you choose to do with your time. You can also decide where to be a digital nomad and how long you wish to work from the same location. Sounds attractive, isn’t it? Certain downfolds included, though, so read more before you make a decision. You need to know where to start, what is a must-have for everything to work seamlessly for you, and, in the first place, is it even your thing. You need to really understand what a digital nomad lifestyle is to make the right decision.
How You Can Work from Anywhere
Not every job allows remote working. But if you have one that is possible to combine with traveling, it’s worth trying to make your life more exciting. If you can pack the necessities and jump on a plane without damaging your work, congratulations, you can become a digital nomad. The word “digital” pretty much detects the main requirement for this lifestyle. If you’re building a career on the internet or the main tools for your work are accessible online, then your digital nomad opportunities are limitless. You only need to stick to places with a good internet connection.
So, which jobs allow you to work on the go? Let’s name a few to get the gist:
- Almost every job related to web development
- Designers, photographers, illustrators
- Copywriters, internet marketers, promoters
Basically, any work that doesn’t involve close contact with people can bring you closer to fulfilling your dream about traveling the world. And even working with people is not an obstacle anymore. During the past two years, a lot of tutors, therapists, and even fitness couches have also gone online. The list seems to be extending further.
What also makes digital nomadism possible is the explosion of co-working spaces around the world. In case you don’t know about them, they are places where digital nomads work together in a community with similar interests. Being part of this digital nomad movement can not only give you an opportunity to socialize but also save on some expenses.
How to Be a Nomad and Find Work
For starters, the algorithm to succeed is first to find work, and only after that do you pack your stuff. Sure, every project has an ending, so you need to master a job searching skill too. A lot of sites dedicated to that matter exist, so, with some research, you’ll find the platform that works best for you. While building your portfolio, you may find regular clients, and the whole process will become easier.
The main point is you need to constantly improve and update your skills to succeed in the quickly changing modern world. A digital nomad with no skills would hardly make enough money to travel the world. So, learn, track the tendencies, and explore new markets to stay in line with the processes in your working field.
What Does A Digital Nomad Need?
An important question digital nomads are asking themselves is how to make things easier. Is being a digital nomad worth it at all? Or maybe planning and organizing are just too much to enjoy the process? Are there any digital nomad apps that can help with managing?
The good news, there are enough digital assistants to back you up. Besides digital nomad sites that can help you find new projects to work on, there are many mobile applications to help you manage everything else. Some of them are useful when it comes to daily planning; others assist you with local languages and logistics. Consider using these apps.
- Planning: Trello, Evernote, Active Collab
- Productivity: Time Doctor, Twilight, Focus@will
- Travel: Tripit, Workfrom, Hopper
Of course, there are others, and even more will likely appear soon to make your life better.
Where to Go as a Digital Nomad?
The variety of places you may stay for a while being a digital nomad is great. The choice will mostly depend on your average income; obviously, the higher it is, the wider selection you have. Nevertheless, some places are well-known as favorites to the traveling workers and are perfect if you want to understand what digital nomad life is like. To name a few:
- Bali: Ubud, Canggu,
- Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai
- Hungary: Budapest
- Portugal: Lisbon
Your choice might be influenced not only by the cost of living. The visa requirement also matters, as well as the state of local health care. When choosing the place to stay, carefully study important areas in advance not to find yourself helpless in a city you know little about.
You may try to engage with one of the digital nomad companies and get some recommendations from your colleges. If you’re just beginning your way as a traveling worker, talking to a more experienced person and asking for some kind of digital nomad guide would be a wise decision.
Future of Digital Nomads
Talking about the development of the movement in general, we can say with absolute certainty it will evolve into a norm soon enough. For many, the scales of digital nomad advantages and disadvantages lean heavily towards the former. The companies are in it as well, as the tendency gives them an opportunity to save on rental costs. It’s hard to imagine the participants of the process, including local businesses in the cities that are suitable for digital nomads, that wouldn’t benefit from the movement. It seems like not opting for this working manner earlier was just a waste of time. With the proper organization and flexible schedule, this working model seems to be pretty satisfying for everyone involved.
On the other hand, digital nomads are likely to face some problems in the near future as well. They are faced with career choices at some point – making a pause isn’t always doable, so they have to opt for something stable. Another possible issue might be created by an environment of digital nomad hubs. It seems too easy not to get out there once you have found your island of comfort in Thailand or Bali. Since most digital nomads spend months living in these places, they would not get familiar with local culture at all, working most of their time. This wipes out the benefits of traveling as your work takes the most of you. Anyway, with the proper planning and discipline, it seems to be a manageable issue.
Conclusion
Now you’re aware that knowing the best places for digital nomads to live is nearly the last thing to be concerned about. The digital nomad lifestyle attracts many of us, but to be fair, it’s not all hiking and tasting local cuisines. You need to thoroughly distribute your time to work productively and catch all the benefits of traveling at the same time. On the other hand, seeing new places and adding to your experience will definitely improve your mental faculties, making the whole process easier for you. The good thing is, you can return to the previous working model any time, so there’s nothing to be scared about. Try your luck with this lifestyle and see if this is something you’ve always wanted.
Do you have digital nomad opportunities in your working area? Which are they? Please share them with us by leaving a comment below!