If you want an adventurous yet productive lifestyle, becoming a digital nomad might be one of the most rewarding albeit challenging ways you can live.
Digital nomads are remote professionals who travel to different locations to work. They commonly work in coffee shops, co-working spaces, public libraries, or even tourist destinations. They operate from anywhere using devices with wireless internet capabilities, such as smartphones and laptops. They get to choose where they work and how they organize their time.
If you enjoy traveling, this could be the ideal lifestyle for you. With the wireless lifestyle made possible by technology, you can set up virtually anywhere, and relocate camp when you want a change of scenery. You can work in one place all year or move with the changing seasons, or you can spend your week on the beach and your weekends in the mountains.
Most digital nomads are freelancers. If you prefer flexibility and control with your employment, freelancing may be the best option for you. As a freelancer, you get to have the freedom to work from anywhere at a time of your choice, be your own boss, and keep all your profits. You can work remotely and not follow a routine.
The digital nomad lifestyle is ideal for those who seek less work-related stress and more leisure time. Most professionals cite long working hours as the main cause of stress in their lives, and some are stressed by office politics. Being a digital nomad, you can reduce stress since you can be your own boss, set your own hours, and spend time with the people you like being around.
Being somewhere fascinating means having the most opportunity to try new and exciting things. Who knows? Maybe being a digital nomad is the lifestyle you would prefer to have. If you think being a digital nomad is right for you, here are five steps to get you started:
Find your skillset
Some skills, such as coding or graphic design, are easier to do from anywhere. Others may be more difficult to practice remotely. But that doesn’t rule out the possibility.
Finding your skillset is a great way to determine what you will do as a digital nomad. When you know what you’re good at, you can simply work your way through it. You can select the ideal career and get the required equipment to make it happen.
However, finding your skills is not always an easy task. You may have problems figuring out what you’re good at. It’s not going to fall into your lap easily. It can take months, or even years, to figure out what you’re meant to do.
If that’s the case, you might start by checking through job postings and freelancing websites to see what clients are seeking. Then maybe from there, you can work backward to become the ideal hire.
Choose your first location
Where you want to go matters. Freelancing from a small island with spotty internet access is unlikely to get you very far. Living in Paris on a shoestring budget will have you running home within a few weeks or months.
Choosing your first location requires months of planning — unless you prefer spontaneity. You need to conduct proper research about your prospective location. There are other factors to consider, including your budget, internet connectivity, living conditions, and legal rights to remain and work in another country.
It’s important to realize that the success in your first location will determine your chances of making it to more destinations. Living as a digital nomad, you’ll be able to see incredible places, and learn from different cultures. Once you’ve finally chosen your first location, the benefits of commencing a digital nomad life await you.
Start freelancing
Once you’ve figured out what you’re good at, start freelancing. The pay may not be extravagant at first and the work may be tedious, but the experience is rewarding. When you have the experience, it’ll be a lot easier for you to find gigs when you’re on the road.
Once you’ve gained experience and built up a portfolio with your credentials, you can move to creating your own business.
Build your business
Setting up your business while you’re traveling sounds like a dream, but in reality, you’ll make things considerably harder for yourself. The first thing you need to consider in building your business is to choose a business path. There are numerous remote occupations that are ideal for the digital nomad lifestyle. Choosing a marketable expertise is the first step in starting your own business.
The next step is to set up your business essentials. Your business essentials are entirely dependent on the type of business you’re starting. This entails using the appropriate digital tools to create a website to advertise your services and to set up social media accounts to market your business and network with others in your industry. Once your business starts to grow, you should consider using document management tools and an e-signature application to assist you with paperwork, particularly contracts.
Your business won’t endure very long on the road if you don’t have the right tools. While it may be tempting to travel the world with nothing but a bag of your personal belongings, many digital nomads will find that this is insufficient to run a business while on the road. At the very least, you need your laptop, charger, universal adaptor plugs, and a portable internet connection for countries with questionable wifi. However, depending on your profession, you may need to bring additional gear. For instance, if you’re a photographer you need your cameras, lenses, and memory cards with you.
Building your own business is no easy task, but when you get the hang of it, the fruits of your labor will let you enjoy living the life of a digital nomad. With a well-earning business to support your nomadic lifestyle, you can continue living the perks of being one.
Find a community
Finding new networks of like-minded people is the best part of being a digital nomad. Being a part of a community is beneficial not just to your business but also to your wellbeing. Socializing will not only make you happier, but it will also help you connect with potential mentors, workmates, clients, and leads. As a digital nomad, this can be a crucial part of your success. To discover your community, make sure to check out co-working spaces, cafes with good wifi, and meet-up events near you.
Conclusion
No job or lifestyle is perfect. Every good thing has a downside and the digital nomad life is no exception. Being a digital nomad requires a lot of effort. There’s no one to guide and help you along the way. You need to figure out paperwork, health insurance, new languages, and international business all on your own. Some other downsides may include homesickness, missing out on big family events, not having a steady income, and language barriers.
Nevertheless, the biggest advantage of being a digital nomad is having freedom. You have complete control over your location, your work hours, your vacation hours, and much more. It also provides less stress and a better quality of life. That’s not to say that a digital nomad life is a vacation, but the little things that cause daily stress will disappear. You can skip the stress of rush-hour traffic and business appointments. You can work in a more pleasant setting, control your work-life balance, and devote more time to personal growth.
The life of a digital nomad is not for everyone. Some people prefer to live in one place, have a full-time job, go to work every day (or work from home), and stick to their routine. Before venturing out into the world and embarking on the nomadic life, you must first figure out what kind of person you are. If you love challenges, independence, travel, and are highly self-motivated, this might be the perfect opportunity for you.