Digital Nomad Lifestyle: Pros & Cons
What is a digital nomad and is this lifestyle for you?
Digital Nomad – it’s a term we hear thrown around a lot. But what exactly is a digital nomad?
Learn what it means to be a digital nomad, the pros and cons of this lifestyle, and how to become one. Discover the most common jobs for digital nomads and tips for transitioning to remote work so you can make the most of freedom and flexibility in your life!
Digital nomads co-working in a co-working space in Mexico
What is a digital nomad?
If you Google it, Wiki will tell you that a remote worker is someone who is working outside of a traditional office setting, utilising technology and communication tools to perform their job from anywhere.
Ultimate freedom, right?
Are all remote workers digital nomads? Nope.
Many people don’t take advantage of this freedom as they only work from home and all that changes in their lifestyle is their commute. Not home-train-office-train-home anymore but bed-desk-kitchentable-couch-bed.
What distinguishes a digital nomad from other remote workers is their lifestyle. The cue is in the name.
Digital nomads are remote workers who travel, typically spending a few months at a time in a location before moving on to the next.
They have the freedom find a home wherever they wander and as long as they have an internet connection, they can work.
Can all remote workers be digital nomads? Technically, yes.
But the nomadic, travelling lifestyle doesn’t suit everyone.
The digital nomad lifestyle we see on the ‘gram is romanticised and doesn’t offer the full picture.
We do, and we’re not going to sugar coat it so keep reading.
The reality of living a digital nomad lifestyle!
Pros & Cons of the digital nomad lifestyle:
Let’s unpack the good, the bad and the ugly of the digital nomad lifestyle so you can get the full picture and ultimately decide if you want to give it a shot.
If you walk away thinking: this is DOPE I really wanna do it, we can help you make it a reality.
And if you think “this is madness, I could never leave my cosy couch, my gym and my local coffee spot” we get it and we love you anyway.
Either way, you’re going to walk away with awareness.
Pros of being a digital nomad:
Let’s start with the good news. There are lots of pros to the digital nomad lifestyle.
Let’s get you excited.
1. Flexibility and freedom
Remote work offers flexibility and freedom. With a stable internet connection, remote workers can work from anywhere in the world, enabling them to explore and travel while earning a living.
Imagine this: you get your work done as usual and as you close your laptop you have a whole new destination to explore. Instead of going to the same old pub and then home to watch Netflix, you can go for a sunset swim at the beach, stroll in a jungle, go whitewater rafting, surf, hike a volcano or all the above.
Depending on the type of remote work, you may have control over your own time and have more flexibility with working hours. Remote work provides a unique opportunity to balance work and life on your own terms.
The world is your oyster!
2. Higher levels of productivity
The ability to work from anywhere means you can choose a workspace that suits you best.
Whether it’s a co-working space, a quiet café, or a beachside shack, you get to choose the space that fuels your creativity.
Plus, as a remote worker you usually have the freedom to work on your own schedule and structure your day the way you want. This creates a more productive environment, with a study by Prodoscore showing a 47% increase in productivity compared to those working in a traditional office setting.
Consider also that if you are in a new location, you want to enjoy the opportunities that that new place offers rather than being stuck behind a screen.
Your brain will boost your productivity in the time you actually work and make that time count so you can have more time to enjoy the offline world.
Actual photo of me writing this blog post. My productivity is on fire atm! I have 1 hour before my sunset swim and I want to make it count.
3. Better work-life balance
The digital nomad lifestyle is all about finding the right balance between work and play.
Who wants to be stuck in an office all day when you can work from anywhere in the world as a digital nomad? It means you can finally take that yoga class, learn to dive, explore the sights and sounds of new places.
Go for a morning surf and energise before work.
Spend your lunch break by the pool.
Hike a volcano and watch the sunset after work.
Plus, when you feel like you're getting a little too much screen time, you can switch it up and change scenery.
Take your laptop to the beach and go for a refreshing dip in the ocean in between working hours.
Work from the cafe that has that cute dog and just the right playlist.
With the kind of flexibility that digital nomadism provides means you can have your cake and eat it too.
You can say goodbye to the daily grind. A healthy work-life balance isn’t just a dream, it can be your reality as a digital nomad.
4. Lower living costs
Adopting a digital nomad lifestyle, you get to decide where, when and how to travel.
By living in countries with lower costs of living, things that back home feel expensive and luxurious can be part of your everyday reality.
Wouldn’t be awesome to spend your hard-earned cash on the things that truly matter to you?
Like tasting new foods and eating out as much as you want, experiencing unforgettable adventures, trying out new activities and sports or simply treating yourself to a well-deserved spa day or a massage every day.
By travelling to countries with lower cost of living you can live in your dream house!
Cons of being a digital nomad:
Ok all that glitters is not gold.
There are some cons to the digital nomad lifestyle and we highlight them for you to give you a much needed reality check.
This way you can way them in and make an informed decision.
1. Loneliness and isolation
How can you be lonely when you meet people on the road all the time??
Yes, you might be surrounded by lots of people and make best friends over the two weeks that you travel together but then you go off somewhere, they go off somewhere else and eventually you lose touch.
Constantly being on the move makes it difficult to form long-lasting, meaningful, connections with people.
A lack of a stable community can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
It is wired in our brains. We need a tribe in order to survive.
No, your Zoom colleagues or your hostel friend won’t cut it. You need people you can trust when times get hard.
Working in co-working offices, staying in co-living spaces, or joining a co-working road-trip (wink) can help you find your tribe and combat the loneliness that can come with a digital nomad lifestyle.
Imagine travelling with your best friends and living your life with that summer-camp vibe.
People who play together stick together. The strongest relationships are born while experiencing adventures together.
Remote 9 participants taking a dip in an Icelandic ‘hot pot’ in between working hours.
2. Difficulty disconnecting
When your office is wherever you are, it can be tough to draw the line between work time and play time, and it’s easy to feel like you’re always “on the clock”.
It's important to set boundaries and make time for the things that matter outside of work.
Whether it's a yoga class or a night out with friends, taking time away from the screen is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
A community can help you do this naturally, as you can motivate each other to stay focused when it’s work time, and close your laptop when it’s play time.
3. Time zone issues
Time zones can be an issue for digital nomads who work with clients or colleagues in different parts of the world.
A 10am meeting in LA would mean a 2am meeting in Bali.
You might be pumped to start your workday while your team is having dinner.
Regularly odd working hours can make it challenging to maintain a routine and work-life balance.
Communicate these boundaries and work expectations clearly with your team and your clients to avoid frustration.
4. Unreliable Internet
As a digital nomad, you need the internet like a fish needs water!
We want to avoid the classic “can you hear me? How about now? Let me move to the living room…” situation.
A lack of reliable connectivity can impact your ability to work and communicate with colleagues or clients.
And add stress to an already busy working day.
But there are solutions!
You can invest in a portable internet device or even rent one for the times when you know you're going to be in a location with unreliable internet.
Also, before renting any kind of accommodation, get in touch with the owners and ask them to provide you with the wi-fi speed.
Alternatively, have a list of co-working cafes and offices you can work from.
Conclusion - is the digital nomad lifestyle for you?
Being a digital nomad can be a rewarding and exciting lifestyle, but it's not for everyone.
Ultimately, only you can make this decision based on your work, your values, your goals and aspirations in life.
Consider the pros and cons carefully before making a decision and take steps to transition to remote work if it's right for you.
You can even try it for a period before you jump in, sell everything and become homeless!
With the right skills and mindset, you can join the growing community of digital nomads around the world.
If you’re a remote worker who’s not quite ready to take the leap to become a digital nomad, why not join one of Remote 9’s co-working trips and have a peek at what life could be like as a digital nomad?