Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of remote workers worldwide rose dramatically. Only in the United States, the number is up by almost 50%. Many of them that have never before experienced the taste of working from home, or from a mountain cabin or the beach, are now unwilling to return to office work and are entering the growing army of location-independent digital nomads.
What are digital nomads?
Digital nomads are people who have made a lifestyle choice to travel and work from any point of the internet-connected world. Digital nomads are not only remote workers. They are explorers and travelers that sustain themselves by the means of their remote or freelancing jobs. There are many kinds of digital nomads. Some never stop traveling and exploring. Others stay in one place and travel for a certain amount of time, going on “workations”. Some travel countries and continents, others stay within their own country but enjoy working from different locations and exploring the area.
Digital nomads usually hone their skills in information technology, education, consulting, coaching, marketing, sales, and creative services. They take advantage that these professions can be carried on remotely, the only constant be a computer and an internet connection. But let`s dive deeper into the advantages and disadvantages of this lifestyle.
What are digital nomads?
- They are location-independent, internet-connected workers
- They are travelers and explorers
- They have professions that can be performed remotely
Advantages and disadvantages of digital nomad life & work style
If you are just tasting remote working as a freelancer for the first time, and you are planning to become a full-fledged digital nomad, what are the things you should consider before hitting the road with your laptop in your backpack?
The positive side of digital nomadism
Digital nomads are attracted to this lifestyle mainly by the freedom to work from any place of the world, that is connected to the internet, any time they choose. Although limited by the current pandemic situation, digital nomads have the possibility to explore and travel to different countries and cultures. Another plus side is geoarbitrage. When digital nomads work for clients in higher-wage countries, they can enjoy a better value for their money while traveling in a country with a lower cost of living. Digital nomads are not only tourists, they have the drive to travel and explore constantly. They live for the adventure and inspiration this lifestyle has to offer, because for them this is a means of constant personal growth.
Related Posts:
The advantages of being a digital nomad:
- Location independence and flexible hours
- Explore different countries and cultures
- Enjoy a lavish lifestyle in a country with a lower cost of living
- Inspiration, adventure, and personal growth
And the disadvantages…
Being a digital nomad is not only about living your dream. It involves also a lot of discipline and some sacrifices to make. Let’s examine the life of digital nomads from the side of the difficulties and hardships.
Building a sustainable business that produces income on a steady, predictable basis is not something you can do overnight. No matter if you are a freelancer working with clients or you are running your own business or agency, you will need a lot of discipline to travel and work in a consistent and disciplined manner, especially in fun holidays locations.
Digital nomadism has another downside: loneliness and short-term relationships. You must have the great emotional resilience to cope with the constant change of people and places in your life. If someone is aspiring to find a serious partner while being a digital nomad, it can be challenging, unless he chooses one with the same mindset – so they can travel together.
Another drawback of being a digital nomad is travel fatigue – especially when travelers are very ambitious to visit a lot of countries in a short amount of time. This can be extremely draining, and it is advisable that such globetrotters settle or return to their homes from time to time for longer periods of time to take a rest from traveling.
“Cons” of digital nomadism
- Requires self-discipline and great personal organization skills
- Short-lived relationships and loneliness
- Travel fatigue
How Covid-19 influenced digital nomads
Covid-19 has significantly changed the makeup of digital nomads. Covid-19 unleashed many office workers from their 9-5 desks. Some of them, instead of staying at home, choose to hit the road. These traditional work-holders are joining the tribe of the digital nomads.
But the makeup of digital nomads has changed in another way. Statistics show that there is a slight decrease of digital nomads aged 45 and older, which might be caused by the fact that they are in a more vulnerable position in relation to the ongoing pandemic.
Also, there is a change in relation to the advantage of geoarbitrage. Due to the current Covid-restrictions, some digital nomads cannot travel internationally to many countries with a lower cost of living. However, some of them choose to continue with their lifestyle by traveling to less expensive areas and resorts in their own country.
As a whole, the pandemic induced digital nomads to find new ways to go on with traveling. Some found a creative solution for roaming about and workings by joining the tribe of the VanLifers. This enables them not to depend on airplanes and hotels for their traveling, and they have the leisure to access national parks and outdoor locations where the risk of getting the virus is low.
However, digital nomads for sure are choosing to stay more at one place, especially because of the current pandemic situation. This trend could continue and well after the pandemic. This is because digital nomads are seeing the advantage of going in-depth into a culture and enjoying a more calm lifestyle.
In a nutshell, how Covid-19 has shaped the life of digital nomads
- More traditional office workers converted to digital nomadism
- More younger people are choosing digital nomadism
- Creative solutions as living in a van
- Longer stays, less travel
- Closer to home travels
What are the predictions for freelancing digital nomads?
Will digital nomads be roaming freely again in 2021 or should they wait until next year? Covid-19 has already been through several stages and different waves and not all countries have been impacted equally.
There are websites that offer very detailed information about travel and restrictions for each country. Digital nomads can examine this information and plan their travels accordingly. However, canceled flights, PCR tests, MCOs, and forced quarantine periods are no fun, and many digital nomads decide to stay put in one country for as long as the pandemic lasts. Epidemiologists claim that the end of the pandemic is not drawing near. At least it is not expected to end by the end of 2021. What can digital nomads do while waiting for the Covid-19 situation to end?
What can digital nomads do during the Covid-19 pandemic?
- Refine your skills
Staying in one place is a perfect opportunity to get more jobs done and hone your skills and get on top of your freelancing game. Set new goals for improving yourself, your business, and your lifestyle so you can not only adapt, but thrive in this changing situation.
- Reach out to other digital nomads for support and inspiration
Staying in touch with other freelancer digital nomads is an excellent way to get support and updates on the situation in many countries. This way you will keep the nomadic spirit alive in you and, at the same time, get many interesting insights and tips on the digital nomad lifestyle. You can reach such communities at websites such as Nomad List and Digital Nomad World
- Take excellent care of yourself
In this world of pandemics and uncertainty, it is essential for remote workers to take good care of their emotional, mental, and physical health. Establish a routine that works for you and that supports you in all aspects of your being.
Do you have tips and suggestions about how to thrive as a digital nomad in the current pandemic? Send us a message by filling out the contact form! It will be great to hear your thoughts and experiences on the current Covid-19 situation and what is helping you balance the nomadic lifestyle with the current movement restrictions!
