What does the Life of a Digital Nomad Look Like?2 min read

Working from home whilst not home is a new wave that many are riding, not necessarily metaphorically.

If you’re a tech enthusiast, influencer or a freelancer whereby location is not a prerequisite for your work, the idea of working remotely while enjoying all that the world has to offer can be rather appealing.

The desire to make an impromptu resignation to explore the world has lingered over many heads, so why not do so without losing your job?

Digital nomads work remotely, relying on technology, while traveling without a permanent home.

Traditional nomadism is recognised as a way of life for people in society without fixed habitation, but instead move around periodically, in line with the reasons that bounds the three general types of nomads: hunters and gatherers, pastoral nomads and traders.

These reasons include looking for seasonally available plants and game, moving between pastures for their livestock to feed on, as well as nomads that trade products or labour in larger societies whilst remaining mobile.

With the increase of industry, globalisation and connectivity in the world, we have seen an evolutionary shift in the mechanisms of nomadic lifestyles. The traditional nomadic way of life continues to decrease, with many governments averse to uncontrolled movement and the difficulty to gather taxes.

However, now with improvements in telecommunication systems and a digitalised world, we can see a demographic shift with digital nomads primarily hailing from western countries, typically working creative-class jobs like writers and designers, professionals in IT, marketing and communications and ecommerce.

Some of the best locations to work from include Thailand, Colombia and Bali, places where the cost of living is relatively low whilst maintaining internet connectivity.

The growth of supportive services, such as co-working spaces, online talent marketplaces and job sites, has made the lifestyle widely desirable.

As nice as it all sounds, there are still many things to be wary of. Despite the feasibility of technology, adapting our circadian rhythm to different time zones proves too difficult for many.

All of the research you have done is not the same as living through it. Your journey is still subject to adjusting to different climates, positive economic trends and stable diplomatic relations between your home country and country of temporary residence.

A clear observation is that the lifestyle does not generally last long term, but is this really an issue? Travelling is not a permanent choice for many people, even working abroad many people complete temporary contracts in anticipation of returning home.

Unlike traditional nomadism, for most digital nomads, there is a privilege of attained education, industry knowledge and most importantly a metropolitan upbringing that they can slot back into easily.

The popularity of this lifestyle doesn’t seem to slow down any time soon, with people valuing a better work-life balance and flexibility in companies.

Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash