The concept of the digital nomad has gained great popularity over the past few years. It is a lifestyle especially appealing to marketers, whose work is mainly seen and conducted on the internet anyway. Affiliate marketing, in particular, takes less content creation and therefore lends itself to a lifestyle abroad. Or content can even benefit from content sent in from around the world.
So, are you dreaming of a life on the beach with your laptop? Well, it might not be all you think it is. If you’re considering the digital nomad life, take a look at our guide to the pros and cons of the idea before you buy your flight out of here.
What is a digital nomad?
The digital nomad lifestyle is the idea of taking your mostly online job or career and taking it on the road. You can move to another country on a digital nomad visa, or simply jump into your van and hit the road, living the #vanlife. From there, everything else is up to you. As long as you’re getting done what you need to get done, you have the freedom to do what you wish.
It lends itself to freelancers and small business owners who perhaps want to see more of the world and is gaining popularity in a world that is increasingly moving online and has appreciated experiences over material goods for years now.
Con – Homesickness
It is the reality of moving away from where you started that you might be susceptible to homesickness, whether that’s moving for college, a new job, a new home, a new country, etc. If your support system is there and you’re here, you might suffer from some homesickness.
This can be easy to deal with if you put in the work. You will need to work to make new friends and keep in touch with old ones.
Pro – Community
The digital nomad lifestyle is an offshoot of the ex-pat lifestyle, which has been known for years to create solid and friendly communities. You can join groups for remote workers and travelers, not to mention interacting with the people you meet on your travels. This can be fellow travelers or locals looking to help out. They all offer a helpful resource and before you know it you’ll have a network of hands to help you or simply hang out with.
Con – Spending
It’s an unfortunate truth of traveling, whether you’re going somewhere with a low cost of living or not, that you’re going to have to spend some money. Your visa will take money, your flight will take money, and your accommodation will take money. This will put a dent in your savings. To get on top of it from the start, set yourself a budget and keep something aside for traveling in the future.
The other side of this coin is that, depending on where you’re going, you might be living in an area with a comparably lower cost of living. For example, if you’re headed into east Asia, you’re likely to see your money go a lot further.
But even in the west, the lack of commuting to and from work can save you a great amount of money.
Pro – Travelling
Travelling is obviously the main draw of the digital nomad lifestyle. We’re all looking to see more of the world, and the internet has made that a possibility. No one is saying you need to stay in the one place either. If visas are no problem, you can travel all around the world with your career safely tucked into your backpack.
Con – Lack of motivation
The problem here is that the world is simply too fascinating. You might be too enthralled by the world to actually do any work, and there will be no boss around to drill it into you. Self-discipline is vital to the digital nomad life because you will have to tell yourself, often, that snorkeling will have to wait until after that meeting.
Pro – Flexibility
But the brilliance of the digital nomad lifestyle, as much as the travelling, is the flexibility. Maybe you can’t do snorkeling until after the meeting, but you can do it after the meeting, or before. As long as you are getting all your work done in the same 24 hours everyone else has, you can spend the rest of your time any way you wish. Your evenings can be spent on the beach, your afternoons with the locals learning some new customs, your weekends exploring the breathtaking landscape. You will have the freedom to enjoy your retirement plan before retirement.
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