The Pros And Cons of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

The Future Working Trend 

According to estimates, by 2035 there will be billions of digital nomads in the world. As a digital nomad, you can live and work anywhere, if you have a laptop and ongoing work assignments to supplement your trips. You also need internet access, and enough self-discipline to keep up with this lifestyle. If you are a freelancer and traveler, you have to get super organized, as it may get twice or three times harder to keep deadlines than working in a traditional 9-5 job. 

Working as a digital nomad is not easier than any other job, they both have advantages and disadvantages. The digital revolution transformed the way we work, allowing us more freedom of residence and travel. As a digital nomad, the world can be your oyster with the opportunity to expand your horizon on places and people. No matter whether you do research, write, teach, program, design, engineer, coordinate, consult, manage things while seeing the world.

Digital Nomad Ages and Hotspots

Even though the COVID restrictions made it harder to keep up with this revolutionary lifestyle which appeals to more and more people, and is still desired by many. Most digital nomads are in their thirties, but we can also find them in their twenties, and forties. It hasn’t been typical outside these ages. Among the most favored destinations are coworking centers, cities with rich culture, and business life, including startups. In 2022, some of the favorite destinations are:

• Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Canggu, Indonesia
• Medellin, Colombia
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Bangkok, Thailand
• Berlin, Germany
• Budapest, Hungary

The Pros and Cons of Work and Travel

Besides expanding your horizon through new impacts, you get to live a lot more simply, efficiently, and cost-effectively. First, it may sound contradictory, and you might think you have to save a lot to travel the world and live in various accommodations. But maintaining a steady life in one place comes with a lot of costs, more than traveling as a digital nomad. Think of your monthly rent, furniture, food, leisure and entertainment, and any additional costs to see why. 

Whereas, when you travel as a digital nomad, you must learn to minimize your lifestyle, taking only the most essential things with you. The only expenses you have are your accommodation, food and drinks, and the services you take. Minus all the rest required to maintain a local lifestyle. It is a lot cheaper. You can still make money whether you want to work 20 or 40 hours per week as a digital nomad. In less pricey cities you may only work 20 hours to survive. 

And this gives you more time to enjoy your surroundings, discover new places and cultures, and form deep social circles. These are the main reasons you travel to these new destinations, hence you need to become advanced at planning and organizing yourself to make the most of your stay at each destination! Remember, your main goal is not to rush and sip in as many experiences in the shortest time as possible, instead, you should immerse yourself in them.

How to Travel Better? 

While it is true that you get to discover more places and form more connections on a tight schedule for each destination, you may as well lose out on their depth. So it had both pros and cons, and you may want to try both to see what works for you. Some people prefer to stay at a location shorter, while others want to stay longer. Everyone has different needs and goals. It can feel quite liberating to get rid of all your stuff before embarking on a journey as a digital nomad. 

It can get both exciting and tiring after being on the road for some time. You may start missing your apartment, a safe harbor where you truly belong and can rest. You can also crave things that normal people regularly do, like going to the gym, cinema, theatre, clubs, concerts, or sports events. Some people feel like they don’t want to change their digital nomad lifestyle, others may return to their home, or stay longer in another country. 

Even though you get to meet many people from versatile backgrounds, if you travel solo and desire a relationship, it is not easy to find someone suitable for your unsteady lifestyle. It could be hard doing so spending only 2 months at most in one place, right? Unless you meet someone willing to travel together with you. This is why you don’t only meet singles as a digital nomad, but see couples, which could be a great stretch for them due to the challenges. 

Lifestyle Rules, Information, and Your Future 

Officially, you become a resident of a country if you spend more than 180 days a year there. Regarding your working life, if you want to stay over 108 days, you have to register with the country and pay taxes there. The digital nomad lifestyle is getting increasingly popular. It is promoted by the growing number of books, workshops, conferences, and coaching sessions about how you can become one. 

It is becoming very trendy with equipment being developed specifically for digital nomads, such as rucksacks with built-in solar panels to serve your needs of charging your laptop anywhere. If you manage to save a large part of your income while working remotely, you can plan for a better future ahead once you want to settle down. 

To make the most of your digital nomad journey, you should cultivate planning, and get used to doing so daily. If you want help to see which destinations may be the best match for you, nomadlist.com could greatly benefit you. It can help source your next nomadic adventure. As a beginner digital nomad, you perhaps want to opt for low-cost living, plenty of Wi-Fi availability, including coffee shops and co-working spaces, to make new friends.  

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