The digital nomad lifestyle is one that’s already taken tens of millions of people by storm. While it’s not for everyone, the mobile approach to living and working can provide an eye-opening experience if you can meet the challenges it presents. Looking at the biggest of these, we want to explore how to overcome them, so readers might plan their own digital nomad adventures in the months or years ahead.
Financing and The Life Left Behind
Unless you’re already living some kind of nomadic lifestyle, your first concerns are going to be with what you already own and a way to earn money to support yourself. As a digital nomad, you’re not going to be able to take much with you, so that means you’ll most likely have to store, sell, or discard anything in your current home.
You might also choose to rent your home with a system like Booking.com or Airbnb to provide continual funds. While this is a viable option, you’re going to need to hire people to manage this for you, and it’s still a good idea to store some of your personal belongings securely off-site in case of theft or accidents.
Another potential option is through selling your home. Modern online sales systems have made big steps in streamlining this process, letting you work out how to sell your house fast in just a few simple steps. With guaranteed sales on any property and the ability to receive funds in as little as seven days, this approach can even help you secure funds when you’re overseas.
From here, supporting yourself will require finding reliable remote work, with enough savings to get you back to a base in your home country if needed. You might already be able to leverage your current career into an opportunity like this, or you could start by looking online now and developing work experience and a portfolio over time.
Adjusting to a New Lifestyle
The above will cover the basic necessities, but from this point, the challenges come from your ability to self-manage. You’ll need to plan out your tickets and comfortable stays with internet access well ahead of time, navigate visa requirements, figure out local transport, and research potential pitfalls others have faced.
You’ll also need to be able to set and stick to your own timetables, and understand work timetables and time zone differences. If there’s a huge local party or potential date nearby, but you have work to do, you need to have the strength to put your work life first, and this can be a real test. Being a digital nomad isn’t a holiday, and responsibilities still need to be taken seriously.
Our final recommendation for anyone looking to experience the digital nomad lifestyle is to first consider a trial run for a month or two. It’s difficult to tell exactly how your mind and body will react to being away from home for long stretches, especially if you aren’t already an experienced traveller. Take your time, look before you leap, and you could still find a new approach to life from which you never want to return.
