Traveling all over the world and learning about different cultures and ways while making money sounds fun, right? There is no joy that beats doing things you love and also making money simultaneously while at it. But before you leave your high-paying job and try to start as a digital nomad, there are some essential questions about digital nomad you need to learn the answers to.
As a digital nomad, one needs to be sure of what they will be going through and seek whether it is worth going through before having that career change. In this article, I will try to answer in detail about some of the essential questions about digital nomad and their lifestyles.
Let us delve quickly into some of these questions about digital nomads in 2021.
Who Are Digital Nomads?
Digital nomads are the ones who travel to different places to experience the culture, customs, and many other things while working remotely. They are people that travel to different locations regularly and use the help of technology to perform their jobs. Jobs such as businesses, marketing, creative designs, and many more.
Digital nomads get to work independently and mostly work on their gadgets in places like libraries, coffee shops, and many serene environments. They also love being location-independent and are not tied to one particular location. They move around from one country to another on a very regular basis.
Being a digital nomad means you do not have a permanent location. You have to be mobile. A digital nomad travels from one place to another. Being a digital nomad, you have to find new places to live now and then.
As a digital nomad, one gets to meet new people, see new places, and learn new cultures, customs, and a very different way of life. On the other hand, a digital nomad must find it very difficult to get attached to a new set of people because you are only there for a short period of time.
Also Read: 5 Tips to Start A Perfect Digital Nomad Lifestyle
What Do Digital Nomads Do?
Now that we know who digital nomads are, we also need to understand what digital nomads do. While traveling from one place to another, what do they do? Digital nomads use digitals such as Internet connection, Voice over IP, cloud-based applications, social media tools to work remotely. They work from the comfort of their houses, where they live, and where they travel to. The basic foundation of a digital nomad is working independently from any place they want to work from.
Why Become A Digital Nomad?
One of the most essential questions about digital nomad you should ask is why should you become a digital nomad and what’s in it for you. Although there are many reasons for becoming a digital nomad you should still seek your own answer. The reasons below will guide you.
You can work from anywhere
One of the things that covid taught us is that many things can be done remotely. As a digital nomad, you can work from any place on earth as long as you have an excellent and strong internet connection. Nothing exceeds the comfort of working from home, library, coffee shop, and even another place or country.
Freedom
Freedom is another reason for being a digital nomad. As a digital nomad, you are not confined to a place of work or time. You work anytime you like and also from any place you want to. There is that joy that comes with being independent and can do things according to your judgment.
No uniform code
Being a digital nomad, you get to wear what suits you as and when due. You are not mandated to wear a uniform compared to working in an official organization. You get to choose what to wear and when to wear them yourself.
Leisure time
As a digital nomad, you get to relax and enjoy yourself while also working. You tour a lot of countries for research purposes, but you are also making and having fun while at it. It gives you the privileges of having time to enjoy yourself while also working.
How Do Digital Nomads Make money?
Most people ask questions about digital nomad making satisfactory money or not.
There are tons of ways in which digital nomads make their money, and here are some of them. The advent of digital has made making money online easy for digital nomads. Some ways in which digital nomads make their money are as follows;
- Blogging
- Search Engine Optimization
- Virtual Assistant
- Social Media Manager
- Freelancing
Blogging
Blogging has to do with writing. It is a way of writing and telling stories while publishing them online. Digital nomads make money from this.
Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization is known as SEO. It is a way in which website traffic is improved through organic search. Digital nomads work by optimizing search engines and also earning through that process.
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant works independently by providing administrative services to clients outside the confines of the client’s office. A virtual assistant works from home while sharing necessary documents of the client. Digital nomads earn while working as virtual assistants.
Social Media Manager
A social media manager manages the social accounts of a company, organization, or firm on their behalf. The social media manager makes sure the social accounts of an organization receive global awareness while working on them remotely. Digital nomads work as social media managers.
Freelancing
Freelancing uses his skills, technical know-how, education, and experience to get various work done for clients, such as copywriting, graphic designs, content writing, etc. Digital nomads work as freelancers while also earning from it.
How Do Digital Nomads Live in Foreign Countries?
Being a digital nomad means you constantly move around from one place to another. A digital nomad moves from one country to another. They live in foreign countries different from their own country. So now, the question is, how do they live in foreign countries. Do they enter the country and all? No!. Digital Nomads use tourist visas. Most times, tourist visas take 30-90 days.
People with passport holders of countries such as the United Kingdom, European Union, and the United States of America can be allowed to enter some countries with a simple tourist visa.
Now, some countries have put in place Digital Nomad Visas that allow remote workers like Digital nomads to live in another country if they meet specific requirements.
What is A Digital Nomads Visa?
As we all know, digital nomads have to work during their stay in the country they are in at the moment. A digital nomad needs a visa to be able to work in a country. A digital nomad visa allows the recipient to work remotely and independently during their stay in the country. It is one of the most important questions about digital nomad lifestyle. Seeking digital nomad visas can be a daunting task.
Each country that issues a digital nomad visa has its regulations and policies. They have the procedures they follow in issuing a digital nomad visa. To obtain a digital nomads visa, you need to have a valid passport that meets the requirements and proof of regular funds abroad. Apart from this general rule, eligibility for a digital nomad visa depends on many other factors.
Some countries that offer digital nomads visas outside Europe include Dubai, Georgia, Indonesia, Dominica, Colombia, Costa Rica, Australia, Thailand, and many more.
Also Read: Top 5 Countries Offering Digital Nomads Visa
Is Being A Digital Nomad Worth It?
Another top question asked by people who want to know more about digital nomads is if it is worth it. Digital nomad has its advantages and disadvantages. You have to put on a scale of preference to determine if being a digital nomad is worth it.
Some of the Pros and Cons of being a digital nomad are:
Improvement in your Personal growth
You improve in all spheres of life by being a digital nomad. You carry out a lot of research related to the physical, mental, and sometimes emotional aspects of your life. It allows you to improve your personal growth.
Adventurous Life
Being a digital nomad allows you to live an adventurous life. You get to travel from time to time thereby learning a lot of new customs, cultures and different foods. It is a very adventurous life that you will be willing to have.
Ability to work wherever and whenever you want
A digital nomad has the freedom and ability to work wherever and whenever you want to without being forced to. You work based on your own time.
As there are benefits of being a digital nomad, there are also some cons that come with being a digital nomad. Some of the cons of being a digital nomad are as follows:
Solitude
One of the difficult part of being a digital nomad is solitude. Although forming friendships and relationships can be very difficult because you don’t have a permanent residence but it doesn’t bar you from making friends on the go.
You meet new people and find new friends. You travel from one country to another on a regular basis. So having a relationship sounds difficult unless you find a travel partner or another digital nomad.
For some solitude is a bliss as they like the company of their own. Solitude can be harsh to those who cannot cope and look for friends, but I haven’t heard from anyone till date that they didn’t enjoy their company being a digital nomad.
No sense of belonging
As a digital nomad, you have no sense of belonging. You are always on the go and have no place to call home. No place can be like your home country. Being in another man’s land for years can make you not feel any sense of belonging.
Cultural shock
Cultural shock is a disorientation feeling you experience when you are subjected to an unfamiliar way of life. Cultures differ from country to country. One might find it very difficult to adapt to the new way of life of different countries.
Are you still interested in being a nomad after going through these reality check questions about digital nomad? Being a successful digital nomad always lies in your hands. It takes self-discipline and passion for becoming successful at it. Traveling frequently can have a negative effect on the quality of your work but as you go, you get a hold of it.
It might be a little hectic for your mental being. But not to worry, technology such as Google Maps, Facebook, Slack, Airtable, AirBnb, and so many more are there to make things easy to enjoy the lifestyle of being a digital nomad.