What Is A Digital Nomad?
Digital nomads are remote workers who travel to different locations on a regular basis. They use modern technology to work from coffee shops, hotels, co-working spaces, or libraries with a WiFi connected laptop or smartphone from anywhere in the world.
There are many types of digital nomads out there. Some people travel around their own country by campervan or RV. Some live on sailboats, working from different ports of call.
Others stay in backpacker hostels or rent Airbnb apartments while flying from country to country.
Complete freedom of movement while working online is the general idea.
Why The Digital Nomad Lifestyle Is On The Rise
The digital nomad trend is becoming more widespread.
By 2025, some studies estimate that a whopping 35.7 million Americans or 22% of the workforce, will be remote workers. Thanks to the pandemic, more people are choosing to embrace a location-independent, technology-enabled lifestyle that allows them to travel and work remotely. They are called digital nomads, and the trend is becoming more widespread.
The digital nomad lifestyle has been on the rise for years. Then when Covid-19 hit, the popularity of this new way of working exploded. In 2020 alone, the number of digital nomads in the U.S. surged almost 50% to 11 million. Then in 2021, that number increased again to 15.5 million, according to the MBO Partners 2021 State of Independence Study.
Here are some reasons why the adoption of digital nomadism is on the upswing and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.
Source: forbes.com
Pros & Cons Of Location Independence
The Benefits
There are many upsides to the location independence that digital nomads enjoy. Who wouldn’t want to check off their ultimate bucket list while working from a laptop anywhere in the world?
Save money living in a low cost-of-living area
The flexibility to live where you want
Ditch the toxic environment of office politics
Experience new cultures & make new friends
Learn new skills or languages
Broaden your mind throughtravel experiences
Set your own schedule and take time off when you want to
Spend winters on the beach, and summers in the mountains!
Source: expertvagabond.com
The Downsides
Working from anywhere is a dream for many people. But like all life choices, there are both pros and cons to a nomadic lifestyle. Here are some of the downsides:
Moving constantly is exhausting
Your productivity can suffer
Digital nomads often battle loneliness
Finding stability is difficult
A general lack of private space
Travel loses its luster & wow factor
After 10-years exploring the world, these downsides finally caught up with me, and I moved back to the United States with my wife and kid and bought a home.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my nomadic life for all those years! Just for me, living out of bags for so long eventually lost its charm. I was ready to start a family, settle down, work from home, and travel less.
Yet because I’ve been around the block, I’m happy to share my experiences with those who are just getting started with the digital nomad lifestyle!
Source: expertvagabond.com
Families embrace the digital nomad lifestyle
Digital nomads used to be thought of as twenty-somethings backpacking from hostel to hostel, looking for anywhere they could plug in their laptop. But flexible work and homeschooling have helped usher in a new type of digital nomad that wants to see the world and create lasting memories with their families. It’s called the “anywhere worker,” according to a recent Lonely Planet survey. Most anywhere workers can be found in high-tech jobs, with 61% working full-time. About 70% of people in this category are between 24 and 44 years old, while 35% are between 45 and 54. Almost half are married, and, unlike the typical digital nomad, 70% are parents who take their families with them.
Source: forbes.com
Where do US digital nomads travel?
Over half of digital nomads will remain in the U.S. while working remotely. Popular cities include Boulder, Colorado; Austin, Texas; Lake Tahoe, Nevada; and Bozeman, Montana. Unlike pre-pandemic travelers, today’s digital nomads plan to spend more time in one area and voyage to fewer locations. However, 48% will spend some time overseas.
The Digital Nomad Index analyzes countries based on internet and mobile speed, monthly rent cost, and availability of working holiday visas. Here are the top 10 locations for digital nomads:
U.K.
Romania.
Sweden.
Denmark.
France.
Netherlands.
Australia.
Switzerland.
Germany.
Travel mobility and satisfaction
Overwhelmingly, digital nomads are “highly satisfied with their work and lifestyle.” And about four out of five said they are satisfied or very satisfied with their income. Yet, few digital nomads plan to travel for long periods. MBO Partners found that 32% will travel for less than one year, whereas 54% will stay on the road for at least two years.
There are many reasons why digital nomads give up the traveler’s lifestyle, including logistics and expense. Others simply get tired of traveling and miss family or friends. However, MB Partners points out that many former digital nomads intend to resume the lifestyle in the future.
Read more: Virtual Businesses Take Off: How to Start a Fully Remote Business
Source: uschamber.com
Examples of Digital Nomads
In early 2020, the crisis hit, countries locked down, and many desk jobs went remote. This new breed of digital nomads was created in response to this situation. The population of digital nomads during this period rose high very quickly, with a 50% increase from 2019.7 However, some digital nomads found themselves competing for resources as a new increase in remote work swelled, and others were forced to relocate back home to family members as countries closed their borders to help curb the spread of the virus.8
Another example of digital nomads is families living a nomadic lifestyle, while the parents work remotely and often blog or write about their adventures.9 Many families who opt for a digital nomad lifestyle either homeschool their children or send them to virtual classrooms.10
Source: investopedia.com