What exactly is an Digital Nomad? A Complete Guide + Careers options (2023) |

If you're thinking about being a virtual nomad, you're not alone. A report from MBO Partners found that 17 million Americans were digital nomads by 2023. The report also revealed that 88% of digital nomads were highly satisfied with their work and the majority of digital nomads claim to be traveling with their kids! The report also discovered that 70 million Americans are keen to be digital nomads and there's a similar interest level in countries around the world.

In this article, we'll give you an overview of what it means to be a digital nomad. Then, we'll go through some possible pros and cons of a nomadic lifestyle and look into the various careers available to digital nomads. We'll then provide you with a checklist and some proven strategies to make your nomadic dream become a possibility.

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What is a digital nomad?

Digital nomads are those who travels around the globe and works from home. Digital nomads take advantage of the latest possibilities in working online, and typically only need a laptop for earning a livelihood. This gives them the flexibility to travel, using technology to either run an enterprise or at a firm that offers the policy of remote working.

It's unclear who came up with the term digital nomad, but it was popularized in an article published in 1997 by Tsugio Makimoto, and David Manners, who argued that the advancement of technology could allow users to return to their nomadic state working from any location. By 2023, there would be 17 million Americans who were digital nomads.

Many popular destination countries have a love-hate relationship to digital travelers. Digital nomads may have an image of ruining the landscape and crowding out locals. But many countries also see nomads as a way to boost tourism dollars in the country, and to fill a labor gap. The appeal of this was enhanced as short-term tourism collapsed during the pandemic. More and more countries are giving out "digital nomad visas" and encouraging nomadic travelers to visit and stay.

How do you do you want to be an online nomad?

There are several good reasons to think about becoming an online nomad. Naturally, the most important reason is travel! If you've ever wanted to see the world and experience different cultures, becoming a digital nomad allows you to go on a journey.

Digital nomads often take advantage of the cost of living differences between countries. Making a good income from their home country, as well as having a lower cost of living in their home country means that they can have an abundance of cash.

However, not all is well for those who travel digitally. Many of them underestimate the toll that can be incurred when you stay in a foreign country for extended period of time, shut out of your support network, and within a foreign society. It is possible to estimate the cost too. Even though the cost of living may be less in the host country however, they have to take in flights, health insurance, and excursions.

Pros and cons being a digital nomad

    Pros

• Start your day at stunning, inspirational locations that you are awed by.        
  
• Spend less money in areas with a lower cost of living than your home country (your money goes farther).        
  
• Meet new friends from all over the world.        
  
• Design the life you desire and live the life you'd like.        
  
• There is a chance that you will feel a sense of personal growth and inspire unlike you've ever experienced in your own home.        
  
• You get amazing learning opportunities by being exposed to various languages, cultures as well as other languages.        
  
• Take advantage of time-zone differences (e.g. working later during the day while preserving mornings ).    
  
• Earn by renting out your apartment or home (if applicable).        
  

    Cons

• The loneliness and the isolation of it's difficult to make friends in new areas.        
  
• If you have to lose one of your income sources, it might be difficult to get another. It is also possible that you are not qualified to work in a hosting country.      
  
• The process of moving can be challenging for relationships-many nomads struggle to find love and dating.        
  
• Inexpensive expenses can take away at your savings when you live in a more affordable location.        
  
• The time zone difference can be challenging too-especially when you're working during your team's sleep and the reverse is true.        
  
• Legal and Visa issues could cause lots of tension and cost.        
  
• It is important to ensure you are legally compliant for both your home and the host country (some nations require nomads to pay tax! ).    
  
• Your career can be limited from afar.        
  
• If you aren't able to access the internet at a high speed, it may hinder your ability to work.        
  
• It has an impact on the environment when you travel, and in some instances the impact of nomads on local communities (e.g. housing markets ).    
  

Careers for digital nomads

There are a myriad of careers for digital nomads. By 2025, 32.6 million Americans will be working remotely, while 16% of firms currently working remotely. This means the possibilities for careers as digital nomads will only get better and more lucrative. If you work in an office and use a computer or phone to do your work, there's an excellent chance your job could be completed via remote access.

Below are some ideas:

• Community Manager The term "community manager" refers to someone who oversees the online community and is the ideal job for remote working. Community platforms on the internet make it easy to run an effective community. If you're employed by an organization or brand, or running your own paid community, it's an awesome profession for those who are wanderers!    
  

• Freelance Writing Freelance writers compose for magazines and newspapers. They also write books for CEOs or write blogs for companies. And since writing is mostly performed by oneself, it's a great job for a digital nomad.    
  
• Graphic Design: Graphic designers can create the world's top brands on an laptop. It's a great digital nomad career.      
  
• Online Tutoring or Teaching: The rise of e-learning allows online tutoring or teaching an option for the digital nomad, regardless of whether you're teaching in the virtual campus or running your own online course.    
  

• Digital Marketing: Whether creating Facebook ads or doing SEO, digital marketing will be... online. This makes it a great career for digital nomads.    
  
• Software Development: Software developers design programs and tools-either working as an organization. The work is done online and therefore it's an excellent alternative for remote jobs.    
  
• Web Design: Creating web pages is a lucrative profession to digital nomadic.      
  
• Virtual Assistants: Usually help the leaders in administrative tasks such as replying to emails, posting to social networks, scheduling appointments, and so on. This is a great job for those who work from home.    
  
• Remote Customer Service: When businesses provide customer support online or by phone, it doesn't usually need to be a location for the person providing service. It could be a good career option for a digital nomadic.    
  

• Telemedicine: Not every health services can be delivered online, but an astonishing number of them is. From psychiatry and counseling to specialist consults to nursing interviews, remote healthcare positions are increasing.    
  
• Market Researcher: When you're doing market research on behalf of a company, things like surveys, it could probably be remote.      
  
• Content Creators: Content creators are all on the move, producing podcasts, Facebook posts, YouTube videos and more. If you make your living through content-whether for a company or for you-you're probably able to do it from home.    
  
• Consultant: Consulting can be an enormous field, however it basically means setting up an own service company in addition to advising firms on a per-project basis. It's a great career working remotely.    
  
• Professional Service: Bookkeepers lawyers, accountants and HR, there are many professional services that lend themselves very well to a digital nomadic.      
  
• Service-based businesses: The final point is that companies that provide services are ideal for digital nomads. Architects, Conservation engineers, scientists as well. are all suitable for remote jobs based on your duties.    
  

How do you become a digital nomad

1. Find work or income that lets you travel: The movement to become a digital nomad was focussed on digital entrepreneurs. Tim Ferriss' famous book-The 4-Hour Workweek-stressed with technology to expand flexible business and allow freedom to travel (if you'd like). The rise of remote work means you can become a digital nomad can be possible with a 9-to-5 job.    
   
2. Do the planning: it's improving every day, but being an online nomad can be complicated. It's important to consider getting accommodation in another nation and managing visas, submitting taxes, logging into your bank from abroad, along with a host of additional things (we've provided a checklist in the following). Don't be intimidated-people do this every day. But do get started on your planning.    
   
3. Take a trial drive Before you commit to becoming a full-time nomad, you can take a test drive. Take a couple of weeks during a vacation to determine if this is possible to would enjoy. While launching into life as a digital nomad sounds romantic, many people find negativity means that this isn't for them.    
   
4. Pick your style of travel: Do you prefer to plan your next year entirely laid out? Or do you want to go month-to-month where the wind will take you? There's no wrong answer. Plan ahead gives the benefit that you have more accommodation options to select from, and also cheaper airfares, but it limits the possibility of being spontaneous. Planning without a schedule means having the freedom to be spontaneous, however certain options may be limited by the flights and accommodations that are accessible. The majority of nomads are better off with at least a loose strategy, and in fact planning is part of the enjoyable!    
   
5. Take a bag and leave! the idea of becoming a digital nomad may seem intimidating, at the bottom all you're doing is making a decision and going to do life somewhere else. Avoid the urge to load up your bags (you'll be grateful that you didn't need to carry a lot). Begin your journey!    
   

Digital nomad checklist

There are many things to consider when you decide to become digital nomads. Below are a few advice we've received from others who have done it:

• Make sure you have the right software and tech: Bring your laptop, relevant tech you need to do your job Also, don't forget your electric adapters to the countries you'll visit. Keep in mind that you can purchase or rent technical equipment in most countries too. In case, for example, you prefer working with a second screen you might find it an item you are able to find on arrival.    
  
• Backups for 2-factor identifications: In the past 5 years, 2-factor IDs have come to be required for logging into every system. And if you normally get texts on your smartphone-but you don't own it, things get much more difficult. Make backups for each of your crucial logons. When it comes to anything Google-related, you can use Google authenticator application. In other words, you should think about what you'll do to log into your tax accounts, bank accounts, software, and so on.    
  
• Determine taxes: Plan on how you will pay and file taxes from abroad (if applicable).      
  
• Have a passport that is current: Take your passport along with the other documents you'll require. Remember that some countries can refuse to grant a visa if you have a passport that expires after six months. So be sure to have plenty of space in your calendar.    
  
• Get medical insurance: Things occur. Be sure to have insurance. Your existing insurance might provide some coverage However, the majority of digital nomads need to purchase extra travel medical insurance.    
  
• Check your visa requirements If you're from the US You can travel anywhere in the world without needing to apply for a visa, except if you're planning to stay for an extended time. If you're planning on a lengthy stay it is possible that you need to apply for the proper visa at the consulate or embassy before you go. If this is the case begin early and allow you plenty of time.    
  
• Examine the work-related requirements to determine if you allowed to work in a nomad nation? Will they try to tax your income? Each country has their own laws which can be tricky to navigate. Look up digital nomad blogs and forums as well the official websites of government. There are some who will allow the income you earn provided it's within the boundaries of the country. If you're working for any company with offices outside of the country and you are able to organize a work experience with them    
  
• Find train or plane tickets and accommodation Sites such as Airbnb could be useful for this. However, there are new ones all the time. For example, Berlin startup Habyt promises rents for a month. Apps such as Hopper allow you to track flights and provide suggestions on how to book to get the best price.    
  

Tips for successfully becoming a digital nomad

• Stay a while: Jumping from place to place every other day makes it really hard to be productive, not to mention it takes a toll on your budget. Experienced nomads know that it's best to remain in a single place for weeks and even months to establish a routine and save money. In particular, Airbnb has discounts for regular bookings, which can bring the price of living as a nomad in line with or cheaper than the rent of any city within the U.S.    
  
• Find a work schedule that works: It can be difficult to stay productive when you travel. Make sure to develop an effective work plan that is suitable for you.    
  
• Be in tune with the cultural difference: Nomads face a lot of unexpected surprises when trying to follow the same rules as they do in their native nations. As an example, a lot of places won't let you set up your laptop in an office or cafe (or if they do there's no wifi). It is necessary to adjust your daily routine depending on the society you're living within.    
  

• Connect with others Digital nomads: Ask them about their experiences and they'll tell you: loneliness. Discover ways to connect with communities where ever you go regardless of whether it's the local gathering for nomads or an online community. (Staying in one place longer will help to make stronger relationships ).    
  
• Be cautious: Prior to agreeing to a three-year journey across the globe, begin by doing something small. Consider spending a couple of weeks or a month working in a different location. You might find that it isn't something you enjoy, or maybe it will take longer to do remote work as you imagine. Make it easier for yourself to get used to.    
  

Get going!

We hope these tips have encouraged you to begin your own digital nomad adventure! Although it's not easy however, the rising popularity of becoming a digital nomad, and the experiences from thousands of people who love the experience suggest it's worthwhile to try it!

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