The digital nomad lifestyle is characterized by travelling, freedom, independence, minimalism and sometimes a complete lack of routine. Some like this and some don’t, but the reality is that being a digital nomad means having little to no ties to a place or people.
A digital nomad doesn’t have to wake up in the morning and work eight hours a day because their job doesn’t shape their life. On the contrary, the way they live their life shapes their work. Travelling through second world countries (countries whose currencies are weak) is something many digital nomads do because they can work few hours a day and still live a great life due to the difference between their wage and the cost of living.
The Core of Living a Digital Nomad Lifestyle Is Travel
This lifestyle means that Digital nomads usually find themselves moving from place to place after a few weeks or a few months. People usually stick around for long enough, in a single location, to get comfortable and see everything a city or country has to offer before moving on. It’s a much slower form of travelling, but means you get to almost live like a local. I got a taste of this lifestyle as I worked from cafes around Sofia, Bulgaria during the day and saw the sights in the afternoon and at night while living in my friend apartment during the spring/summer.
Aspects of Digital Nomad Lifestyle You Might Like
The Routine of a 9-5 job, so common in modern society, is broken in this way of life. Working as any freelancer would mean managing your own time and being highly organized. It’s just not possible for some people to be focused enough to force themselves to work when they could be out drinking or playing video games. That being said, for those disciplined enough to make it work, this lack of routine means waking up when you want, working when you want and relaxing when you want.
Independence is a key when you’re working in a location independent career. Freelancing is simply being your boss. This means being financially independent and managing expenses, savings, tax and spending in both your personal and professional life. Sounds a little daunting, but it also means that you want to take two months off and go off the grid into the Amazon jungle – you can.
Freedom is the reward here. You go where you want, when you want and choose contracts, job offers and business strategies that work for you. It sounds a bit like a fairytale, and it often is, but when you have the choice of working in countries with hugely different costs of living, earning $1,000 a month could mean living a comfortable life in Asia or Eastern Europe.
Minimalism is the surprise here. The idea of living a life with less stuff is a whole other topic and something that I’ll explore in detail in another post. Put simply – living this style of life means having less. You don’t need that expensive car, mortgage or TV. Plenty of people with this lifestyle carry everything they own on their back and let go of the modern habit of having ‘stuff.’ Check out the bottom of this post for a better look of living with less.
