Pros and Cons of Being a Digital Nomad

What is a digital nomad?

“Digital nomads” are those who choose to embrace remote working as a lifestyle choice and use technology to earn a living, in order to have maximum freedom of movement.

Becoming a digital nomad it’s not just about a career choice, it’s a real life choice. Nowadays this option is available to many, thanks to a trend that is changing the way we conceive the balance between career and private life: Remote work.

Employers are starting to see the merits of remote work

The 8-hour working day has become a sort of “relic” for many. With the advent of intellectual work, strict schedules no longer make much sense; especially if you can meet from anywhere online, or prefer to work in the early morning or late evening because you feel more creative.

This is confirmed in a study by Professor Nicholas Bloom, where the employees of a call center were given the ability to work remotely for nine months. The results found not only an increased job satisfaction, but an increased company productivity by 13.5%.

According to Nomad List, an online community and city database for digital nomads, the top 5 cities for remote working, based on user feedback, are:

• Bangkok, Thailand
• Barcelona, Spain
• Berlin, Germany
• Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Budapest, Hungary

But in addition to these places, there are many others suitable for digital nomads, each with its particular characteristics and cost of living.

Challenges of digital nomad lifestyle

There are also some challenges that come with this lifestyle. Digital nomads often have to deal with issues like visa requirements, finding adequate internet access, and balancing work and travel. Additionally, digital nomads may find it difficult to build long-term relationships and connect with a community in their host country.

To help you evaluate a decision, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of this unique lifestyle.

Pros of being a digital nomad

Being a digital nomad is an attractive career choice for many reasons.

• Benefit from being able to work from almost anywhere in the world
• Being able to enjoy the flexibility of being self-employed.
• Furthermore, being a digital nomad often means being able to enjoy a lower cost of living than in other locations due to remote working opportunities.
• Take advantage of the country’s economic more favourable business policies

This way, digital nomads can make the most out of being self-employed while simultaneously being able to pursue freedom and flexibility.

Cons of being a digital nomad

Being a digital nomad is an attractive career choice for many, but it isn’t without its difficulties.

• One of the cons to consider is the need for self-discipline to remain adequately focused on the projects
• It’s also common for digital nomads to work long hours; with no set office hours, it can be easy to find yourself working into the night or on weekends in order to meet deadlines.
• The other factor to keep in mind is the differences in time zones that could force you to work at unexpected hours to talk to customers.
• Lastly, being away from family and friends can often lead to feelings of loneliness  

Takeaway

So what’s the verdict? Is being a digital nomad right for you?

If you’re considering becoming a digital nomad, make sure you weigh the pros and cons carefully to see if it’s the right decision for you.

Becoming a digital nomad can seem like an exciting and adventurous path, but it’s important to take the time to evaluate if it’s the best move for you. You’ll need to think about potential opportunities and challenges, including researching where you want to spend your time and navigating any legal procedures that are necessary for setting up your business in that country.

If you love to travel and don’t want to wait to go on vacation to do it, then evaluate the opportunity to switch to remote work, to make travel not just a leisure activity, but something more: your lifestyle.