Working online and travelling the world full time sounds like a dream (and it is!) however it is not always as perfect and easy as people think it is. Here are 8 truths (and explanations) about being a digital nomad.
1. Lack of self motivation and self discipline
When you are not surrounded by coworkers and your boss, it can sometimes be hard to stay motivated and do work, especially when you are in a new place and just want to explore! However, it is important to schedule your work in and actually get it done in order to explore and travel more.
2. Most of the times you will be working in a room/on bed and not on the beach
Seeing all these photos online of people working on the beach or by the pool looks incredible however it is unrealistic. 99% of the time you can’t see the screen because of the sun and you risk getting sand in the keyboard.
3. Some people do not understand that you are working and think that you are on holiday all the time “You’re so lucky” ”When you get a real job” “Some of us are actually working”. Sometimes it’s hard to not get affected by people’s opinions especially when you’ve worked really hard to get where you are and they do not see the whole picture (only the parts where you are lying on the beach or on a plane to a new destination). But it’s important to remember that it really doesn’t matter, because you are happy and YOU know you’ve worked (and continue working) really hard so you deserve it.
4. Not seeing family as often (miss you mum)
Being away for long months and missing important events such as birthdays, weddings, graduations, etc can be hard. Luckily though there are Skype calls and messenger which makes it a bit easier. And when you finally get to see them, it makes it even more special.
5. Fomo (Fear Of Missing Out) when meeting other travellers who are solely there for holiday
It’s hard to say no when they invite you to join them on a day trip or a night out. I always try to keep to a schedule and get all (or most)of the things done in the morning so I can have the rest of the day for activities and then do some more work in the evening. Other days of course need a whole day of work and some days are more flexible. It’s important to have a balance between work and fun/travel.
6. You physically can’t work from “anywhere in the world” as you literally need wifi to work
I’d love to work from a remote little island or with a little cabin surrounded by mountains, but it’s not alway possible. Sometimes we have to settle for a location that has the infrastructure, which is usually also beautiful and fun!
7. Not always steady/secure income depending on what you do for work
This of course depends on what you do for work, but if you are self employed especially, it can be quite stressful being on the other side of the world relying on the internet to make a living.
8. Your day to day life becomes a huge effort
What I mean by this, is that simple things that you do at your home, such as taking the bus or going food shopping, can be a bit more tricky when you don’t know the language or has a completely different system. It can be tiring without even realizing at first, when you are communicating in a different language all day, using a map to get around and figuring out the local currency. Every time you go to a new place, you have to figure out all the new ways of life, from using the public transport to buying a new sim card.
After all these years of working every single day towards this and dreaming of working remotely and travelling, I am SO grateful for this life I have now. But there are some negatives that people might not realise when looking at photos and videos.
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