Digital nomad: What you need to know

Nomads are literarily drifters who move from one place to another without developing roots or settling in one place for long.

They could be workers or just wanderers/tourists, always on the move in search of new and exciting things and places.

So also, are digital nomads. These are workers who move around from one country or city to another, working on their computers and smartphones, without necessarily setting up official business or offices in a location. They are free spirited and choose where, when, and how they work.

A digital nomad therefore would most likely work out of a hotel room, coffee shop, co-working spaces, home, or wherever they have access to internet and electricity.

What kind of jobs can I do as a digital nomad?

The kinds of jobs available to digital nomads are numerous, all of which can be fully remote. The COVID-19 saga has even made it easier for companies to outsource some of their jobs to digital nomads who don’t have to come into the office for once and can work from anywhere in the world, including the comfort of your home.

This has bridged the international working barriers as an international worker does not need a working permit or be physically present in the UK to work with companies in the UK either as freelancers or permanent employees.

Most of these companies don’t even require you to have experience since you can start at an entry level and move up from there.

Also, you could even make more money being a digital nomad since you don’t have to spend money on transportation or even work clothes or formal wears. You can do your work in your pyjamas!

There are many different skills that may be fully remote and are suitable for a digital nomad. Here are some of them:

• Accounting – there are many tools and apps that can be used for accounting these days which are mostly done on the computer. You don’t have to deal with money directly. You can provide accounting skills and advice to companies and individuals who do not want to keep an accountant as an employee.
• Legal services – these days, legal advice can be given online and as such, some companies and individuals seek legal opinions from freelance lawyers, all through the internet.
• Customer Service – customer service operators usually attend to clients through calls and emails anyway and this can be done from anywhere, not necessarily from the office.
• Design – this includes graphic designs which may be motion or pictures. Video creation and editing also fall under this category.
• Editorial skills – editing, proofreading, writing, transcription, and maybe data entry skills fall under this group. In fact, many businesses and companies are contracting these types of jobs out daily.
• IT – Information Technology related skills include software or app development, website development, programmer.
• Sales and Marketing – sales and marketing these days are targeting social media and hence can be fully remote.
• Project Management – you do not have to have a physical office location to handle project management from anywhere in the world when you have the right team.
• Quality Analyst (QA) – if you are performing quality assurance for products or services, you can choose to do it as a freelancer and move wherever your services are needed anytime.
• Recruiting & HR – these source talents from all over the world via sites like LinkedIn which can also be done online. All the communications among the recruiting team can be done via emails and videoconferencing.
• Teacher/Tutor – you can choose to teach specific subjects as a freelancer from anywhere in the world where you have good internet connections.
• Virtual Assistant – most assistant and secretarial duties can be carried out remotely and virtual assistance is now a thing.
   

What are the advantages of being a digital nomad?

1. Freedom. Being a digital nomad affords you the freedom to move around and travel the world if you wish. You are not confined to an office space or cubicle to carry out your duties. You also get to make new friends and engage in social activities which boosts morale. You are free to choose where and when you carry out your job.
    
2. Flexibility. You can choose to work at any time and you can be flexible with the type of work you take. If you are dissatisfied with the terms of working for an employer, you can simply move on with no hard feelings.
    
3. Productivity. You can be more productive because you choose the environment best suitable for your own productivity. Some people get their best ideas when they are in the midst of friends while some others think best when in isolation, and others still when they don’t have their bosses breathing down their necks. Being a digital nomad gives you the choice of working from anywhere there is an internet connection.
    
4. Adaptability. You can easily adapt your methods to your immediate environment. You are not restricted by official rules and regulations.
    
5. Improvability. Improve your skills when you work in varying conditions and with differing bosses. You learn new things every day such that you can become versatile and in high demand in no time.
    

What are the disadvantages of being a digital nomad?

The main disadvantage of being a digital nomad is a lack of commitment. Except for a disciplined person, being committed to a task may become a challenge for a digital nomad.

Also, since the lifestyle of a digital nomad means they can up and move at any time, they tend to remove themselves from any situation that they consider unpalatable. In other words, digital nomads may be prone to subjecting themselves to the whims of their feelings and may not be good employees.

Another disadvantage is that job security and location are erratic for digital nomads. Their next paycheck is uncertain until they can land a new role, neither are they sure where that role is going to take them if they have to physically move to carry out their jobs. It then becomes difficult to grow roots or settle down. Also, the income for a digital nomad is varied and planning based on such income may be foolhardy.

In other words, digital nomads tend to live in the moment if they lack the skills or foresight to plan for a future.

Lastly, being a digital nomad can sometimes be lonely as you have to mostly work alone.

How to become a digital nomad?

Here are a few tips that can help navigate you through becoming a digital nomad.

1. Highlight your remote skills. You start by being sure that you have skills that can be carried out remotely. You may also need to develop or learn new skills by being self-taught or enrolling for short-timed diplomas. Sometimes, all you need is to have access to the right information because even the skill you have may have a remote opportunity that you don’t know about just yet.
    
2. Identify the tools you need. Most often, what digital nomads need is good computer and internet connection. However, you should have the right apps and softwares for your skills.
    
3. Ensure constant internet connection. While a digital nomad can work from anywhere in the world, the fact still remains that they need good internet access to be able to function well. Even if you need to be physically present to carry out your work, you will still need to have access to the internet to get those jobs in the first place.
    
4. Find and join digital nomad communities. There are many job sites online where digital nomads seek and find jobs daily. You should do a web search to find the ones that are secure and reliable to ensure a constant supply of jobs.
    
5. Be flexible. You should be ready to learn and unlearn things as each job demands. You cannot afford to be rigid in your methods or thinking. Be willing to learn new things every day.
    

Conclusion

As much as getting an office job with good job security may seem beneficial, being a digital nomad may just be what you need to achieve some life goals.

You don’t have to wait till you are old and too tired to move around so much before you live out that dream of visiting exciting and interesting places or making new friends and doing things you love.

So, consider being a digital nomad to earn a living and live your life to the fullest because life is too short to focus on unimportant things.