Working as a digital nomad sounds like a sweet deal. You mostly get to set your own hours (depends on the kind of remote work, really), which typically lets you work from anywhere in the world. Want to see the sunny beaches of Southern California or explore New England during the fall? You’re your own boss, so go right ahead. As long as you have one of the many essential accessories for digital nomads and a stable internet connection, that is.
However, if you’re a social butterfly, it could be more challenging than you might imagine. Charlotte Grainger wrote about her experience as a digital nomad in an essay for Business Insidernoting that it was difficult to form bonds with other digital nomads. Grainger was working as a freelance writer in the U.K. when she decided to visit Lisbon, Portugal, for a two-month stay. When she arrived, she tried to make friends with other nomads, but found that it was like trying to fit in with a clique in high school when you’re new to the school and they’ve been friends since elementary school.
Then there was the language barrier, something many might not think of when they consider the nomad life. It took Grainger several weeks to make some friends and feel comfortable with her decision to go globetrotting. Not everyone will find the lifestyle as difficult, though. With roughly 18 million Americans embracing the digital nomad lifestyle, everyone is going to have a different experience with it.
Being a digital nomad requires work
Some digital nomads might find themselves living in paradise, but that won’t guarantee they’re going to be happy because they’ll still have the same responsibilities they had at home. Emily Bratt, a former digital nomad, wrote in the Guardian“I had conflated digital nomadism with holidaying. But it turned out that working in a cafe was still working in a cafe, whether you are in a Starbucks in Swindon or a beach bar in Bali.” Jodie Cook says it best in Forbes: “Geography doesn’t fix psychology.”
Unlike Bratt and Charlotte Grainger, Cook loves her digital nomad life, but points out that it’s because she has a system. If you don’t have a system and expect the nomad lifestyle to fix every struggle you have, you’re going to be in for a rude awakening. Travelling from place to place requires preparedness and adaptability because last-minute cancellations and finding a suitable internet service option for an RV isn’t a one-time event, it’s just another day of the week for a nomad.
Instead of staying in a new city each week, it’s better to stay in one place for a few months at a time. Avoid exploring every single tourist trap, too, because you’ll burn yourself out quickly. If you’re a social person, look for coworking spaces where nomads congregate or join an online group. Most importantly, if you make friends who are also working remotely, be prepared for them to move on to their next destination before you’re ready. As Cook says, “The digital nomad life rewards preparation, punishes romanticism, and amplifies everything you already are.”
