Ever thought of becoming a digital nomad? Connecting to the world from a coffee shop or a bar on the beach is a growing lifestyle and viable career option. Freedom and flexibility are the main attractions to a digital lifestyle and can be a lifesaver. For me a personal advantage is being able to head out on planned or impromptu adventures and still take care of home base. I recently was able to immerse myself in nature and fitness, biking 200 miles down the California Coast while working online. This is an experience that’s hard to replace, and memories that only inspire me further.
If you’re still undecided hopefully these nine benefits will help you make up your mind, challenge your dialogue and help you think about stepping into a digital life that fits you.
You Get to See the World
This is the biggest and most obvious benefit of being a digital nomad – you get to travel and to see the world. There’s so much out there that’s incredible to see, so why would you confine yourself to one town or one country?
Whether you are moving from location to location, or have taken on a remote year program, or plan on doing the minimalist backpacker route, there are cafes around the world with everything you need. Have lap top, will travel. Note, travel insurance is recommended in case your prime work tool, your laptop, is lost or stolen. Try World Nomads.
Less Stress
People are increasingly asked to work longer and longer hours, without additional benefits. It’s been proven that multi tasking does not add quality to an individuals work, and after about 6 hours, our productivity goes down. Humans are not machines and it’s important to step away from the desk to relax, restore, exercise and be outdoors. I use the Nike Workout App to assist me on the road.
The typical workday, and minimal vacation is creating health problems across the board. Including scary health risks like cardiovascular disease, obesity, poor posture, diabetes, and muscular skeletal disorders to name a few. Think about decreasing your time at the desk.
You Use The Best Travel Tools
When hitting the road and creating your flexible office space, you tend to delve into researching tools to make life and yourself more efficient. I love Sygic Travel App that allows you to locate key tours and places in your area, along with track and time them, and search and navigate around the world. 200 million people are already enjoying Sygic, and that says a lot. You can pick up a simple and affordable license that works for your digital nomad life.
When your navigating your own digital work, no one is delegating crappy tasks to you, they don’t want. If you have a process or an improvement, you get to decide, if you want to test out new things, go for it. You’re in charge now and make your own rules. And when you are deciding how to do your job, and when to do it, efficiency tools help. Try Desk Time.
You Become More Worldly
When you travel, you become a better person. Travel opens your mind to the world outside your door and that helps you to know your place that much better. This is something that helps invest in you, your present, and your future.
Plus it’s always a conversation starter at home or abroad. People love to talk about travel and adventure, and if your into picking up new skills, and languages it can only make you more valuable to anyone who works with you. You get to choose your clients and projects. And yes you do have to work for it, it doesn’t just fall into your lap.
You Become Emboldened
You also learn a lot when traveling – and specifically, you learn to be more courageous and more independent. This will improve every aspect of your life when you return!
You can also join other digital nomads with a Remote Year getaway, or Wild Adventure Retreat that combines all your loves of adventure, work, and travel.
You Get to Sample True Freedom
We were born to be free and yet many of us feel trapped by our responsibilities. Imagine what it feels like to genuinely be able to go anywhere you choose… Isn’t this something that you should at least experience?
With a little planning, some savings, and feet on the ground, you can push to create your own niche in marketing, writing, video production, photo journalism, digital ads, and more. Choose your poison.
Living Cheaply
Financial savings have been a draw for many digital nomads before it became trendy. When I first moved overseas I could enjoy better pricing in housing and food, along with a big move reiterating how little we need on a daily basis. The trade off’s for beach side living and new cultures was worth it. Places little Central America and Southeast Asia are still financially viable, while you charge your clients your regular rates.
Enjoy it. People love hearing that you have taken the initiative to not only start your own business but also to take it on the road and see the world at the same time. It’s inspiring and the sense of pride that comes from that is well-deserved and a great feeling!
You Meet Incredible People
When you travel, there is an incredible sense of camaraderie and you’ll find that you meet some amazing people and make life-long friends. It’s an amazing feeling and definitely worth the trip!
The digital lifestyle is growing and doesn’t have to be lonely. There are many like minded people looking to live their dream. Utilizing the internet can allow you to connect and collaborate with people around the world. Exchange experiences, live life, get out there.
You’ll Have the Best Social Media Photos
Okay, you probably knew I wasn’t going to pass over this one. Photos are great, and I’m not talking about the umpteenth selfie. Though online photos shouldn’t be the main motivation, they can certainly help with your brand and visual content. Especially if visual content IS your business. It’s sure a cool bonus! And you’ll have plenty of amazing photos to look back on.
Looking for more? Join us at Soul Shine Bali March 2019 for the Wild Adventure Immersion retreat. Learn digital nomad secrets.