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Pros and Cons of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

By December 19, 2016 Lifestyle

Many people from all different backgrounds are now choosing to become digital nomads, taking their jobs or businesses on the road and setting off on an adventure of a lifetime.

If you’re reading this article you might already have an idea of what a digital nomad is. In short, digital nomads are those of us who conduct our professional lives via internet services and connected devices, rather than at a fixed physical location or place of work.

There are obvious advantages to this way of life, which is why it’s being adopted by many (especially creative professionals) as a new way of working or doing business. However, the nomadic life is not for everyone.

Everyone has their own needs and works to their optimal level in different environments.  You will need to weigh up the pros and cons and decide for yourself if the good out shines the challenges that a (digitally) nomadic lifestyle presents.

Being a Digital Nomad: Pros and Cons

The Importance of Staying Connected

That last con, becoming isolated, is probably the biggest and least expected danger of the DN life. It’s easy to fall into your own comfort zone and stay there for far too long. You don’t expect to become disconnected when you are travelling and meeting new people every day. You also don’t think that if you are conducting your own adventure every day of your life that you might end up missing important life experiences. That is exactly what happens though, if you’re not wary of it.

To avoid this, you must force yourself out of your comfort zone from time to time. A great way to stay connected to is to join professional forums (there are several of them for DNs) and try to attend conferences and workshops that are relevant to your trade.  For example, if you are involved in Social Media you should attend the Social Media World conference in San Diego in 2017. It may not be an exotic island – but it will help you stay on top of your game and allow you to connect with like-minded people.

The next step is to maintain those connections once you’ve made them. You will be glad you did, no man is an island, no matter how far he may roam.

Pros and Cons of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Is it Easy?

Yes. And no. The world is more connected than it has ever been – making connecting with other remote team members and clients easier than ever. Thanks to that, it’s also become standard practice for companies to hire freelancers and nomads. No, because nothing worth having is easy – it takes huge amounts of self-discipline and determination to maintain this lifestyle and stay on top of your game. Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s all fun and games – there is a lot of hard work involved – but the good times usually far outweigh the bad and you’ll be a better person because of the life experiences you will gain.


About the Author

Dan Salganik is the Founder of VisualFizz – a digital marketing firm with the fundamental ideology that you can work whenever and wherever. Furthermore, he hires freelancers rather than employees, and pays them what they feel they’re worth while charging clients less (due to lower overhead costs). He is currently launching his business while taking a 3+ month trip through Southeast Asia.

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