Do you know Christopher McCandless? Yes, I mean this famous Supertramp, the main character of “Into the Wild” book and movie. Chris was a successful person who left his comfortable life and hitchhiked to Alaska to experience the adventure, to get a challenge, and probably to discover himself. Literally, he came into the wild.
So, Chris McCandless said:
The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure.
Truth or not, I’m pretty sure that one group of people fully agree with this statement – digital nomads.
Digital nomads are professionals who left the traditional 9-to-5-work lifestyle. Even if they handle the full-time job, they do it in unconventional ways! Those adventurous people don’t settle. They travel the world while working remotely – so that’s why we call them digital nomads.
This way of living seems to fully express an adventurous spirit since those workers discover foreign cultures, explore the world and meet new people daily. However, the fascinating lifestyle isn’t pure bliss; there is a price to pay.
In this post, I’d like to share with you the main benefits and challenges of the digital nomad lifestyle and how to reap their benefits – as how to live adventurous life – without leaving your home and family! I’m convinced that not all people are ready to pack up and hit the road with their job, even if they work remotely. At the same time, I believe we can all live adventurous lives! So, I’d like to present some tips on combining a full-time job and adventures without moving from your place of living.
Let’s go!
What are the pros and cons of the digital nomad lifestyle?
Generally speaking, digital nomads are satisfied with their lifestyles. As much as 88% agree that it has a positive impact on their life! It’s not surprising since the list of their benefits is pretty compelling.
So, what are the advantages of the digital nomad lifestyle?
- You experience the world firsthand. Being a digital nomad, you don’t need to watch documentaries or read travel books. Instead, you can just go to this place and experience it yourself. African safari? No problem. Norwegian fjords? Let’s go there! Scuba diving in Australia? Just give me a while to book a ticket. Sky (and price!) is the limit when you aren’t limited by the location of your on-site office.
- You can truly soak up the culture. There’s a vast difference between visiting a country as a tourist and living there. As a visitor, you want to relax or explore; as a worker, you want to live there. In the latter case, you can truly feel like a resident of a foreign city, deeper understand its culture, and meet locals.
- You have more opportunities to grow. When hitting the road, you must constantly go out of your comfort zone. You encounter many new situations due to shifting environments and meeting new people. As a result, you get many chances to learn more about yourself, face new challenges, and grow personally.
- You avoid feeling stuck in a place. The lifestyle of digital nomads is fulfilled with ‘first’ experiences. Thanks to that, they frequently learn something new, so there’s no chance of feeling stuck in a place. And in the case of anything – you can just move on.
Sound exciting, doesn’t it?
At the same time, this way of living presents its unique challenges. According to the latest survey, the top obstacles faced by digital nomads are:
- Inability to unplug from work
- Uncertainty
- Loneliness
- Potential financial difficulties
- Collaborating and communicating
- Staying motivated
Moreover, loneliness, missing loved ones, and lack of connection was the #1 reason digital nomads return home. The second one was a prolonged culture shock and traveler fatigue.
5 ideas on how to live an adventurous, digital nomad lifestyle anywhere
Of course, not everyone is ready to leave family and friends to travel the world. Fortunately, it doesn’t mean they can’t experience an adventurous lifestyle! It’s possible to experience the world as digital nomads do without leaving your home.
Would you like to know my recipe for adventure? Discover 5 ideas on it!
Learn new things
Living abroad, you have no option – the situation forces you to learn a foreign language. But why not do the same while living in your home? Learning new languages opens the mind to foreign cultures and other ways of thinking. The same applies to acquiring new skills, such as dancing or handicrafts. All those activities change how you perceive the world, making your life more fulfilling. Also, it’s healthy for your brain because learning new things keep your mind sharp! Finally, if you learn something related to another culture, such as growing bonsai, you can learn about this country by chance.
The list of fun and valuable skills to learn from home:
- origami and other Janapese crafts
- playing the Hawaii ukulele or another instrument
- cooking dishes from other countries (what about French or Korean food?)
- yoga, together with other Indian spiritual practices
- dancing (maybe Latino?)
What would you add to this list?
Talk to strangers
If you live in Baltimore, you can skip this paragraph. But as long as you don’t live in one of Vermont’s small towns, where everyone knows your name, there’s no excuse – you have many chances to meet someone new.
Meeting new people is a fascinating journey. Every person is exceptional so talking with a stranger and listening to their stories enriches you with a new perspective on life. Indeed, Bill Nye claims that Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t. With this mindset, you can discover something new when talking with anyone.
Not surprisingly, digital nomads greatly appreciate meeting new people during their journeys. However, you don’t have to travel to experience this. All you need is to be open to others.
Join local club
This idea combines the previous two, so it’s a way to meet new people and learn new things simultaneously. What is this piece of advice? Of course – to join a local club!
It’s an excellent choice for all full-time employees because it isn’t a time-consuming activity, so they can successfully combine it with their job. If you work remotely, it’s the perfect opportunity to go outside and meet people. When you join a local club, you can not only make new friends but also share with them your new passion. As a result, your motivation to pursue the new hobby is more robust, thanks to the support of your small community. So, you can develop yourself without leaving your home area! Moreover, you benefit from both ideas I described above at once – it’s just a combo!
What are the best ways to find local clubs?
- Use Google. Type in the search engine the name of your city and one of the following phrases – community, local club, event listings, bridge clubs, dance lessons, volunteer opportunities, etc. You can also replace the latter with any activity you want to learn more about!
- Walk around. There is much to discover in the neighborhood near you! Maybe it’s about time to take a look at local bulletin boards? Such places often post notices and posters about local community meetings.
- Search social media. Small hobbyist groups usually do not have websites. However, they often maintain profiles on social media instead. It’s worth reviewing Facebook and Instagram for this! Just type in the name of the city and browse through recent posts or events in the city. The findings may surprise you!
Nurture your curiosity
My friend asked me recently – how is it possible? She lived in the same city for four years but didn’t hear about places I discovered in just a few months. Then I just laughed, but it gave me something to think about. I noticed that there is one simple way that helps people turn an ordinary day into an adventure – curiosity.
The sense of curiosity is something that we lose when living too long in one place (and while growing up). We tend to think nothing can surprise us in such a familiar place – but that is far from the truth! There’s always a new destination to explore if you are curious enough to seek it out. To ignite your curiosity, go beyond the obvious. Think about activities you haven’t tried before, such as climbing, and search for them in your local area. Another idea is to consider turning your daily activities into something unusual. Maybe instead of shopping in the same supermarket you always visit, you can get fresh groceries at a local market?
Go off the beaten path
You probably know this famous line attributed to Einstein – insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So, how can you experience adventure if you walk every day the same way? Let’s go off the beaten path!
The idea is quite simple. When you walk around your city, choose paths you don’t know. Explore and let yourself get lost from time to time. Such a walk may only take half an hour, and if you are attentive, you will discover places you had no idea about, although they were right under your nose.
The Digital Nomad Lifestyle – Final thoughts
Recalling Chris McCandless’s words, the very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. But then, he continues –
The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.
As I believe we can experience all those thrilling feelings without leaving the neighborhood. We can get a journey without fighting loneliness and uncertainty as digital nomads do and without quitting our job. Do you agree? I hope my 5 tips will encourage you to live adventurous life no matter where you are!
Just tell me – which idea felt the most to your taste?
FAQs
What are alternatives to nomad list? ›
The best alternatives to Nomad List are Google, Remote OK, and Remotive. If these 3 options don't work for you, we've listed over 130 alternatives below.
What are other ways to say digital nomad? ›digital migrant, telecommuter, teleworker
A digital nomad is a person who is able to work remotely, often using technology, in order to live a nomadic lifestyle.
A digital nomad lives a nomadic lifestyle, moving from location to location and staying connected digitally. Digital nomads use technology and communication tools to complete work remotely in order to travel the country or the world.
How can we sustain a nomad lifestyle? ›- Start By Paying Off Your Debts. Before you set off on your camping odyssey of a lifetime you will need to start from a level playing field. ...
- Investigate Ways Of Saving Money While Traveling. ...
- Think Of Ways To Earn A Living On The Road.
Nomadic people (or nomads) are people who move from one place to another, instead of living in one place. The best known examples in Europe are gypsies, Roma, Sinti, and Irish travelers. Many other ethnic groups and communities are traditionally nomadic; such as Berbers, Kazakhs, and Bedouin.
What is a free alternative to nomad list? ›nomadlist.com's top 5 competitors in March 2023 are: digitalnomads. world, tripadvisor.com, bydigitalnomads.com, ikwilmeerreizen.nl, and more. According to Similarweb data of monthly visits, nomadlist.com's top competitor in March 2023 is digitalnomads.
What are the different types of digital nomads? ›There are three types of digital nomads: the freelancer, the remote worker, and the business owner. Being a digital nomad provides you the opportunity to experience new cultures, meet new people, and provides a flexible work environment.
What are examples of digital nomads? ›- Entrepreneur nomads — self-employed business owners that run a remote online business.
- Remote workers — individuals who earn an income from an established company while working remotely.
- Freelancers — individuals that work on a flexible basis, picking up gigs as needed.
A remote worker/employee is usually someone who is tied to a specific location that has a secure and protected internet connection such as a home or co-working space. Contrastingly, a digital nomad can be based literally anywhere in the world as long as they can access what they need to work.
What are the challenges of the digital nomad lifestyle? ›- Difficulty in maintaining a work-life balance.
- Choosing suitable locations to travel.
- Lack of social life and emotional support.
- Keeping up with finances and taxes.
- Maintaining a consistent routine.
- Having access to adequate healthcare.
Why is digital nomad lifestyle on the rise? ›
In the past couple of years, the impact of the pandemic has contributed to the rise of remote working and digital nomadism. But as things are gradually returning to normal, traditional workers who have adopted the nomadic lifestyle are slowing down as many are expected to eventually return to the office.
What are 3 details about a nomadic lifestyle? ›A nomad is a person with no settled home, moving from place to place as a way of obtaining food, finding pasture for livestock, or otherwise making a living. Most nomadic groups follow a fixed annual or seasonal pattern of movements and settlements. Nomadic people traditionally travel by animal, canoe or on foot.
What are three challenges of a nomadic life? ›- Physical Distance Impacts Friendships.
- Romantic Relationships or Starting a Family Might Be Impossible.
- Social Fatigue Can Develop.
- The Nomadic Lifestyle Often Has Uncomfortable Working Conditions.
- A Mobile Lifestyle Affects Productivity.
- Your Work-life Balance Can Become Challenging.
- The pros and cons of being a digital nomad.
- The pros of being a digital nomad. You can travel full-time. Work from wherever you want. Experience new cultures. Personal growth. ...
- The cons of being a digital nomad. Stress. Lack of stability. Loneliness. Work/life balance is hard to maintain. ...
- Pros and cons of being a digital nomad.
The main activities of the Nomadic tribe have been animal rearing trading farming hunting and move in search of Oasis for farming. hope it helpful for you.
What are the four characteristics of nomadic people? ›But the following characteristics are more or less ubiquitous attributes of pastoral nomads: (1) dependence on domesticated animal husbandry; (2) migration along established routes between focal grazing areas; (3) mobility of herds, people, and their habitats; and (4) predominant economic dependence on the herds and ...
What type of home would a nomad live in? ›Thus, traditional nomadic dwellings are portable--tents or tent-like structures which can easily be packed for transport on the backs of animals. Such dwellings may be used both in summer and in winter, but in modern times, the winter dwellings to which nomads always return generally are permanent structures.
What are the categories of nomad? ›There are three types of nomads around the world: hunter-gatherer nomads, pastoral nomads, and thinker/trader nomads. Nomads are known for their migration. They migrate periodically in a year so that they will be back to their first location. It is estimated that there are about 30-40 million nomads around the world.
What is a nomad minimalist? ›To put it simply, nomadic minimalism works around simple principles. Instead of constantly buying new things (that won't fit in your bag), you put together the essentials to survive in any possible situation.
Is a nomadic lifestyle worth it? ›The most obvious positive point of living a nomadic lifestyle is the sheer freedom you have. The countless possibilities of where you can go and what you can do can be overwhelming – but I think in a good way. The world truly is your oyster.
What do most digital nomads work as? ›
Digital nomads make money in such common ways: Freelancing: Offering services such as writing, graphic design, or web development to clients worldwide through platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer. Remote work: Working for a company as a remote employee, either as a full-time employee or as a contractor.
What does digital nomad friendly mean? ›The digital nomad lifestyle is a way of life that involves people who work remotely, which means they can live anywhere in the world and still have a job. They can do this because they use technology to do their jobs wherever they want.
What are the three types of nomads around the world? ›The term nomad encompasses three general types: nomadic hunters and gatherers, pastoral nomads, and tinker or trader nomads.
What is a modern day example of nomads? ›1. The Kochi people. The Kochi people of southern and eastern Afghanistan survive in decreasing numbers because of the pressures of war and internal strife, but a few thousand continue to live as their ancestors did, herding sheep, goats, and camels. Some are purely nomadic, forever roaming with their families.
What is the difference between a digital nomad and a freelancer? ›Digital Nomad: A location-independent worker who earns a living through remote work but at a location or locations they choose. Freelancer: A professional who has several clients or who works for several different companies at the same time.
Do digital nomads have a home? ›Some digital nomads have home bases where they own a home or pay rent. In the months during which they choose to go on digital nomad trips to work remotely, they might sublet, Airbnb or rent out their homes, and go elsewhere.
What is the disadvantage of being a digital nomad? ›You could feel lonely.
According to the people who are digital nomads, this is the worst disadvantage of being a digital nomad. Even if you are really sociable and outgoing, and depending on the type of digital nomadism that you practice, you can also find it hard to build lasting bonds.
Nomads are people with no fixed home. They travel from place to place. Many nomads move as the seasons change. They move in search of food, water, and places for their animals to eat.
How can a digital nomad live cheaply? ›- Find an affordable location. Living is pricey, but what you pay depends on where you live. ...
- Decide when to travel. ...
- Define what's important. ...
- Make your own meals. ...
- Stay with people you know. ...
- Manage your finances.
Digital nomads are people who are location-independent and use technology to perform their job, living a nomadic lifestyle. Digital nomads work remotely, telecommuting rather than being physically present at a company's headquarters or office.
Who is the target audience for digital nomads? ›
Digital nomad demographics
Nearly half of all digital nomads worldwide are in their 30s, according to Statista. The survey also showed that the age range of 40-59 was well-represented, making up 35% of digital nomads globally.
Since rents abroad are usually cheap compared to the US, digital nomads don't mind offering more to secure the living arrangement they want. That has led to inflated rent prices in areas where digital nomads are moving to.
What attracts digital nomads? ›In addition to their higher level of disposable income, digital nomads also tend to prioritize certain amenities when choosing a place to stay. Fast and reliable internet, co-working spaces, and technology-friendly rooms are all important considerations for digital nomads.
How do you prepare for digital nomad life? ›- Choose a city with a digital nomad community. ...
- Pick the right bank account and credit cards. ...
- Decide what to do with your stuff. ...
- Choose a location that aligns with your working hours. ...
- Consider your technology requirements. ...
- Get travel insurance. ...
- Join co-living communities.
- Strong technical skills. You need to be able to work with computers and be comfortable using different software programs. ...
- Excellent communication skills. ...
- Strong organizational skills. ...
- Self-motivated.
Get health insurance
Remember, your health should be your top priority while traveling. Unfortunately, many people assume that the life of a digital nomad is all fun and adventure or that life in a tropical climate will keep you from getting sick.
Today nomadic pastoralists are faced with three major problems: (1) erosion of their resource base, (2) changes in their economic relationships within regional contexts, and (3) domination of political relationships by central states.
What are two advantages of nomadic? ›Cheaper Living
Removing a rent or mortgage payment frees up a large amount of cash. While living on the road can make holding a traditional job difficult, many nomads are turning to the Internet to fund their journeys. You may also be able to get work from town-to-town.
A Traveller is the general term for anyone who is a person who is continually travelling without a home or job. A traveller can also be called a nomad, vagrant, wanderer, or vagabond. As where the tourist is more passive, the traveller is more active.
What is one disadvantage of being a nomad? ›Lack of private space.
Constantly changing locations means you don't always have that private home-base, and although occasionally you'll find something more stable for a few months, it will never be home, since you know you will leave it soon.
What is the difference between nomad and migrant? ›
Migration: a long-distance movement type where individuals or populations of animals move seasonally between discrete locations, producing within- but not between-year variability in location and movement patterns Nomadism: a movement type where individuals or populations of animals move frequently between locations ...
What are the different types of nomadic communities? ›Traditionally there are three types of nomads: hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads, and peripatetic nomads.
Is it homeless or nomad living? ›Homeless folks don't have homes. But digital nomads are 'without a permanent address. ' I primarily identify as a digital nomad, but I see the privilege in this euphemism and the very blurry line between nomad and homeless, especially in North America.
What makes a person a nomad? ›: a member of a people that has no fixed home but wanders from place to place. : an individual who roams about without a goal or purpose. nomad adjective. or nomadic.
What are the pros and cons of a nomadic lifestyle? ›| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Freedom and flexibility | Constant goodbyes |
| New experiences | Uncertainty |
| It can be affordable | Feeling rootless |
| You learn about yourself | It can be isolating |
But the following characteristics are more or less ubiquitous attributes of pastoral nomads: (1) dependence on domesticated animal husbandry; (2) migration along established routes between focal grazing areas; (3) mobility of herds, people, and their habitats; and (4) predominant economic dependence on the herds and ...
What is an independent nomad? ›Digital nomads are individuals who work location-independent, technology-enabled jobs, often using that as an opportunity to travel to new places. — Getty Images/Westend61. Digital nomads are remote workers, including self-employed individuals, freelancers, and employees.
What are nomads called today? ›In today's industrialized countries, nomads are few and far between. However, there are still 30-40 million nomads around the world today! Nomads are usually divided into three categories. There are hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads, and peripatetic nomads.
How do you know if you're a nomad? ›A nomad constantly changes locations, switching from one place to another. Most nomads have some kind of place that they can call home, which is usually where their family or childhood friends are located, but they wouldn't spend more than a few months a year there. Nor would they settle down in a new home.
What are three characteristics of nomadic peoples? ›- Population size: Population is very small sometimes not more than thousands.
- Geographical mobility: Geographical mobility is common for the sake of food, grass, shelter water and income. ...
- Absence of ownership: Nomadic People of society don't have agricultural or ancestral property.
What do nomads eat? ›
Primitive nomadic peoples subsisted on meat and milk-based diets providing protein and fat as main sources of energy. The domestication of plants with starch-rich seeds, such as wheat, rice, and corn, allowed humans to settle communities with an assured supply of food, which was the basis of civilization.
What kind of houses do nomads live in? ›Thus, traditional nomadic dwellings are portable--tents or tent-like structures which can easily be packed for transport on the backs of animals. Such dwellings may be used both in summer and in winter, but in modern times, the winter dwellings to which nomads always return generally are permanent structures.