Digital nomads are people who work remotely, especially those who use that as an opportunity to travel. As more and more people start to work outside the office, the idea of traveling while working, but not necessarily traveling for work, is catching on.
People working remotely report higher job satisfaction, under certain conditions, and the “gig economy” which has been developing over the last few years is very much built on the kind of flexibility that 9-to-5 jobs can’t provide.
“We have data that shows employees are more engaged when they enjoy flexibility,” said Mohammed Chahdi, global human resources services director for Dell, told the New York Times. “Why insist that they be in an office when it simply doesn’t matter?”
“Remote work has gone mainstream,” said Stephanie Kasriel, chief executive of Upwork. Working at an office from 9 to 5 “is a remnant of the industrial era.”
But there can be unforeseen difficulties to working while traveling, and that’s where companies like Unsettled and websites like Nomad List come in, which are geared toward making digital nomads’ lives easier. Some provide information on places with reliable high-speed internet, or work to bring people together in one place. Some offer spaces to live and work that are specifically geared toward this lifestyle.
Working from a variety of places can be an eye-opening experience, as digital nomads get to know the people and cultures of the places they stay. And the same technology that allows them to work from anywhere means they can stay in touch with people they meet. And, of course, it doesn’t require taking time off work or saving up vacation days to do.
Steve King, a partner at Emergent Research, said interest in traveling to work remotely has been increasing. “We still don’t know how many digital nomads there are, “ he said. “It’s hard to measure, but it’s pretty clearly growing at a strong rate.”
Of course, being a digital nomad isn’t for everyone. One of the great things about remote workspaces in other countries is the ability to “try before you buy,” so to speak. Spend a week or so at one of the many international locations where you can work and visit a new country, or take a cruise with other nomads before you decide to sell everything and become a full-time digital nomad.
“A lot of people think, ‘I wish I could do this,’” said Johannes Voelkner, founder of Nomad Crusies, a company that organizes two-week networking cruises for digital nomads. “But they make it too complicated—they try to change their complete lives instead of starting with a short test.”