Nomadic life has been known to people for centuries and has been passed down to various tribes through generations. Until the decrease in their lifestyle, our forefathers traveled and hunted in small nomadic tribes.
The main characteristic of nomadic life is that the tribe chose a specific place to reside for a specific time period. Then, they changed location according to their needs in terms of food, housing, and weather.
The modern-day digital nomad lifestyle has recently grown in popularity even before the pandemic. Working from home or roaming the world, digital nomads embrace a lifestyle that allows them to work remotely and live anywhere.
Digital nomads, unlike remote workers who have a base camp, frequently change locales and have the choice to work from anywhere on the planet.
However, becoming a digital nomad does not happen overnight – it takes time and effort to save money, establish a business with companies that provide remote roles, set up your own business if you’re a freelancer, and experiment with different locations to figure out how you want to travel and live as a nomad.
So, in this article, we will share some tips and tricks for the digital nomad lifestyle as well as useful resources you can use in order to survive on the move. Keep reading!
Adapting to Nomadic Lifestyle
If you want to be a digital nomad, you must be prepared for the realities of nomadic living which is taking place mostly “on the road”. The frequent fluctuation of your location, for example, makes it tough to stay in touch with friends and family.
A trial run is a good opportunity to test out the lifestyle before making the leap into digital nomadism. Allow yourself a few weeks to get a feel for the way of a nomadic lifestyle.
The experience will make you understand how you will be able to work remotely and travel around the world, and how much time you need to spend locally to keep your sanity. It’s important to note that practice runs aren’t necessarily representative of the real deal.
Time Management
As a digital nomad, time management is crucial to keeping a delicate balance between your work and your life. With all of the responsibilities, you’ll be experiencing, creating a timetable for yourself will help you build routines that will aid your achievement.
Create a timetable for your working time so you can see when you should work, when you should travel, when you should relax, and how you should spend your time in general.
This is also beneficial to sleep patterns. Never undervalue the importance of a good night’s sleep. Sleep has an impact on nearly everything we do, and it will undoubtedly have an impact on your experience as a digital nomad.
Technology Requirements
Always keep in mind to have data on your phone in case the internet goes down and you need to use it as a hotspot. Because the internet is censored in many parts of the world, it’s critical to download a reliable VPN (virtual private network) to ensure you can access the websites you want (plus an added layer of anonymity).
Moreover, some phone operators will make you pay a lot for international roaming or your data will be capped at a lesser speed once your free foreign data allowance has been used up.
So, purchasing a prepaid SIM card with a data package at your international location is a typical travel hack you can make use of.
Productivity and Work Schedule
It’s important to set clear limits for when you work and when you go traveling to ensure you get your work done correctly. In order to make sure they get everything done, the finest digital nomads stick to a rigid schedule.
For example, you can dedicate 8 hours per day for 5 days per week and 3 days to go exploring and resting. So, create your schedule and stick to your strategy, no matter what it is.
Managing one’s time is an art form in and of itself. This is true for people in every business and walk of life, including digital nomads. As a digital nomad, you’ll have to experiment and try different locations, communities, work and daily schedules. You’ll want to take some time off to travel, but you’ll also need to consider deadlines and clients.
All these might cause your productivity levels to fluctuate from time to time so sticking to the right schedule will help you remain on solid ground.
Regular Exercising
We all know that exercise improves your physical and emotional health in a variety of ways. And, this also applies to the digital nomad lifestyle.
With so many things that can stress you out along the way, you’ll need something to help you maintain your equilibrium. Regular exercise, whether it’s yoga, pilates, running, HIIT, or cardio, will improve your overall performance as a digital nomad.
Useful Resources to Survive on the Move
Travel Insurance: This important element is a must-have in our nomadic lifestyles. Travel insurance ensures that you are covered in case something goes wrong. It covers anything from lost luggage to delayed flights to petty theft.
World Nomads is a great insurance provider, but for individuals working overseas, SafetyWing is much better. Its plans are tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers, and they provide extremely low monthly rates, making it one of the most cost-effective solutions available.
Customer service is excellent, and their plans cover all of the essentials.
Flights and Visa
Dummy Ticket: Don’t worry, the dummy ticket is not for dummies! It’s an online travel company that specializes in booking flights and organizing visa applications. In other words, for $19, you receive a dummy ticket for any visa application.
The booking process is simple and takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. Note that Dummyticket.com flight tickets are valid for all visa applications. They are normally valid for two to three weeks, depending on how far ahead of time you book them.
All tickets have a PNR number that may be checked on the airline’s website. In other words, with a Dummy Ticket you can reserve your flight and arrange your visa procedure without being stressed about your travel and visa requirements prior to travel.
Time Zones
Time Zones for Humans is a great tool you can use in order not to get lost in time! The user interface is quite simple to use. To keep taps of team members and client time zones, you can also use Figure It Out.
Project Management
Slack is free to use, but has some limitations regarding the integrations you can use. Unlimited integrations and complete archive search are included in the $5/month plan.
However, it may not be worth the extra effort for small companies or teams, and Trello is a viable option if you don’t need the chat feature. Trello is a simple and free app with revolutionary movable “work cards” that function especially well with iPads.
You make a card stack and then give individual tasks to people to work on in chunks.
Finance
Revolut is very simple to use and 100% secure. Simply fund your Revolut account, and you can utilize your funds as you see fit with their free Mastercard. In addition, for sending or receiving money internationally, Transferwise is another great tool.
It’s lightning-fast, millions of people use it, and it saves you a ton of money on bank fees. Banks have a reputation for being greedy, so it’s advisable to stay away from them as much as possible.
Google Suite
When you need to talk to a client or share your screen during a call, Google Hangouts is typically the most convenient alternative.
Messaging, voice calling, and video are all available. You can also use Google Drive to create and store documents in the cloud, which you can view from anywhere you are. Like this, you can collaborate with people in your team by sharing your documents. Google also provides 15GB of free storage, keeps and organizes all of your papers, and allows many users to collaborate on the same document at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What are the essential tools and resources for digital nomads?
Digital nomads rely on various tools and resources to work and travel efficiently. This can include laptops, reliable internet connections, travel insurance, time management apps, and digital payment solutions.
Q: How can I find remote work or freelance opportunities as a digital nomad?
Finding remote work or freelance gigs is crucial for sustaining a digital nomad lifestyle. Many websites and platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and remote job boards like We Work Remotely and Remote.co can help you find opportunities across different industries.
Q: What are some strategies for managing work-life balance while traveling as a digital nomad?
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is important. Strategies include setting boundaries, creating a dedicated workspace, time management, and learning to say no when necessary. Additionally, exploring destinations with a mix of work-friendly and leisure activities can help.
Q: How do I handle visas and legal requirements while working as a digital nomad?
Visa regulations can vary widely by country. Research visa requirements for each destination and consider visas designed for digital nomads or remote workers. It’s also essential to understand tax implications and any legal obligations related to your work and income.
Q: What are some budgeting and financial tips for digital nomads?
Managing finances on the road is vital. Create a budget, track expenses, and consider travel insurance that covers health and property. Using budgeting apps, keeping an emergency fund, and understanding exchange rates can also help you manage your finances effectively while traveling.
Hi! I am George and I am the Content Lead for Stasher.com. I love travel, writing, making music and meeting new and interesting people.