Many of us dream of a life where we get to travel full time and experience the world firsthand. Life seems so much better when you aren’t stuck in one place. Becoming a digital nomad gives you the opportunity to have amazing experiences almost every day. However, like any lifestyle, living as a digital nomad comes with both the good and the bad. To help you decide if the digital nomad life is for you, we’ve put together a list of digital nomad pros and cons.
Pros of Being a Digital Nomad
Work Wherever, Whenever
A huge benefit that is appealing to almost anyone, living as a digital nomad allows you to work wherever you want, whenever you want. Digital nomad jobs don’t require you to be in-office or adhere to certain hours. You’re left with a schedule that you basically create, and the world as your office space. Whether you’re in the mountains and want to work from a gently swinging hammock or if you’re oceanside in an RV, the opportunities are endless.
Interesting Jobs
One of the pros for living as a digital nomad is the job choices. The job choices for a digital nomad are nearly endless and exciting. The list for what you can do is a huge draw for those who want to live as a digital nomad. Jobs include being a full-time blogger, working in marketing, working as a freelance or remote writer, making and selling your own products, and even being a voice over artist. There are so many choices for you when looking for work as a digital nomad, and each job is just as exciting as the next.
Nonstop Travel
Never ending places to see, never ending places to live is one huge pro. Life as a nomad means that you get to travel whenever you want, and stay wherever you want. The list is endless and enticing. This gives you the opportunity to experience the world in a way that you never would before, which is a huge draw for those looking to live life to the fullest. From spending a week in the mountains, to visiting the ocean, to seeing the most amazing waterfalls, life as a digital nomad gives you the opportunity to truly experience the world.
Ultimate Freedom
The digital nomad life gives you freedom you won’t get any other way. Without the structure of a normal life, you don’t have the stress of most day-to-day things weighing you down. No more paying for monthly homeowner bills, worrying about making it to work on time, or having to follow the structure of an average working day. Life is as you make it, and your schedule is completely up to you.
Meet New, Amazing People
Living on the road and travelling across the world gives you the chance to meet people that you never would have met in any other situation. Whether it’s through social media groups that are dedicated to the lifestyle of being a digital nomad, or in person as you visit monuments, places of interest, and even cafes, the opportunity to meet someone new is everywhere. Some of the best people are in places that you never would experience without being a digital nomad.
Find Inspiration Everywhere!
The world is an inspirational place, and some of the smallest, most hidden areas are the most interesting. Living a life full of travel and constant moving means that you’re going to find inspiration wherever you go. The people you meet, the sites you see, and the places you live all provide you with inspiration and fulfillment that you wouldn’t get without living this lifestyle.
Cons of Being a Digital Nomad
Loneliness
A big con for digital nomads can be that life is lonely, especially if you’re travelling alone. You often experience a sense of disconnection from those you love who live in one place, and it can be difficult to maintain a solid social life while on the road. From dead zones without cellular connection to places where you know no one at all, life as a digital nomad can make for a lot of loneliness.
Time Management
Living as a digital nomad requires a good handle on time management. With all of the freedom and lack of structure that you’re allotted as a digital nomad, it can seem as if time management isn’t something you need to worry about. However, time management is extremely important. Being able to find the right balance and schedule to maintain work, social life, and personal care is difficult. It’s easy to get lost in the experiences you can do, rather than getting work done or taking care of yourself. If you don’t have strong time management skills, living as a digital nomad can be difficult.
Missing Milestones
Living life on the road can cause many pros and cons for digital nomads, but missing milestones is one of the biggest challenges. Without living in one single place, it’s easy to be too far away to be able to attend birthdays, weddings, or other celebrations, and it also means that you aren’t going to be around as much for other, smaller milestones, such as your niece’s or nephew’s first steps. It can be disheartening to miss milestones in the lives of those you love, and can add to the loneliness you feel from life on the road.
Relationships
One of the pros and cons of being a digital nomad can be very disheartening. Finding and maintaining a relationship while on the road isn’t easy, unless you’re traveling with them. Even then, maintaining a relationship with someone you’re traveling with can be difficult with all the stress of living as a digital nomad. Finding a new relationship requires a lot of effort, and it isn’t always easy to convince someone (and yourself) that a long-distance relationship is worth it.
Lack of Consistency
Life on the road means very little consistency. While this may seem like a good thing at first, it also means that you don’t have consistency with work, with your social life, and where you live. The constant change and inconsistency can be draining and difficult to live with, unless you’re the type of person who thrives on inconsistency and change.
Is Life as a Digital Nomad for You?
Choosing to live life a digital nomad is a big step. The pros and cons for digital nomads are endless, and it’s up to you to decide if life on the road is for you!
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