The Digital Nomad Lifestyle: The Ups and Downs of Escaping the 9-5

Has the digital nomad lifestyle captured your attention recently? Around 35 million individuals have adopted to work and live from absolutely anywhere. The idea of having the flexibility to manage your own work-life balance sounds appealing, right? But is it as exhilarating as it appears?

At Tiger Recruitment, we specialise in finding exceptional staff for businesses and individuals. There’s plenty of positions to suit this new way of working. If you’re considering it, we’re here to offer you some guidance. We’ve gathered the advantages and disadvantages to help you make a final decision.

A digital nomad: what is it?

A professional who works remotely and can reside anywhere around the globe. They don’t have a permanent address or travel to an office every day. They frequently move from one location to another. Their daily set-up is typically based in a café or flexible working space. This lifestyle is particularly suitable for freelancers and remote workers.

What types of jobs can a digital nomad do?

The type of work can vary significantly. Here’s some examples:

• Writing
• Social media support
• Virtual Assistant jobs and admin support
• Customer service
• Accounting jobs
• Graphic designer

The pros of being a digital nomad:

Exploring diverse cultures

Immerse yourself into the different ways of life of the areas you’re working in. You’ll learn more about how others live, their customs, and their traditions. You’ll be opening yourself up to new interests and you may even gain some useful skills.

Connect with individuals with varied backgrounds

While travelling between locations, you’ll come across locals and people from all walks of life. You’ll have a chance to connect with those you probably wouldn’t normally. Who knows, you might even develop lasting friendships as you travel.

You don’t have to worry about commuting

A major benefit of being a digital nomad is not having to travel to and from a physical office. On average a person spends 54.8 minutes every day, commuting to and from their place of work. No more worrying about rush hour time frames and road rage.

Ultimate flexibility and freedom

You’re able to work from any location you choose, granting you the opportunity to travel. You’ll also have the power to work a schedule that works alongside exploring new destinations.

Note: If you have an employer, they may still require you to work within a set timeframe.

An opportunity for growth

You’ll be inundated with chances to learn new skills as a digital nomad. You’ll be continuously learning how to best manage your time, communicate with locals, make decisions by yourself, and solve problems when things don’t quite go the way you expect. These will be significant assets both professionally and personally.

The cons of being a digital nomad:

Finding safe and stable WIFI

Your job pretty much relies on you having connectivity. Locating a stable connection is sometimes not the easiest of tasks. You don’t want to be delaying projects, the key is in the name ‘digital’ nomad. WIFI in cafés and other public locations is renowned for being unreliable and opens you up to cyber hacking. Consider purchasing a portable WIFI dongle to keep your work safe.

Your work-life balance could be worse

You’ve escaped the 9-5 to give yourself more freedom but, in reality, you could be working every hour you’re awake. It’s so easy to get caught up in working constantly. Make sure you give yourself some downtime to do what you enjoy and set reminders on your phone to do so. You’ll thank yourself and be more productive.

You can end up feeling isolated

Being away from family and friends is hard enough. But, when you’ve no stable support system due to constantly relocating, it can leave you feeling lonely. Technology of course makes it so much easier to connect but it’s not always the same as seeing someone face-to-face.

Check for legal implications

When you’re working abroad, carefully research the local requirements related to visas and taxes. They can differ from country to country and failure to comply can have serious consequences. If you’re an employee, review your contract or ask your manager about the terms of working abroad and if they have a permitted duration.

Note: Your employer may be able to offer you a digital nomad visa, that will allow you to work remotely, abroad.

For those considering the digital nomad lifestyle, there’s a lot to think about. Don’t just dive straight in, make sure to weigh up the good, the bad and the ugly before deciding on whether or not it’s right for you. You can work from anywhere and travel the world, but you can easily end up burning yourself out and working every hour of the day. You can learn so much about people from all walks of life while you work and gain new skills, but how easy will it be to find a WIFI connection?

If you’re ready to take the leap, check out our job page to see if there’s something that suits you.

Author Rebecca Siciliano Tiger Recruitment Team