The Good and the Bad of a Digital Nomad Lifestyle

If remote work was slowly starting to become popular before the Pandemic, with the arrival of the big “C” so many more opportunities arose and it become a real possibility.

So if remote work is possible, why not work from countries where living costs are way lower? The only thing you need is, most of the time, just a good internet connection. 

Many people want to work remotely and/or get into a digital nomad lifestyle which is considered super glamorous, so in this article, we will talk about the remote work pros as well as its cons from our point of view since we work remotely as virtual assistants.

DIGITAL NOMAD BENEFITS:

• FREEDOM

One of the most popular reasons why people transition to a digital nomad lifestyle is that you are not restricted to a small number of holidays anymore. The world is so big and is impossible to see and experience it all with an ordinary job. Being a digital nomad gives you the possibility to just be wherever you like and follow your preferences whether is a different climate, landscapes, or culture different from the one you are used to back at home.

• MEET NEW PEOPLE

If you are a sociable person you will realise the endless opportunities travel gives you to expand your network, make friends with locals and people from around the globe. The feeling of re-meeting with them will be great like you never left.

• DIGITAL NOMAD COMMUNITIES AND FB GROUPS

There are quite a few cities that are digital nomad friendly (Basko, Chiang Mai, Canggu, Bangkok, Lisbon..) and you can always arrange a meet-up on digital nomad Facebook groups or ask them for help and assistance. This will not only allow you to simply make new friends but also learn from like-minded people and make work connections with travellers that are in your same industry. 

• PERSONAL GROWTH

Travelling is a learning journey, and you will get to know yourself better as you constantly expose yourself to different situations. How Can you not grow from travelling? Be open-minded and embrace the spontaneous opportunities that will come in front of your path. You will learn so much and become more patient and tolerant. 

• MINIMAL LIFE

Your suitcase or backpack will become your home, and you will realise you just cannot take everything with you. Soon enough you will understand the statement: “Less is more” and you will gradually downsize as you travel more.

• NO MORE COMMUTING

Commuting can be expensive, repetitive, and a waste of time and energy but you can be free of it if you become a digital nomad. Yes, you still have to move now and then but not every day!

DIGITAL NOMADS DISADVANTAGES

• No WOW FACTOR

Travel is not always Cool. Everyone thinks travelling is amazing, full stop. But not all the locals are nice and welcoming, not all places have the “wow” factor and as you travel more, you will feel many places are just Ok as the comparison with previous locations and people is inevitable. Also, things that once excited you because were new, will not excite you as much as when you just started.

• NO LONG LASTING FRIENDSHIPS

Because of the digital nomadism lifestyle, building long-lasting friendships is not so easy and it requires some effort from both parties. But digital nomadism is useful to understand who your true friends are, and normally they can be counted on one hand.

• FAR FROM THE FAMILY

You love to travel, and you have to choose between happiness and family. It’s a hard one because you want to be there for them and help when they need it. Nowadays, we can video call but it is not the same and the homesick feeling is always around the corner ready to kick in.

• INTERNET ISSUES / POWER CUTS

Some countries are worse than others, but things can get complicated if you need to attend those meetings, and you don’t have a reliable internet connection or frequent power cuts. Of course, you can solve these issues with a local sim card and power bank, but reception may not always be there. Choose your location carefully!

• VISA AND CONSTANT MOVING

Probably the factor that we hate the most, we are not completely free to stay in one country for as long as we want to. Each country is different and unfortunately, some passports are luckier than others. We love slow travelling, but it can be pretty annoying having to extend your visa, go through offices or just pay extra money to remain in one country. Moving frequently from one country can be exhausting and not sustainable if you are a digital nomad, as you will not be able to maintain a good routine which is necessary to be productive and still able to have a good quality of free time.

• YOU DEPEND ON ELECTRONICS

We lost count of how many times we risked our laptops and camera gear. When you travel you need to be extra careful as they can break or get stolen. It’s no fun having to fix things when you are away from home and can be way more expensive even if you are in a not so developed country. It can be very stressful, especially when electronics are the reason why you can travel. In this video you can see how stressed Isa was when our room got flooded in India.

• FALLING ILL

You are away from home and you get sick. As I am writing this, David is taking antibiotics following bad food poisoning. It’s no fun, and we have been sick multiple times since we hit the road. Every time is different. Health troubles are always around the corner, and you need to make sure you don’t travel without travel medical insurance. We have been using SafetyWing for the past three years, you can start it anytime and is perfect for digital nomads. Customer service is available 24/7 in the online chat and the website is super user-friendly.

• LAWS 

Freelancing and being a digital nomad has its advantages, but when you need to figure out taxes, residency and domicile it can be daunting. It’s not so easy to find the right consultant that has the answers to your specific case. There are a lot of grey areas!

• WORK FROM ANYWHERE DRAWBACK

David had once a meeting at 1 am simply because there were too many time zones involved! Other issues may be struggling to find flexible companies that allow you to manage your time, and they are not strict for you to work during the business hours of your home country. Others, want you to show up in the office every two months, which is simply not possible if the office is in London and you want to work from South East Asia.

• NO COMFORT AND EXPENSIVE COWORKING SPACES

We all know how important to protect your back, arms and sight when working on the computer, but if you travel you can’t just squeeze a comfy and ergonomic chair in your suitcase. Do you know what I mean? That is why coworking spaces are booming right now as they provide you with a proper desk, printer, good internet,..you name it! The issue is that coworking spaces are not so budget-friendly!

• COMPETITION IS REAL

There are so many companies after cheap labour because they know there are people around the world that would happily work for only a couple of $ per hour with your same skills and competencies. So competition is fierce when you apply for jobs and try to stick to your Western hourly rate.

For sure turning digital nomads is not an easy decision to take but if you got the travel bug is definetely worth all the cons we have mentioned!

After reading all the pros and cons of pursuing a digital nomad lifestyle, would you still go for it? 

And if you are a digital nomad what’s your main struggle and how can new digital nomads overcome it? 

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