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Digital Nomad
editDigital nomads are people who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living and conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Such workers often work remotely from foreign countries, coffee shops, public libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles. It is often accomplished through the use of devices that have wireless Internet capabilities such as smartphones or mobile hotspots. Some digital nomads travel for years and make their way to multiple different countries while others are only nomadic for a short period of time for reasons such as sabbatical. While some nomads travel through various countries, others choose to work and explore in only one country or location. [1] As of 2020, there was a spike in traditional workers who transitioned into digital nomads, the number grew from 3.2 million to 6.3 million.[1]
The most common types of digital nomads include retired or semi-retired persons (including snowbirds), independently wealthy or entrepreneurs, and (often younger) remote workers. More recently, there is an entire category on Instagram and Youtube of people recording and publishing their lifestyle as a digital nomad. People typically become digital nomads for many reasons, a major one being a persons love for traveling, but other reasons include the quest for financial independence and a career that allows for location independence. Although digital nomads enjoy advantages in freedom, flexibility, and traveling, the lifestyle isn't always as glorious as it seems. Some digital nomads report loneliness as their biggest struggle, followed by burnout.[2] The lifestyle also presents other challenges such as maintaining international health insurance with coverage globally, abiding by different local laws, obtaining work visas, and paying taxes in accordance with home and local laws. People who want to transition into this type of lifestyle must first figure out if their type of work allows for this position, then they must weigh out the pros and cons to figure out if the nomadic lifestyle is suitable for them.
Definition
editOne of the earliest known uses of the term 'digital nomad' was in the 1997 book Digital Nomad by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners. It is unknown if the phrase was coined in this book or if they took a term that had already existed. The book highlights how modern technology and the continued advancement of it, combined with the humanly desire to travel, will allow society to exist on the move like it did once before. [3]
The foundation of the digital nomad movement is remote work, allowing people to do their work at home or otherwise through the Internet. For nomadic workers, a key aspect to being productive has do with their physical space, therefore being able to manage your space is essential. [4] Though this lifestyle has been popularized for the ability to work wherever you want, such a claim often glorifies and oversimplifies nomadic work.[4] Digital nomads may also sell a number of possessions in order to make travel easier, and may also sell or rent their house. Digital nomads can use wireless Internet, smartphones, Voice over IP, and/or cloud-based applications to work remotely where they live or travel. Digital nomads may use co-working or co-living spaces, cafes, house sitting agreements, and shared offices.
Popularity
editDestinations to Reconsider
editPlaces that many digital nomads desire to travel and have traveled to have now become destinations to reconsider.[5]
- Berlin, Germany, has become a hot spot for digital nomads, but it is becoming increasingly expensive, and crime and politics are becoming more prominent.[5]
- Cape Town, South Africa, has been reported to be an unsafe location for visitors.
- Bali, Indonesia, has been a top-rated spot for digital nomads for years, but due to its increasing popularity, it has become increasingly expensive and crowded.
- Chiang Mai, Thailand, is another highly sought out location for digital nomads making it hard to find places to work and an overcrowded area in general.
History
editThough digital nomadism is still a relatively new phenomenon, its history derives from a time long before the word digital was even a thought. It is said that nomads were traditionally led to a vagabond lifestyle due to the need to gather food, locate land for livestock, or earn money to live. Various reasons for frequent travel ended up leading to the distinction of different categories of nomadism. Traditional nomads can be distinguished into three categories: hunter-gatherers (travel in pursuit of food), pastoral nomads (travel due to livestock), and peripatetic nomads (travel to sell their work in exchange for money).[6]
The reemergence in popularity of nomadism is all thanks to technology. Digital nomadism allows people to go back to times where work and living location did not affect each other. Since digital technologies have allowed people to live lifestyles where they don't have to settle down in one specific area to do their work, a new form of nomadism has formed. With technology, modern nomadism can now be referred to as neo-nomadism. Neo-nomadism is not a category of nomadism but instead an entirely new idea of what nomadism is.[6] Technology is now the driving force in the reemergence of this lifestyle in the modern-day.
Things to Consider
editThe nomadic lifestyle is often oversimplified.[4] The idea of "work from anywhere" lacks consideration for the limitations digital nomads can be presented with. While technological advancements have increased the ability to work from more "off the grid" locations, people still have to rely on specific work areas that accommodate their technology and their type of work.[4] Managing workspaces is a critical aspect of being a digital nomad.
Maintaining a mobile lifestyle is a given as a digital nomad, but many people do not consider maintaining mobile social interactions. Struggling to find new locations that fit your work and personal lifestyle is not uncommon in the community of digital nomadism. Fortunately, with technology, nomads can communicate through forums by sharing help, tips, or information about specific areas; therefore, maintaining mobile social interaction is a must.[4] Additionally, with an emphasis on being "mobile," digital nomads are often expected to be available at all times.[7] The idea of being available at any place and any time as a digital nomad is not just limited to work, it is also relevant to family and friend relations. Synchronizing is important when being a digital nomad. Coordinating time differences is necessary to avoid communication delays in work and with personal communications. Smartphones already offer features that synchronize workers for a more seamless work experience.[7]
Digital nomads rely on their technology to share their work, find work, network, maintain relationships, and most importantly, get paid. For all of those reasons and more, strong Wi-Fi connections and access to outlets for chargers are absolutely necessary when living a digital nomadic lifestyle.[4]
- ^ a b MBO Partners (2020). "COVID-19 and the Rise of the Digital Nomad" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Moss, J (2018). "Helping Remote Workers Avoid Loneliness and Burnout". Harvard Business Review.
- ^ Makimoto, T., Manners, D. (1997). Digital Nomad. Wiley. ISBN 0471974994.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e f Nash,, E.C.; Jarrahi,, M.H.; Sutherland,, W. (2020). "Nomadic Work and Location Independence: The Role of Space in Shaping the Work of Digital Nomads". Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies. 3 (2): 271–282. doi:10.1002/hbe2.234. ISSN 2578-1863.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ a b Begley Bloom, L (2018). "11 Best Places To Be A Digital Nomad (And The 4 Worst)". Forbes.
- ^ a b Schlagwein, D (2018). "The History of Digital Nomadism". The University of Sydney Conference Paper.
- ^ a b Humphry, J (2013). "Officing: Mediating Time and the Professional Self in the Support of Nomadic Work". Science+Business. 23: 185–204. doi:10.1007/s10606-013-9197-3.