The digital nomad movement has seen an enormous surge in popularity over the past couple of years, and with good reason! Digital nomads have a much easier time making money, traveling the world, and living a ridiculously awesome lifestyle. Before selling all your earthly belongings, ask yourself: Do you enjoy living in different countries? Are you comfortable with not settling down anywhere for more than a few months at a time? Can you afford to go without working consistently in one place? These are all questions that will help determine whether or not becoming a digital nomad is the right choice for you.
However, becoming a digital nomad takes more than just finding an under-the-table job from your couch. It would help if you began planning as early as possible to start this new life on the right foot.
To do this you’re going to need some information first:
Getting Your Work Done Anywhere With Office Online
If you’re planning on doing your work online then there are two free programs that you can use: Google Drive and Microsoft’s Office Online. These programs allow you to create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, calendars, etc., all from your computer or phone. The great thing about them is that they will enable you to edit files anywhere in the world, so there’s no reason not to use them.
Learn How To Get Your Online Work Done No Matter Where You Are
There are many distractions when working on your computer, which can be frustrating if you’re trying to get something done in a different time zone. Luckily, though, there are lots of ways that you can eliminate these distractions.
Here are four ways you can do your work (online or offline) no matter where you are:
- Don’t listen to music with lyrics;
- Block social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.;
- Only check email once every couple of hours;
- Keep a calendar on your desk and use it.
How To Find Accommodation In A New City Every Week/Month
Finding accommodation in a new city is always one of the most challenging parts of traveling. Still, luckily there are lots of different ways to find somewhere inexpensive to stay—some more legit than others, though. Here are five methods for finding accommodation without breaking the bank:
1) CouchSurfing:
This website allows you to meet locals in any location that have offered up their homes, couches, or even just a spare room for travelers. It’s a great way to save some money and meet some incredible people in the process.
2) Airbnb:
This website allows you to stay in other people’s homes, apartments, or even just spare rooms for often half of what a regular hotel would cost. The only issue is that these places are usually pretty expensive—especially in popular areas—but it can be well worth it if necessary.
3) Workaway:
This website offers the opportunity to work on farms worldwide in exchange for food and accommodation. It’s one of the coolest websites out there, but unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to find an opening.
4) WWOOF:
If working on a farm sounds like your kind of thing, then check out their website. It offers similar opportunities as Workaway, although most jobs on this website revolve around organic farming.
5) Camp In My Garden:
As the name suggests, this is a website that allows you to stay in people’s backyards for free. There aren’t many listings available on this website yet—although it’s growing very quickly—so if you find one, definitely take it before someone else does.
How To Find A Reliable WiFi Connection Anywhere In The World
Free wifi and working from your laptop is an essential part of being a digital nomad, but sadly not all places have reliable connections. If you want to get some work done during your travels, then investing in a portable hotspot device might be what you need. Devices usually allow anywhere between 10 and 50 devices to connect to the internet, and the best part about them is that they’re usually very cheap.
The Benefits of Hot Desking
Hot desking is one of the best parts of traveling. For those of you that don’t know what hot desking is, it’s basically where you rent a desk at a co-working space for the day rather than booking an entire office. The benefits of hot desking is It allows travelers to save hundreds on trips by cutting accommodation costs, but it also serves as an excellent opportunity for networking and socializing. Some websites offering hot desks (such as WeWork) even offer beer on tap, accessible printing facilities, and regular events to make the experience more worthwhile.
How To Stay Healthy While Traveling
Health insurance is always something that should be at the top of your priorities when planning a trip. It might sound like an unnecessary expense, but it could save you hundreds in the long run. Many people who travel tend to be young, in good health, and not particularly reckless, so it’s hard for them to understand the importance of having health insurance when they’re traveling because it seems unlikely that anything would happen to them. However, accidents can happen anytime or anywhere regardless of age or state of health.
Here are tips for staying healthy while traveling:
1) Get Travel Insurance – This is one of the most important things you can do before any trip. Some credit cards offer free travel insurance, so this might be something worth looking into too. It doesn’t matter if you’re only going on a two-day road trip upstate; you’ll still need some travel insurance.
2) Exercise Regularly – This is one of the most underrated aspects of life. If you can stay healthy and exercise, this will drastically reduce your risk of getting sick when traveling. Keep yourself active, and you won’t have to worry about getting sick when you are out on the road.
3) Stay Hydrated – It’s easy to get dehydrated while traveling, especially if you are a “Party Animal” who likes a few drinks after a long day of sightseeing. Make sure you’re drinking lots of water during any prolonged period outside or in a hot climate/environment. Even better, bring some reusable water bottles with you too.
4) Boost Your Immune System – There are many ways that you can do this, so this is something to look into in case you find yourself hospitalized in a foreign country. The easiest way to boost your immune system would be to stay healthy through exercise and drinking lots of water, but there are other ways too. Fresh fruit and vegetables are available at most markets.
How To Communicate Effectively While Traveling
With globalization being a considerable part of our everyday lives, more and more people are traveling internationally to see the world. In addition, there has been an increase in tourism from countries outside of North America due to globalization which has increased demand for English speakers when visiting their respective countries.
For example, in Europe you would notice that most restaurants will hire at least one or two waiters who can speak some basic English because of this reason. With all this new demand for English-speaking labor during your trips abroad, it’s essential to know how to communicate effectively with people who don’t speak your native language.
In a Nutshell
Being a digital nomad is one of the most exciting and rewarding careers to have. Imagine living in various countries, experiencing new cultures and meeting people from all over the world!
