How to Become a Digital Nomad

What is a digital nomad? It’s a person whose job is not dependent on location and who can work from anywhere in the world as long as one has internet access. Digital nomads are different from freelancers because they travel more, and often they don’t have a fixed home base. Becoming a digital nomad is not the easiest thing you can do for yourself, but not an impossible one either. It’s just more complicated than you might think. This is why you need as much information as possible. Let’s dive more deeply into the subject and see what it’s all about.

Reduce your ties to a specific location and cut the related expenses

Modern office can be vastly variable

This is the first step you have to take to become location-independent. Some considerations will tie you to one specific location, and those considerations need to disappear. You might take into account the office or work space lease or the car lease as you need to discontinue them to become free. Also, any subscriptions you may have such as the gym contract must disappear, too. Your income must rise, and you will need to cut expenses first. You must start making money and buying fewer things than you usually do – that’s rule number 1. For example, if you want to become a digital nomad you must invest in a high-quality backpack rather than in a new TV, or a tent rather than a home renovation. Digital nomads travel light and carry only the essential stuff, so you need to get rid of the things that you don’t really use.

Join the Digital Nomad Community

This may not seem like an obvious step to take, but it can help you get some tips from people who have already done it. Facebook groups or forums will help you to meet people like you who can help you with simple suggestions or advice. Moral aid is so important nowadays, and these like-minded people will be there for you when your family or friends don’t understand your dream. Check these communities: Locationindie.com, Female digital nomad, Remote work & jobs for digital nomads, Digital Nomad Jobs – Remote Jobs @ letsworkremotely.

Choose your Focus

Before leaving your full-time job or the city that you call home, you must know what you can do online for a living. You must know your skills and how to use them wisely. Intelligence can be monetized online faster than you think once you understand what services you can provide to others. Education and work background can help you to discover what you are good at and what you can offer to other freelancers, entrepreneurs, or even companies. The most popular remote jobs include writing, digital marketing, PR, software programming, or graphic design. You must know what skills you have, what domains you like, and what you can learn as fast as you can say “freelance.”

Become a Freelancer

If you are still stuck in a 9 to 5 job, then the first step is to become a freelancer, and from that point on, things get simpler. The essence is to lose the location-dependent job and start making some money in the digital world. It will help if you have some solid work relationships before going fully remote and location-independent. Online, many websites can offer you contracts or projects. You have to be eager to spend some time researching, checking, testing, applying, and working on new collaborations. For example, a good idea is to create a portfolio and a LinkedIn profile. You must read everything you can about freelancing platforms, freelance projects, how to get more clients and how to retain them. You can start by studying the lifestyles of experienced digital nomads. The internet is filled with them.

Working Abroad

The remote industry can be overwhelming when you are new at it, but the right idea is to start working abroad. This way, the transition will be more natural, and you will discover new cultures while creating your brand and virtual business. Working abroad is a more stable and safer way to start your new, location-independent lifestyle. Some popular digital nomad destinations are Lisbon (Portugal), Canggu (Bali), Taipei (Taiwan), Budapest (Hungary), Belgrade (Serbia). Here you will find plenty of opportunities and reasonable living expenses.

Create your Business

Working for others can be difficult, but when it comes to the digital world, you can always build your brand and business on the side. Everything you learn can be applied here, and your business will bring you more satisfaction than any client or project you can undertake. Many successful freelancers have built their empires, and the companies they now own have become famous globally. It takes perseverance, patience, and the willingness to sweat for your ideas, but in the end, you will be proud and content with what you have accomplished.

Some examples include Hannah Dixon – you can check her free 5 day Virtual Assistance course if you’re a newbie in the field – Preston Lee, Michelle Schroeder, and many others. In the digital world, creating your own business is similar to creating your online voice, so you can start with a blog, vlog, book, ebook, podcast, Facebook page – whatever comes to mind. People need to find you and see the ideas you can produce.

Take your first trip

The most obvious beginning is to take the first step of the one thousand mile journey. Every long journey starts with the decision to get out of the house and go where miracles can happen. Choose your first destination, pack your bags, including your laptop, and go! Don’t overthink it – that might bring you more worries than necessary. Pack what is essential, carefully plan everything, and keep your mind open.

From your first destination to the one hundred first, there’s only a step. Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Embrace the unknown, the fears, and take a leap of faith! Miracles happen at the end of your comfort zone – keep this in mind. You can put it on the back of your laptop.

Photos: Shutterstock

Support us!

All your donations will be used to pay the magazine’s journalists and to support the ongoing costs of maintaining the site.