So, you want to know how to become a digital nomad? First, let’s talk about what digital nomadism actually is and in what ways you can earn money while traveling.
Because we live in a world filled with technological advancements it is not a surprise that new jobs and occupations are emerging every day.
For example, due to such innovations in technology, we have a profession called digital nomad. Even today, many people are still not sure what it actually means and to many, this profession doesn’t make sense.
Thus, digital nomads all over the world are underestimated but they do deserve more respect.
What or who is a digital nomad?
Basically, those are people who earn their money by working online. However, at the same time, they travel the world constantly and often change their location.
Usually, their work environment includes coffee shops, coworking spaces, public libraries or any other place they feel comfortable working from.
If this profession looks interesting to you, you should give it a shot and learn how to become
You will have to master the balance between your online and offline lives, though. That is, you should learn how to travel the world full-time and finish all your projects on time.
Here to help you is this simple, but the detailed guide on how to become a digital nomad.
How to Become a Digital Nomad
The skills
Just because you travel the world and work online, it doesn’t mean you need no skills. However, you don’t need some major and super advanced ones.
Knowing how to type and use a computer is already a great starting skill, but you need a bit more.
Depending on the job you choose, you will have to develop the knowledge you already have more and take part in some great organizing.
You may feel messy and overwhelmed at the beginning, but within a few weeks of being a digital nomad, everything will find its place.
Also, you might want to work on your skill to be adjustable to any time and place. And plenty of organizing tools, apps, gadgets, and your own strategies will come in handy.
Read also: How Isabel Became a Digital Nomad in Her 20s & Earns a Full-Time Income from Her Blog
The best jobs
Not every job can be done remotely and you need to decide which one you would like to do as a digital nomad.
There are quite a few jobs you can do while traveling full-time, you just need the one that fits your skills the best.
Copywriting/writing
Many companies actually look for freelance writers of any type.
Whether you are writing articles for their SEO campaigns, writing product descriptions, reviews or any other format of writing, it can be easily done remotely.
This is probably one of the most popular jobs with digital nomads and it can pay off really quick.
You can even start your own blog, travel the world and write about things you see, engage and love, and make some money blogging.
Virtual assistant
This jobs basically means that you are someone’s assistant, but only virtually.
This can be a high paying job and a great profession for a digital nomad if you like sending emails, data entry, product reports, writing up blog posts or anything else your employer needs.
You have to be there for them when needed, but you have the freedom of traveling and freelancing.
Photographer
Another thing you can become if you decide to learn how to be a digital nomad is a photographer.
When you think about it, almost all photographers are freelancers, if they don’t have their own studio. But with today’s technology, you don’t actually need a studio.
If you’ve got a good eye and a great camera you can easily offer your photography services to basically any business.
Whether you decide to do product photography, portrait photography, offer some photoshop service or snapshots of landscape photography while on travel, it all pays off.
A great example is Olly Gaspar of We Seek Travel, who is an adventure travel blogger and photographer.
What you need is good equipment and some tools and gadgets, such as Photoshop, something for editing landscape photography, and some of the many other online editors, and you are all set.
Social media manager
If you’re already pretty addicted to your own social media, why not make some money off of it?
Almost every company needs someone to take care of their social media profiles, and digital nomads can be perfect for this job.
You can think of posts you’d like to feature on your client’s profiles, or simply take their orders, but all you need is a good internet connection.
It goes without saying that you need a good laptop and a phone, but you probably already have those.
Read also: How This Travel Blogger Earns a Full-Time Income
Dropshipping
For those who love selling things, but don’t like the passiveness of office sales, dropshipping is the solution.
This gives you the satisfaction of selling something, but without keeping any inventory.
Find the customers, find a supplier and just mediate the shipment and sale and voila!
The best locations
Now that you know how to become a digital nomad, it’s time to think about location. You just have so many places to choose from.
Where should you go first? What kind of climate do you like? How long should you stay in one place? What kind of client’s you have and where they are?
There are too many questions to be answered, but it all comes down to your own preferences and organization.
However, many digital nomads will confirm this short list of the best places to travel to:
- Thailand
- Indonesia
- Spain
- Hungary
- Mexico
- United States
- Vietnam
- Malaysia
- Germany
- Portugal
- Israel
You are not limited to these places only. Since you’re traveling full-time, the whole world is open to you.
Also read: The 10 Best Cities for Remote Workers in The US
Pros and cons of becoming a digital nomad
Just like any other profession, being a digital nomad has its good and bad sides. This all we actually depend on you and your own preferences and habits, but generally, here is what is good and what is bad about this profession.
The first thing that is great about being a digital nomad is that you can have a high-quality life for less money.
If you decide to start off by staying in Southeast Asia, you won’t have to earn more than $1000 a month for a great way of living. You would have to work a lot harder if you wish to earn more and travel somewhere more luxurious, though.
Another benefit of learning how to become
You can go to any place in the world without having to ask for some days off and there is no physical boss that’s constantly nagging you.
Plus, you get to organize your own time and work and enjoy sunny beaches while doing so.
Just like everything, this profession has its bad side.
Firstly, nothing lasts forever. There are many digital nomads that eventually find their way back home.
Even though enjoyable, constant traveling can be exhausting and that’s why you should always have something like a home base to return to.
Nobody knows for how long are you going to work and travel. Some do for 6 months, and some for years. But they eventually stop the travel.
If would like to become a digital nomad just for the travels, you should reconsider it. Maybe a few months of backpacking would be a better option then.
Digital nomads need to work as well. And if you’re not sure you can organize work into your travels, think again.
Learning how to become a digital nomad and living this lifestyle is beautiful. You can visit your favorite cities and destinations while you get to do your job online. It is demanding sometimes, but it pays off on many different levels.
About The Author
Victoria Lim is a business consultant and a digital marketer with expertise in scribbling many relevant, industry related online publications. Always searching for new opportunities, she loves sharing ideas with other professionals.
Stock Photo from Andrei Mayatnik @ Shutterstock
