Become a Digital Nomad: Practical Tips to Embrace an Independent Lifestyle

How do you become a digital nomad? Here are our practical tips to take your first steps toward this lifestyle and way of working

Being a digital nomad, working from anywhere, traveling, living an independent life: but how do you become a digital nomad? Here are our practical tips to take your first steps towards this lifestyle and way of working.

In our articles, we often talk about freelancers and digital nomads, we’ve shared the benefits of living a remote work life free from any kind of constraint, even spatial ones. But now we want to dig deeper and try to answer a few questions: in concrete terms, who is a digital nomad? What characteristics do they have? What does it take to become a digital nomad? So, we thought it might be helpful for everyone curious or considering embracing this way of working and living to create a small overview of what it means to be a digital nomad and to provide some tips to start living and working as a “nomad.”

#workingfromanywhere

Let’s start with a small but essential premise: #workingfromanywhere isn’t for everyone. You see this phrase often online, and it’s absolutely true. Becoming a digital nomad requires choices and, consequently, sacrifices; that’s why you need to have certain characteristics, or at least try to develop them, to successfully embrace such an unconventional and challenging lifestyle. Working remotely while traveling and constantly moving, autonomously and with a certain degree of uncertainty, demands strong motivation, a lot of self-discipline and excellent organizational skills, a strong spirit of adventure and adaptability, a good dose of initiative, resilience to loneliness, and definitely accountability.

The Digital Nomad’s Profile

Alright, we’ve clarified that, but so who is the digital nomad and why is everyone so fascinated by them? Becoming a digital nomad – to use a perhaps overused phrase but perfectly fitting here – is a bit like being a citizen of the world: you live by embracing and making your own a diverse range of cultures, letting your nationality matter only in legal terms. At the core, a digital nomad is a freelancer who loves to travel and experience new things, who doesn’t love routine and doesn’t feel fulfilled by a life of habits, even work-related ones. For a digital nomad, however, it’s essential to know how to build new relationships by networking. This is the foundation for a life of many new beginnings and few ties: if you’re good at nurturing relationships and joining one or more communities, wherever you go you’ll always have a point of reference to rely on, whether it’s an email address to contact or the name of a cool coliving where you can live. As we said, the digital nomad is an enterprising person, who knows how to propose and reinvent themselves to face any need. Often, the digital nomad supplements their income through so-called passive income: doing side activities unrelated to their core business (area of expertise) that allow them to maintain a travel-based lifestyle with the assurance of a “fixed” income. Let’s call them jolly jobs: no matter where you are in the world or what you’re doing, these jobs never die. Some examples? Teaching English or your native language (especially for languages like Russian, Chinese, Arabic, French, Spanish, and German); ghostwriting, especially if you’re passionate about creative writing; participating in surveys, market research, focus groups, etc.; if you have good local knowledge of where you’re temporarily living, you can become an impromptu tour guide and offer tours of lesser-known, more charming spots. The list could go on and on, because with a bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, the possibilities for jolly jobs are endless.

Practical Tips

We’ve come to the core of the matter: what do you practically need to become a digital nomad? Well, truthfully, not much—essentially, all you really need is a laptop and a reliable internet connection that’s stable. Generally, a digital nomad works in the online world; often they’re professionals in web marketing, web design, or IT who, as mentioned, pair their work with secondary activities. But that doesn’t mean that anyone who feels the urge and the desire to try this lifestyle can’t decide to do it regardless of their profession. After all, as we said, a digital nomad knows how to reinvent themselves. Here are our practical tips on what to do and consider before becoming a digital nomad.

1. Be minimal: a digital nomad travels light, having adopted a minimalist lifestyle. No waste and lots of practicality: repurpose and reuse what you have as long as you can. The planet will thank you, too.
2. Be free: nobody likes to have debts, but someone who embarks on a lifelong journey simply can’t afford them. Free yourself of all your debts (or at least try to reduce them) and start your new life without the heavy thought of unpaid bills weighing you down.
3. Be reachable: wherever you are, it will be important to stay connected and be reachable. With a Skype number, you’ll be able to use any area code, get a local number, and forward it to any phone in the world.
4. Be cautious: bad luck travels too, so it’s better to be prepared and have thought ahead about how to handle any problems. Getting insurance that covers all your travels—whether for trivial issues like a lost suitcase or bigger ones like medical assistance—is fundamental for tackling a new life of risks and uncertainties with a bit more peace of mind.
5. Be social: it’s good to already have some contacts even before starting your journey. Look for Facebook groups and online communities to start chatting with people who are already on this path or locals who can give you useful information you probably wouldn’t find on Google and help you start settling in.

Becoming a digital nomad isn’t an easy or trivial choice: it requires commitment, resilience, and a spirit of sacrifice. The risks and challenges are many, but with the right mindset and perspective, it can be a truly surprising and deeply rewarding life experience. If you’re looking for a place to start your digital nomad experience, start here: our coliving in Palermo will immerse you in a welcoming environment designed to inspire and encourage collaboration. We’re waiting for you!