#14 Digital Nomads: Work or Travel?

Imagine sitting in a cafe by the sea in Lake Como (Italy), eating your favourite pasta and having a glass of wine, only to hear that dreaded MS Teams meeting sound. I’m sure half of you heard it just reading this. 😝 

Now, for all you glass half-empty people, you must be thinking, “Why would I have my laptop with me in Italy?”

But for the glass half-full people, you must be thinking, “Wow, at least I’m in Italy.”

The pandemic normalized work-from-home (WFH) and remote jobs. Some loved the perks, such as freer time for other pursuits, better productivity, more time with family, while some hated it, as it can come with loneliness, especially for workers living away from families. Even four years post the pandemic, the dynamic between the two is unsettled and workers now have realised that they don’t want either of the two. They want a mix of both, a model called hybrid working. Go to the office two or three days a week, WFH the remaining.

But now, WFH has taken a new meaning altogether. Some job listings now specify remote working. But what exactly are the differences between the two?

Well, WFH obviously refers to working from home, such as your couch, your bed, your dining table. Although considered a part of remote work, this arrangement might be more temporary, depending on your employer. A fully remote employee, will not be asked to commute to the office, as the work can be accomplished equally well, in an out-of-office setting. This arrangement works extremely well for freelancers, who can choose to set up an office space in their home only. A few similarities between WFH and remote work include flexibility and time freedom, areas of employability such as tech jobs, digital marketing jobs, writing jobs etc.

Now comes the concept of digital nomads. Who are digital nomads? Well, think someone with a remote job opting for a more nomadic lifestyle, meaning they move from location to location, while still being connected to the digital work. A good term to describe such a lifestyle could be a “workcation”, only. This lifestyle affords you a ton of flexibility. So, if you’re passionate about travelling, this may be for you.

Here are some interesting statistics, which you may have to use to convince your parents you’re not the only one:

• There are about 3.5 - 4 crores (35 - 40 million) digital nomads in the world. Americans comprise 46% of this number.

• The top locations for digital nomads include the US, Spain, and Thailand.

• The two main factors when considering a location include a low cost of living and a good internet connection.

• 70% of digital nomads work less than 40 hours/week.

• 82% have also reported feeling very satisfied with their incomes.

• 41% of digital nomads are employed full-time.

But as with everything else in life, there are some cons attached here as well. Internet connectivity may not always be the best. Managing time zones and travel plans can be quite a challenge, especially if you are new to it. Isolation can also take a toll on your health. Lastly, affordability plays a huge role as well.

However, Zach Boyette, normalized remote work for himself since before the pandemic. Having been a nomad since 2016, he has travelled more than 60 countries. He is now the co-founder of a marketing agency, Galactic Fed, which has remote employees across 25 countries. The most disgusting place he has ever worked, as described by him, was on a bathroom floor in Iceland for 8 hours, when he needed a working outlet. So yeah, it’s not always glamorous.

You can read more about his experiences here: https://zachboyette.com/, https://calvinrosser.com/insights/zach-boyette/

Whatever your thoughts on this may be, one thing is clear for sure: technology has redefined the definition of work. And in this age and era, there are no limits. Flexibility and time freedom matter for young employees.

So, does this lifestyle sound like it is for you? If yes, toh abba ko manaooo, and try it out.

If you have any feedback, let me know in the comments, or reply back to this email!

PS. If you like my newsletters, feel free to share them with your friends and family!

If this was shared with you, you can subscribe here:

Reminder: Don’t forgot to move my emails to your primary inbox to make sure you keep receiving them!

If you made it this far, then you may have noticed that this is technically my 13th edition, but I’m naming this as the 14th, as 13 is considered an unlucky number (and I’m superstitious lol). Many hotels do this as well, and tend to not have a 13th floor in their buildings.