Becoming a digital nomad is lately becoming a massive trend, and it makes perfect sense. No commuting or getting wet on your way to work is one reason.
Freedom to choose where and when to work while still in your pyjamas and with a totally acceptable just-woke-up zombie face is another. However, as with all the extremely appealing things in life, digital nomad lifestyle comes with a price and thus is not for everyone.
PS: We’ve actually got a video course on how to become a digital nomad, and earn $4K per month passive income within a year. Check out the Digital Nomad Bootcamp!
Believe it or not, making the world your office does have a dark side. Dangers and risks are there to challenge you and give you a hard time; but just because life needs a bit of adventure to be more interesting. Don’t let the job-related troubles or the emotional frustrations take the decision instead of you. Just check them out to see what’s in there for you.
Common dangers and risks of being a digital nomad
1: Internet instability
Job-wise, the number one concern all digital nomads have when they decide to take off on this long journey, is the internet instability. You do need a good internet connectivity when your income depends solely on that. And trust me, you will find yourself really irritated when the power goes off and there is no backup plan.
2: Lack of a proper plan or goal
One quality that digital nomads should possess in order to avoid problems, is great time management skills.
You basically move your office somewhere else, thus you still need to find effective ways to work things out, but now also on the road. It can be very upsetting to realize that the thing to blame for you not succeeding, is the lack of a proper ‘working’ plan.
Find your routine and your most productive hours, and stick to that. It’s very important to think about how you’re going to earn money as a nomad, and how MUCH you’re going to earn. This is all part of the plan you should make, and it should also include a budget for living costs etc so you’re never stressed.
3: Lack of social contact
Another important job-related concern (for those who have kept their job back home at least) is the fact that you actually lose contact with your work environment and social circles.
Although you may still communicate often with your ‘office’, the video calls can’t possibly stand in for the in-person contact. Moreover, time-zone plays also its role in an effective communication. Simply pretend you are a night owl and wait happily for that highly anticipated meeting at 3am.
It’s important when becoming a digital nomad so maintain friendships with people, even if it’s just a quick Facebook message or phone call every now and then. You never know when you’ll need friends in certain places etc so don’t lose contact with people just because you’re sitting on the beach!
Also, it can sometimes be lonely being a nomad, especially if you’re doing it alone. Make sure you go out and talk to the locals, attend meetup groups and things like that so you’re constantly making new friends and talking to people. It’s more important than you think!
4: Lack of patience and/or stressing
Stressfulness about whether things will go well or not is another risk nomads are facing.
Who said that leaving your well-secured promising job only to follow your dream on the other side of the world, is an easy thing? I wouldn’t be here writing this article if that was the case. Well, you are on your own out there.
5: Being homesick
Homesickness is another problem for a nomad to cope with. Being away from home and your loved ones for a considerable amount of time usually makes you feel homesick.
While there is a great chance to eventually boost your confidence and increase your self-esteem while being on the road, there is also this hidden risk of having to deal with a lot of existential questions as well. ‘ Why am I here’ or ‘Is that really happiness?’ are a mere couple of examples. From time to time, you will feel that going down to your roots is a good idea to fight those aversive feelings.
6: Insect bites, health and other annoying things
Last but not least, quite often you will find yourself feeling uncomfortable with small (or big) details that you might not have thought about before leaving.
Mosquito bites, bad internet connection, not so good food (especially difficult if you’re a vegan) or even bad infrastructure are a few distractions you might find annoying along your way.
It’s also possible to end up living in a place where you feel insecure and maybe not so welcomed (although very rare). Strong will and stamina as well are much needed to support your decision to work in more remote places.
Don’t give up!
Making your home away from home basically on the road, needs effort, goodwill and incredible persistence. Dangers and risks that come with this brilliant idea of your new lifestyle will test your endurance.
At the end of the day, being a digital nomad is a great lifestyle and although there ARE risks, there are probably just as many dangers of living where you were born. Life is a risk and as Helen Keller said:
‘Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all’.