When I first discovered the term “digital nomad” five years ago, I knew this was an experience for me. What better way to spend working life than to do your job but also get to see the world and have many new experiences at the same time? It seemed like the perfect antidote to the common misfortune of being limited to travel on weekends and holidays.
A digital nomad is a remote worker who travels to different locations on a regular basis. Thanks to the modern day luxury of technology, nomads are able to work anywhere in the world with a good WiFi connection and their laptop. TechReport statistics show that in 2023, there were an estimated 40 million digital nomads worldwide with 68% of that figure coming from the tech sector.
There are significant benefits of the digital nomad lifestyle, including the opportunity to have all kinds of new experiences that you might not otherwise encounter when spending most of the year in the same place. This allows for a broadening of your horizons which can help you learn more about yourself and the world around you.
I spent two years in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, which has become one of the digital nomad hubs of Europe, and rightly so. An idyllic location for the good things in life, the sun, the sea, the food, the people and the laid back lifestyle. The first few months were a honeymoon period of adventure and fun but once the initial excitement subsided and a new normal set in, I began to realise that some of my key values were not being fulfilled. Social media does a great job of painting a glorified picture of the digital nomad life, but the issue of its challenges is a conversation that needs to be discussed more.
The first difficulty revolves around the transient nature of life, many nomads spend a short period of time in a destination and then move on to a new place. On the plus side, you can forge connections with people from all kinds of cultures and backgrounds to last a lifetime. The downside however is people frequently quickly move on to their next destination and you find yourself in this cycle of making and re-making friends which becomes draining. In more recent times however, the “slowmad” concept is gaining popularity as a solution, meaning a digital nomad who changes location at a slower pace which allows you to nurture those bonds further and build community.
Another major challenge which I didn’t expect is loneliness. Some people are more geared to solitary working conditions but I found the absence of co-workers around me started to take a toll after a while. As many of us experienced during Covid, I realised how important idle chit-chat at the coffee machine was for my energy and motivation levels. Nowadays there are co-working spaces in most cities that can help to fulfil that teamworking feeling, however, then you are faced again with the first problem where the cohort is constantly changing.
Exhaustion is another point to consider. It demands a lot of energy to move, especially if each time you need to learn a new culture and language. Adapting to new surroundings takes time and quickly becomes tiring and you need to make efforts to keep putting yourself out there to meet new people. Depending on your personality, it can become a trap of constantly seeking new experiences and forgetting to rest and recharge in between. Learning to listen to your body and finding a sense of balance is crucial to have a fulfilling digital nomad experience.
Despite the many advantages of travelling, the digital nomad lifestyle might not be sustainable in the long term for many individuals as you are without a solid sense of home. Moving around frequently without a stable base can create frustration and a sense of unsettledness which is taxing on the nervous system. Nomads commonly choose to live in short-term rentals or hostels on their travels but the prospect of often needing to find new accommodation can be a hassle. There is also a financial implication as renting short-term accommodation becomes more expensive in the long term. Another point is, in some instances, this mode de vie can be disruptive for your daily habits. For example, some temporary accommodations aren’t equipped with full kitchens forcing you to eat out more often which is not only more costly but can also lead to poorer dietary choices.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, there can be a negative impact on the local people in the environment around you. Gentrification is becoming an increasing problem in many cities worldwide due to the influx of digital nomads. Many internationals on high salaries seeking this type of lifestyle are moving to countries with lower economic prosperity and consequently driving up prices. I saw this first hand in Lisbon when I once saw angry locals shouting at internationals on the street, as well as graffiti reading “fuck gentrification”. I noticed between the moment I first arrived in Lisbon in 2021 to leaving in 2023 how much more chaotic the city had become. Loud construction building new apartment blocks and many housing renovations were popping up everywhere to cater for the skyrocketing demand of digital nomads as well as the post-Covid return of tourists.
If you are considering trying out the digital nomad experience, there are some important factors to consider alongside the many advantages it has to offer. It’s easy to see this way of living through rose-tinted glasses because of the pretty pictures painted on social media. But the reality is, it isn’t for everyone and perhaps consider the length of time that you could see yourself managing to live in this highly fast paced way before making commitments.
