Fancy working from a beachside hut? Then moving to an inner-city coffee shop? Well, you should consider the life of a digital nomad. As a digital nomad, you can work from pretty much anywhere, as long as there’s Wi-Fi. Here’s how to get started.

Start to reduce location ties and expenses

The first step to becoming a digital nomad is to start cutting ties with your current location and work from anywhere, whether that’s from home or elsewhere. Get rid of your apartment, sell your car if you have one, downsize the furniture in your house if it’s possible – anything that makes it difficult to move out without incurring a lot of expense.

Identify your skills

It’s also best to identify your skills. If you’re a writer, then it might be easier for you to find work in a high concentration of writers, like New York City. If you’re a developer, then it might be easier for you to find work in a high concentration of developers, like San Francisco. There are certain skills that are more viable in some places than others.

Become a freelancer

Freelancing means working independently in an arrangement where you are hired for short-term contracts that require little commitment from either party. It’s crucial that you build your portfolio before applying for jobs, though—you can do this by offering your skills to people online for free.

Start by working or studying abroad

It might not be easy stepping into new work environments at first, so start working or studying abroad for short periods before committing yourself to the nomadic lifestyle. You can get someone to house sit or put your belongings into storage. That way if you don’t like it, you can go back.

Figure out where you want to live

Once you have finished your work or studies abroad, it’s time to decide where exactly you want to live. There are a number of factors that determine whether a location is suitable for digital nomads. In general, cities that are more developed and have better infrastructure tend to be more attractive options than ones that aren’t yet developed.

Ship your belongings out there

If you end up in a city that has good infrastructure, then ship out your belongings. You only need the essentials to start with a laptop, sunglasses, and plenty of underwear. This will make it easier for you to live out of a backpack when moving from place to place. Then, when you decide on a place, you’ll need to find an international shipping company to send your belongings there safely.

Create a plan and stick to it

If you’re moving out of the city, be prepared to grit your teeth and face some seriously slow internet. As a digital nomad, it’s important that you cultivate good habits so you can work effectively while on the road. Create a plan and stick to it by working certain hours each day regardless of location. Allow for more time to work in less developed countries, as it will be more difficult to find work there.

How do You Qualify as a Digital Nomad?

A digital nomad is an individual who works remotely while traveling the world and living off the grid. Every year, digital nomads travel for several months at least, and they may relocate for employment and residence every few weeks or every six months. People decide to become digital nomads in order to travel, have more independence, get away from office distractions, improve their work/life balance, or break into a better employment market.

Consider these tips on your path to becoming a digital nomad:

1. Identify your current skills

Before you quit your job or make any big moves, consider what skills you already have through education, job training and independent study. Things like typing and computer operations can be considered basic skills across all fields, but other abilities digital nomads often rely on include:

• Coding
• Editing
• Graphic design
• Photography
• Teaching
• Web design
• Writing
• Telecommunications

2. Gain the right transferable skills

If you would like to gain additional skills that can help you become a digital nomad, consider a job that can help you learn new skills and build the savings you require to start your digital nomad lifestyle. Fields that provide transferable skills include:

• Blogging
• Content marketing
• Digital marketing
• Information technology
• Web design
• Writing

3. Consider freelancing

You may also choose to start a freelance career to build additional digital skills and earn extra money before joining the digital nomad collective. Freelancing is available in a variety of industries like writing, editing, publishing, photography, web design, computer programming and research. You may choose to find your own clients through networking or social media. You may also consider using gig economy websites to search for projects and customers.

4. Consider taking classes online

Taking online classes or courses may help you develop strategies for time management and work/life balance before becoming a digital nomad. If you’re able, consider going on a brief trip while taking an online class to get an idea of how you may structure a future work schedule and take notes about what work environments and processes complement your lifestyle.

5. Reduce expenses and possessions

Make an effort to reduce your current expenses to help save money and eliminate clutter before becoming a digital nomad. You may choose to cancel gym memberships or subscription services. You may also choose to take a shorter lease or consider other housing arrangements, change your mode of transportation or sell large items you may be unable to store or bring with you. Some types of alternative housing arrangements you may consider are house-sitting, pet-sitting and long-term hotel stays.

6. Earn a passive income

Look for options to earn passive income or generate profits from alternate sources. Some examples of passive income generators include:

• Becoming a brand ambassador
• Building an app
• Creating an online course on a topic you have expertise in
• Engaging in email marketing
• Renting out your home or subletting your apartment
• Selling digital products on e-commerce websites
• Selling stock photos online
• Opening a high-interest savings account
• Writing and self-publishing an e-book or audiobook

7. Find a remote job or start a business

Find a job that can become your first digital nomad position. Look for jobs that are fully remote or have the option to be. Pay attention to the equipment and system requirements of these jobs to ensure you can maintain those standards while traveling. If you have the skills and experience, you may also consider starting your own online business so you know you have the flexibility to work from anywhere.

8. Choose your first destination

Choose your first destination and start the planning process. Make a list of potential locations that include places you’ve always wanted to visit and ones that fit your current budget and workload needs. Research the cost of living for each destination and make rough budgets that include rent, food, entertainment and other expenses that are important to you. Additionally, ensure a stable internet connection is available. Doing this can help you make an informed decision about your first nomadic home and have details already prepared for future destinations.

9. Choose your lifestyle

Decide where and how you want to live when you reach your first destination as a digital nomad. When choosing a residence, consider the number of people you’d like to interact with or share resources with throughout the day. Also, consider the services you may require and how easily you expect to access them.

Read Also: Top 10 US Cities to Enjoy Working From Home

Co-ops and hostels may be ideal for meeting new people and sharing resources. Renting an apartment or finding a residence through an online temporary rental marketplace may be ideal for those who want to live more independently in a more traditional setting. Hotels or homestays may appeal to those who want more readily available services such as laundry or recreation.

10. Consider joining a digital nomad hub

Consider joining a digital nomad hub to be around others living the same lifestyle. Similar to hostels or co-ops, digital nomad hubs are unofficial communities where you can live and work among other people, specifically other digital nomads for a more affordable price. Current members at each hub share expenses and network to get professional tips and learn of potential destinations. You can find these collectives in different cities all over the world.

Joining a hub can provide advantages if you want to connect with others. You may find a friend who wants to travel with you and share the same experiences as a digital nomad.

11. Collect documents and open accounts

Collect the documents and account information you may require while traveling. Make copies of important documents that you keep with you at all times, such as your passport and driver’s license, birth certificate, business license, bank account information, doctor’s notes and prescription information. If you don’t want to travel with hard copies consider placing documents in a secure and safe cloud storage platform. 

You might consider opening online accounts to ease transactions while traveling, such as those that offer online payment services or virtual mailbox services. Finally, you may also consider getting travel insurance to protect you and your assets when you move from place to place.

12. Make a plan

Set goals and develop plans for your new work environment and lifestyle. These may include prioritizing what you want to achieve through your digital nomad experience, creating a tentative multi-destination list with a timeframe for each location and a rough framework of how to achieve your goals. You may also consider making contingency plans in the event of weather, transportation, health or other problems that arise.

What Skills do I Need to Become a Digital Nomad?

The Hard Skills

We identified 6 categories of skills you can offer remotely. Most nomad jobs fall into one of those 6 categories.

• 1. Writing

If you are good at writing, there are endless possibilities for what you can do as a nomad. Content creation, blogging, freelancing, copywriting, editing… are just some of the examples.

• 2. Creatives

Are you a good photographer? Graphic designer? Video editor? Everyone needs media for their business and they need someone to provide these media. This someone can be you!

You can sell your photos online, create promotional videos or edit videos for clients for example. Graphic design is very popular, designing logos is a great place to start. You can also become a vlogger or a YouTuber with your video skills!

• 3. Languages

You can teach languages online or offer translations, video or audio transcriptions online. Teaching English online is a very popular way of starting a digital nomad journey.

• 4. Marketing

Having a marketing mentality and skills is one of the best things you can have for a nomad journey. It’s a big umbrella that covers many job options underneath. Digital marketing, content marketing, SEO, advertising, strategy and social media marketing are just some of the examples.

• 5. Web/app development

One of the highest-paying nomad job categories. In a world where everything is digital, skills like web design and development are highly in demand. Every business, influencer, and freelancer needs a website or an app; businesses need e-shops and all of these are always on the look to hire a web developer/designer.

• 6. Assistance and consulting

Several businesses require virtual assistants to help them organize their work and appointments. You can also offer consultancy or coaching based on the skills or experience you already have. For example, a virtual accountant or a legal consultant or a life or fitness coach, are all jobs you can offer if you have the experience.

The Soft Skills

The truth is, it’s not enough to have only the job skills to become a digital nomad. There are several characteristics that you need to have to make your journey as a digital nomad a successful one. Here are 6 skills that will help you on your nomad journey.

• 1. Communication

Even if you are amazing at what you do, if you don’t know how to show and communicate that to your potential clients, these skills might go to waste.

Your work as a nomad will be mainly online, you need to know how to market yourself and your skills to close deals. Be clear, be persistent in your communication and honest about what you can offer and under what conditions.

• 2. Organization

As a digital nomad, you will be living out of your suitcase/backpack and moving from one place to another; if you are not organized, things that should be under control will totally spin out of it.

Find a system of organization you are comfortable with, for everything. From packing to priorities when traveling, budgeting and organizing your work, all of these are needed to ensure you have a good time and give your clients the best service.

• 3. Self-motivation

When you are travelling and the beautiful beach or mountain is calling you, but at the same time you have a deadline looming, who will motivate you? You! You need to motivate yourself to do the work on time so that you can have the money to see and experience all that you want.

• 4. Flexibility

The life of a digital nomad is more unstable and has fewer elements you can control than the 9 to 5 job. You can lose clients, lose income sources or face unexpected obstacles while travelling. That’s why you need to be flexible and learn to adapt to changing situations while staying positive. Remembering why you are doing this and what you get to enjoy, will make it easier to go with the flow.

• 5. Calm

Life is full of stress, add to that the constant travel and you might think how do digital nomads not surrender to anxiety? The truth is, that there are a lot of instability and stressors in the life of the nomad, as many things are not under control. However, this is part of the fun! You have to keep calm and deal with challenges as they come. Meditation, mindfulness, talking to a friend or self-care routines are all important ways of keeping a cool head.

6. Constant development

Digital nomadism is possible due to the availability of the internet and technologies that keep developing, and you will need to develop with them. Keep learning and stay curious and updated. Your work has to go with the needs of the market. This is how you will be able to find clients who are willing to pay for your up-to-date skills.

Benefits of Being a Digital Nomad

If you’re interested in the digital nomad lifestyle, consider the benefits and potential downsides. Some benefits may include:

Better quality of life for less

If you want to have more purchasing power on a smaller salary, a digital nomad lifestyle may afford you that option. Even people new to the digital nomad collective can start visiting countries that offer lower costs of living. This may allow you to live in a nicer place, do more recreational activities or purchase more nonessential items than if you were working in a fixed environment with a higher cost of living.

Location independence

If you hope to enjoy a location-independent lifestyle someday, living as a digital nomad may help you learn the techniques and gather tips to allow you to achieve that goal. It may also help you network with location-independent individuals and determine if the lifestyle is right for you before making a long-term commitment. Talking to others can also help you decide on the location in which you want to work. Some locations may fit your lifestyle and budget better than others.

Ability to travel while working

Many digital nomads enjoy the advantage of being able to travel while they work and live a nomadic lifestyle. Unlike travel time logged for a traditional job, digital nomads can choose their work locations. They may visit places they’ve always wanted to see, follow pleasant weather from place to place or decide where to work based on what fits their workloads and budgets. 

The ability to travel while working allows you to explore new places, learn about various cultures and see how other people live in the world. It also provides opportunities for personal growth as you move around, meet new people, live in different cultures, and seek new challenges and experiences.

Flexible schedule

Digital nomads often have the flexibility to set their own schedules and have control over not just where they want to work, but also when. Because they may change time zones frequently, digital nomads can work anytime, anywhere. They may choose to follow traditional nine-to-five schedules or they may work evenings and weekends. You may find it easier to maintain motivation and productivity if you work a consistent schedule.