Imagine having the freedom to select your lifestyle and the opportunity to wake up in a different country every few months. As the demand for remote work grows, an increasing number of people are questioning how to become a digital nomad.
On Instagram, you can see people traveling the world and uploading photos of their laptops in front of the Caribbean’s emerald waters. You may have heard that some governments are implementing digital nomad visas to attract remote workers. The term “digital nomad” was only recently added to the language!
With all of the hype surrounding the digital nomad lifestyle, people would want to know how to get involved.
But where do you begin? With the help of this seven-step guide, complete with resources and guidance from my personal experience, you’ll be well on your way to being a digital nomad.
Table of contents
Who is a digital nomad?
A digital nomad is someone who works from home while traveling the world. They are location independent and can produce a livable wage or passive revenue from their laptop.
Keep in mind that there is a significant difference between remote employees and digital nomads. To be a digital nomad, you must constantly travel and relocate.
How To Become A Digital Nomad In 2023 | Full Step Guide
There is no precise formula for being a digital nomad; each person’s road to adopting this way of life is unique.
However, with our assistance, you may achieve your goal in seven simple steps. This article is based on what I wish I had understood and done before embarking on my three-year journey as a digital nomad.
Step 1: Are You a Good Fit for the Digital Nomad Lifestyle?
How difficult can working from your laptop while going to a distant nation with beautiful weather and breathtaking scenery be? More difficult than most folks believe!
Before embarking on your journey, you must determine whether becoming a digital nomad is something you desire and if it corresponds with your goals and interests. It is critical to recognize that being a digital nomad will provide problems such as discomfort, loneliness, and venturing outside of your comfort zone.
These are merely short-term challenges, and if living as a digital nomad is truly what you want to do, you’ll overcome them and grow to like your way of life even more.
Set your objectives.
The most important question to ask oneself now is, “Why do I want to be a digital nomad?”
There is no right or wrong answer!
Simply put, answering this question can help you better understand your goals and motivations for being a mobile remote worker and help you organize your travels and lifestyle as a digital nomad depending on your goals.
Discover for Yourself
You should conduct research before changing your diet, pursuing a different career path, or making any other big life decision, just as you should when considering location independence.
Join online digital nomad communities, read about other people’s experiences, listen to podcasts, or enroll in online courses.
Step 2: Begin making money online.
There are two methods to earn money as a digital nomad: working online or having a passive source of income. For the sake of this article, we’ll focus on working remotely and finding remote jobs.
Types of Digital Nomad Jobs
You only need to recognize your passion and talent because several occupations cater to different skill sets.
Among the most in-demand digital nomad careers are:
- web developer
- graphic designer
- Bitcoin investor
- Virtual Assistant
- online coach
- Manager of e-commerce
- creator of content
- Author
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Digital Nomad Essentials
You’ll need a few specialized skills to be a successful digital nomad when working from home;
Time management
As a digital nomad, you must know how to manage your time because no one is watching your back because you are not working in an office. Instead, you may receive emails and texts from clients or coworkers, but it is ultimately up to you to complete your duties.
Personal Branding
If you decide to work for yourself, you must build your personal brand and inform everyone you know that you are a freelancer. Discuss your work on social media, and your family and friends can occasionally act as your best sources of new clients.
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Tech-savvy
As a digital nomad, you’ll spend quality time working on your computer; you don’t have to be a technology expert, but you should be comfortable with computers, especially when it comes to utilizing a VPN to safeguard your data, which we’ll discuss later.
Extremely well-organized
Many things happen at once in the life of a digital nomad, so staying organized is critical for meeting work deadlines and planning travel and transportation.
Discover the Science of Productivity
The principle of mastering the art of productivity is “work less, earn more.” It’s quite easy for independent contractors and remote workers to fall into the rut of working nonstop, day after day, and developing your productivity skills and knowledge is one approach to prevent this.
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Step 3: Choose your destination.
Where will you go if you can go anyplace in the world?
Unfortunately, being a digital nomad complicates matters. When selecting your destinations, be strategic and ensure they provide the tools and services you require to work online. You should also consider how difficult it is to obtain a tourist visa and how long you can stay in a particular location.
What are you looking for?
People primarily elect to become digital nomads to construct the life they desire, as they are not bound to a particular location where they must commute to the office every day but instead are free to live how and where they like.
What do you hope to gain from a location-independent lifestyle? Do you wish to visit museums, try new restaurants, and explore new cities? Or do you prefer a carefree tropical lifestyle where you can spend every day in the sun?
Being a digital nomad allows you to live a range of lifestyles, such as relaxing for a few months in a tropical paradise before strolling through a hectic city for the next few months.
You can create the life you choose.
Spend time contemplating how you want to live your life; develop a list of the things you want to do during the day, the types of weather you prefer, and anything else that would make you happy; this list will be used to narrow down alternatives.
What to Look for in a Digital Nomad Destination
Now that you’ve determined what you’re looking for in a location let’s ensure it’s suitable for digital nomads.
A location can become welcoming to digital nomads if certain requirements are met.
- Reliable WiFi
- Transportation is straightforward.
- Living expenses are low.
- digital nomads’ community
- perfect weather
How can you tell if the location you want to visit meets these criteria? Ask other digital nomads who have been there!
Post in an online group or go through other postings to learn about other people’s experiences in those locations; first-person reports are really helpful.
There are also places known as “digital nomad hotspots,” which are good starting sites for your adventure since they meet all of your needs and have large populations of people who are similar to you. Thailand, Georgia, Portugal, and Mexico are a few examples.
Visas For Remote Workers
The following are the most popular visas for digital nomads:
- Croatia
- Portugal
- Malta
- South African Republic
- Mexico
- Estonia
These temporary residency permits are suitable for location-independent workers who want to stay put for a long and gain in-depth knowledge of a region.
However, if you are okay with moving every two months, you can tour the world without a visa!
Step 4: Plan the logistics
Finding an online job and traveling to different countries are just two aspects of becoming a digital nomad. There are numerous details you must consider and plan. It is possible to wait until it is too late to realize you need to prepare for something. Living this lifestyle requires us to learn from our mistakes, which can sometimes be difficult.
Some of these preparations should be done before you leave, while others should be done while you’re out and about.
Create a Budget
You know how when you’re on vacation, you swipe your credit card without thinking about it? When we’re discovering a new place, we feel as if we have unlimited resources.
If you live a full-time traveling lifestyle, getting into this mindset is simple; however, if you don’t take control of it quickly enough, it could cut your voyage short.
Before you go for your first destination, create a monthly budget based on your salary. Determine how much you can spend on transport, meals, entertainment, and lodging, and use Numbeo to get an idea of the expenses in your new places if you need more clarification.
Consider the time of year when visiting specific sites. High season raises the cost of housing and transport to popular destinations such as Croatia and the Greek islands, while off-seasons are when you can discover the best discounts.
When you set (and stick to) a budget, your capacity to live as a digital nomad can grow.
An emergency fund is a wise recommendation because this way of life will incur unforeseen costs. Once again, this is a live-and-learn scenario. Additionally, I recommend always having enough cash to purchase a plane ticket home in an emergency.
Use a VPN to protect your data.
Consider how unpleasant and difficult it would be if your wallet were stolen while traveling abroad, especially if it had all your personal information, passwords, and credit card information. You discovered it was gone weeks later. This is exactly what happens when hackers take the info from your computer.
There are numerous ways to avoid having your money stolen, but how can you protect your online personal data? A VPN is the answer.
A virtual private network, or VPN, conceals your data and location when connected to a local network, making it ideal for digital nomads who prefer to utilize public WiFi and work from cafes.
VPN services are fairly inexpensive (around $2 per month) and disguise important information to keep you safe; it can also help you save money and be more productive while traveling overseas!
Participate in the Digital Nomad Insurance Program.
Insurance for digital nomads includes more than just travel-related disasters; it can also cover routine doctor appointments, testing, and, on occasion, medication.
World Nomads and SafetyWing are two of the most popular insurance companies for digital nomads, offering several levels of coverage at reasonable prices.
Don’t wait until it’s too late to purchase an insurance policy.
Keep in Touch
If you’re going on an extended trip abroad, consider how you’ll stay in touch with friends and family back home. Having an international phone plan is usually prohibitively expensive, so what other options are there?
When you arrive at your destination, buy a local SIM card because it is the most cost-effective way to stay connected. Get a plan with plenty of data so you can use WhatsApp, Telegram, and other social media apps.
Before you leave, you can even research to see which business is the best fit, which is another great question to ask in an online forum.
You can also use Google Voice or Skype if you require a phone number from your home country.
Inform your loved ones of the best way to contact you while you are away before you leave; for me, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are the easiest ways to communicate with friends and family.
Getting Around
Traveling is one ability you’ll get excellent at; you’ll know how to navigate and lay out your trip, but first, you have to get started.
There are plenty of excellent travel applications and websites available.
Step 5: Prepare for the Trip
In this section, you’ll learn about some of the preparations you’ll need to make.
Sell Your Items
A significant part of living a nomadic lifestyle is traveling light. Some people live a completely nomadic lifestyle and sell their stuff, while others keep some of their possessions in storage for later use.
Once you’ve adopted a digital nomad lifestyle, you’ll realize how insignificant material possessions are and how to survive using only the supplies in your bag or suitcase. Everything else becomes tedious and pointless.
Not to mention that selling your belongings will provide you with more cash to spend on vacation expenses.
Make Your Plans Public
Some others may not understand your decision, viewing it as arrogant and thoughtless. You will be ridiculed, maybe even by people you care about the most, but don’t allow this to bother you too much.
If you feel discouraged, reread the note you wrote describing your reasoning for wanting to become a digital nomad. Obviously, it’s easier said than done, but if you’re certain this is the best course of action for you, go for it!
Create Your Support Group
While traveling, you will surely encounter amazing moments and make valuable memories, but obstacles will emerge from time to time.
When traveling alone, you may feel lonely and reflect on what you miss about home; these are when you need a support system.
You will surely meet individuals you can chat with while traveling, and they may be able to relate to your troubles if they are also digital nomads. Still, having a buddy or relative you can contact to make yourself feel better is also important.
Before you leave, ask two or three people if you can call them if you’re feeling down or burned out. It may seem silly to ask, but it’s critical. You may give the justification that you don’t want to bother them when you need to talk to someone. It may be easier for you if you have permission to call this person.
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Step 6: Take the plunge
Prepare everything, board the plane, and explore a new destination; this is your current life!
As you wait for your aircraft, train, or bus, you may feel nervous and begin to doubt yourself; nevertheless, I guarantee it will get better once you are at your location. Nothing is worse than planning for the future.
How to Get Ready
I can’t wait for you to embark on your adventure; you’ll have so many unique experiences that you’ll never forget.
Throughout the first few weeks, you should expect to feel a wide range of feelings, ranging from extreme enthusiasm to mild anxiety to overstimulation.
Take care of yourself and enjoy it. Try something new. Learn a few words and phrases in the language. Meet new people. See amazing and novel sights.
Keeping a journal of your experiences can also be beneficial; express your annoyances, tell exciting stories, and record your favorite moments; you’ll undoubtedly want to reflect on it in the future.
Learn from Your Experience and Grow
After adopting the digital nomad lifestyle, no one returns home the same; the world has become visible to them. They now have different goals and values and constantly improve upon themselves.
Make the most of this amazing way of life to learn and grow, and be open to new experiences and people; you never know where life will take you.
Furthermore, it’s a great time to learn more about yourself. For digital nomads, traveling alone often means spending a lot of time alone, so take advantage of this time to reflect and get to know yourself. It’s an underappreciated but crucial component of leading a prosperous nomadic lifestyle.
Step 7: Register with Nomads Embassy.
The final and most important step is to join Nomads Embassy or other communities.
Join our exclusive online community to interact with others and ask your burning lifestyle questions.
The Advantages to become a Digital Nomad
1 Wherever You Want to Work, You Can
You can live anywhere in the world because you are not dependent on a specific location.
Many digital nomads are independent contractors or business owners who can set their hours.
2 Be happier and take more pleasure in life.
Your ability to design your workday with flexibility leads to a rise in happiness and satisfaction. Many digital nomads work in fields they are passionate about and thoroughly enjoy. They are, of course, more driven to work.
A change to a more conscious way of living frequently occurs along with this unconventional way of life. Due to this, many nomads engage in practices like yoga, meditation, healthy eating, and minimalism. They can appreciate life more as a result of recognizing their blessings.
3 Financial Benefits
Not all digital nomads are extremely wealthy, but a higher level of happiness and motivation frequently leads to higher productivity and a desire to accomplish more. Many people have the freedom to choose their hourly rates. The income increases with the level of qualification.
Additionally, many digital nomads reside in economically developing nations like Thailand or Indonesia, where they can live comfortably on a lower income. A wise approach to residency and taxes also results in significant financial savings.
Disadvantages to become a Digital Nomad.
You should know its drawbacks if you want to learn how to become a digital nomad. These are just the top three concerns:
Uncertain Life
Most digital nomads work without a long-term commitment. Their ability to successfully find new clients and how much work they put in determines how much money they can expect to make in any given year. Every month can be different, and you should always prepare for a sudden decrease in income.
In the same way, accommodations. You must look for a place to live constantly, modern location with good WiFi, new restaurants to try, new people to meet. Long-term coping with this is something that only some are capable of.
Hard work is frequently undervalued.
Being a digital nomad is a short vacation, despite how it may sometimes appear. It takes a lot of effort, especially in the beginning. To successfully adjust to your new life, you must put in a lot of work. Sick days and holidays are not compensated. Weekends are frequently absent.
Even though you work near a beautiful beach, you still need to be very productive. It may seem unimportant, but it can occasionally be more difficult than you imagine.
Your social life could be impacted.
Traveling the world is fun because you get to meet so many interesting people. However, you will soon have to say goodbye to them once more. You must constantly make new friends to be a digital nomad. It’s a difficult task for introverts.
In addition, you may only see your old friends and family a few times a year or even less. Because you are on the other side of the world, you will miss significant social events.
FAQS on How to Become A Digital Nomad in 2023
1. Consider your motivations for pursuing a career as a digital nomad.
2. Find out more about this way of life.
3. Give This Way of Life a Try
4. Prepare your finances.
A digital nomad will normally pay taxes to their country of origin or the area where their firm is registered, but things can get complicated when they apply for a digital nomad visa. While some countries exclude visa holders from paying taxes locally, others do.
Because tax conditions for digital nomads are so unique, it’s essential to consult an accountant; someone who specializes in or is experienced with traveling remote workers can offer better guidance based on your circumstances.
Conclusion
Do you have any questions on how to become a digital nomad? Leave us a comment in the section below.
