User:Spacefairy5/Digital nomad

Digital Nomad

Digital nomads are people who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living and conduct their life in a nomadic manner. Such workers often work remotely from foreign countries, coffee shops, public libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles. It is often accomplished through the use of devices that have wireless Internet capabilities such as smartphones or mobile hotspots. Some digital nomads travel for years and make their way to multiple different countries while others are only nomadic for a short period of time for reasons such as sabbatical. While some nomads travel through various countries, others choose to work and explore in only one country or location. As of 2020, there was a spike in traditional workers who transitioned into digital nomads, the number grew from 3.2 million to 6.3 million.

The most common types of digital nomads include retired or semi-retired persons (including snowbirds), independently wealthy or entrepreneurs, and (often younger) remote workers. More recently, there is an entire category on Instagram and Youtube of people recording and publishing their lifestyle as a digital nomad. People typically become digital nomads for many reasons, a major one being a persons love for traveling, but other reasons include the quest for financial independence and a career that allows for location independence. Although digital nomads enjoy advantages in freedom, flexibility, and traveling, the lifestyle isn't always as glorious as it seems. Some digital nomads report loneliness as their biggest struggle, followed by burnout. The lifestyle also presents other challenges such as maintaining international health insurance with coverage globally, abiding by different local laws, obtaining work visas, and paying taxes in accordance with home and local laws. There are many great aspects to the nomadic work lifestyle, but there are also challenges just like any other type of job. People who want to transition into this type of lifestyle must first figure out if their type of work allows for this position, then they must weigh out the pros and cons to figure out if the nomadic lifestyle is suitable for them.

Definition

One of the earliest known uses of the term 'digital nomad' was in the 1997 book Digital Nomad by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners. It is unknown if the phrase was coined in this book or if they took a term that had already existed. The book highlights how modern technology and the continued advancement of it, combined with the humanly desire to travel, will allow society to exist on the move like it did once before.

The foundation of the digital nomad movement is remote work, allowing people to do their work at home or otherwise through the Internet. For nomadic workers, a key aspect of being productive has do with their physical space, therefore being able to manage your space is essential. Though this lifestyle has been popularized for the ability to work wherever you want, such a claim often glorifies and oversimplifies nomadic work. Digital nomads may also sell a number of possessions in order to make travel easier, and may also sell or rent their house. Digital nomads can use wireless Internet, smartphones, Voice over IP, and/or cloud-based applications to work remotely where they live or travel. Digital nomads may use co-working or co-living spaces, cafes, house sitting agreements, and shared offices.