Let me tell you from experience that quitting your office job and leaving your friends and parents behind is a life-changing decision. It is not a decision you should rush into making, especially if you’re in your 50s.
The wrong decision could seriously impact your retirement plans, so weighing up the pros and cons and deciding if the digital nomad lifestyle is right for you is a vital step in the process.
Before we get into the details, let me tell you my background story so you have some perspective.
My Digital Nomad Lifestyle Story
At age 40, I quit my 24-year office job, sold most of my possessions, and packed my essential items into a 46L Osprey Porter backpack. At this stage in my career, I had paid into a personal pension for my entire employment, and it would be frozen until retirement age.
I didn’t own a house and spent two years clearing a small amount of debt. I focused on saving enough money for six months’ salary if the worst-case scenario happened and I could not secure a remote job that would allow me to continue to travel.
It was a huge gamble, but it worked out in the end.
Reality Vs. Dream Selling
Traveling while working remotely is possible, especially since there are more remote job opportunities than before the pandemic hit in 2019. The issue is there are so many people out there selling the dream.
Most of these “Digital Nomads” have never worked full-time while traveling and are selling the dream of being able to work on their laptop next to the beach or swimming pool.
You can certainly do this, but to be your most productive, you will spend your time working in the air conditioning of your apartment, a coffee shop, or a co-working space.
Most successful Digital Nomads work full-time to ensure they can save for the future and live comfortably. When you’re in your 50s, it’s doubtful that you are interested in living in hostels or budget hotels. You will want some comfort, peace, and quiet.
I will discuss my budgeting and retirement planning in a future blog post, but for now, this gives you an idea of my situation.
Let’s start by helping you answer the question: Is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle right for you?
Cons of Being a Digital Nomad
Isolation at work and traveling
If you’re an introvert like me, you might see this more as an advantage, but most people, even those who like their own space and independence, struggle with isolation. Extroverts who love being around other people will most certainly struggle.
You will spend many hours working alone at home, traveling alone, dining out, and exploring alone, which can affect you mentally. Dining out alone was what took me the longest to get used to. The looks of other people as you sit at the table alone, but nowadays is the norm.
If isolation is a problem for you, there are many ways around it. One is to join local community events. Meetup is an excellent platform for finding events happening in your local area that fit your interests.
Other solutions for isolation are working in a co-working space one to two days a week, spending time in coffee shops, and starting conversations.
YouTube brought me together with locals, especially in Kuala Lumpur. My best friends are YouTubers, and because we have common interests, we meet up and have great conversations.
Being a Digital Nomad Can Be Stressful
As I mentioned in what I learned from ten years as a Digital Nomad, living this lifestyle can be stressful because you live outside of your comfort zone. When you’re living in a new country every 30-90 days, issues occur that are often out of your control.
Without sounding like a list of first-world problems, stressful situations can occur regularly, and you must be ready to deal with them head-on. Being prepared for these issues will also help you avoid or reduce the stress you will face.
Financial issues: Lost debit card, attempted card fraud, tourist scams, and personal data loss through hacks are all issues that can occur more often when you’re moving around from one country to another. Of course, these can happen even if you’re living in one place, but the chances of them happening drastically increase as a Digital Nomad.
Travel issues: Flight cancellations, hotel double bookings, taxi scams, delayed luggage, and stolen or lost passports are just a few of the problems you may encounter, and it’s essential to learn how to deal with these issues before they happen.
Health issues: You can be a victim of crime and have health issues that need hospital treatment. If you take medication, finding it abroad can be challenging; along with that, some countries restrict what tablets you can bring into the country, so it’s vital to plan ahead and purchase health insurance so you are not financially impacted.
Most of these issues are unlikely to happen if you work a 9-to-5 in your home country and only travel once or twice a year. However, being prepared and having solutions for our highlighted issues will help you reduce your stress levels.
Let’s now dig into the positive reasons for being a Digital Nomad.
Pros of Being a Digital Nomad
Freedom and Flexibility
Having a work-life balance is life-changing! Being able to work remotely, earn a good income, and have the freedom to live in a new country every month is a fantastic experience.
Escaping the office and traveling worldwide for the past ten years has been my best decision.
Have you visited a city but are not enjoying the experience? No problem—book a flight and move on to another place.
It’s really that simple. You choose the route you take on your travels and how long you want to spend there. For me, 30-90 days is the sweet spot.
For most remote jobs, having a flexible work schedule means you can work when you’re the most productive. Of course, some companies will ask you to stick to a specific timezone, but if you have a routine, it is still possible to have the freedom to explore the places you’re living in.
Freedom and flexibility are more important than money, but let’s be honest: You cannot travel without earning money. Working gives me freedom, flexibility, and the money to live comfortably.
Experiencing Cultures and the World
Travel is the best education that anyone can receive in their lifetime. Thinking back to the ten years I have been a Digital Nomad, it has been an incredible experience.
I flew over Sydney in a helicopter, walked along the Grand Canyon, and explored Chornobyl with its abandoned towns, just to name a few experiences that will be remembered forever.
It’s not just about visiting tourist attractions, though.
It’s meeting new people, making friends, and experiencing different cultures and languages.
Then there’s the food—one of the best experiences is tasting unique flavors and cuisine you’ve never eaten. My advice is to avoid staying in tourist areas. Live in local neighborhoods to experience a perspective rarely seen by tourists.
Is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle Right for You?
You will meet local people and not pay the inflated tourist prices, which can be up to double what you pay locally. One of the things I love is sitting in a coffee shop and listening to locals having conversations.
This blog post will help you answer the following question: Is the Digital Nomad lifestyle right for you? We’ve covered many pros and cons, which will help you make the right decision.