Digital Nomads — Considering a Change to Location Independence?

Living the digital nomad lifestyle is a great opportunity for tech-savvy millennials and creative iGens to accomplish many goals:

• Seeing the world

• Experiencing other cultures

• Making new friends

• Building a strong professional portfolio.

The digital era created many new opportunities for freelance graphic designers, journalists and marketers to live a migratory lifestyle. Freedom from a 40–50-hour work week appeals to those entering the workforce. The same is also valid for seasoned professionals who built a successful career but feel like a change of pace and scenery.

Is This Your Life?

Do you identify as a digital nomad? Do you know what it’s like to bounce between Airbnb’s, co-working communities and espresso bars? Have you surfed as many couches as you have sweet waves?

One month, you’re developing mobile apps by day, and experiencing Tokyo’s bar scene by night. A few months later, you’re working on a UX dev team in Berlin.

In both scenarios, you’re earning good money from high-growth startups, and exchanging funds to local currency on an as-needed basis. Should you have a home base and nobody to collect your correspondence, mail carriers often offer mail forwarding services or electronic billing services.

Here are ideas for when the migratory lifestyle gets exhausting, when you’ve “found yourself,” or when you need to let grass grow under your feet.

These Boots Were Made for Walkin’ (but now the soles are falling off)

Have you moved constantly from place to place, equipped with little more than a passport, smartphone, laptop and a few changes of clothes? Many digital nomads decide it’s time to establish a home base or put down roots to stay in one place for an extended period. They may re-assume a 9-to-5 lifestyle, or go location independent. Continue to work from abroad, but maintain an HQ of some kind.

Do you shudder at the thought of ending your digital nomad lifestyle? Well then, may you have many prosperous nomadic years ahead. Digital nomad communities and retreats are great to connect with fellow nomads and build relationships.

Yet, if you’ve read this far, it’s possible you’re looking for a change. You might want to start a family or nurture a relationship. You could have found an ideal location to buy or rent a home. Whatever your motivation, swapping digital nomad “status” for a location independent lifestyle allows you to be an accomplished online creative professional. You aren’t selling out, or giving up. You’re just evolving.

You Wouldn’t Switch from Fifth Gear to Second..Would You?

After an enduring marathon, running enthusiasts don’t stop at the finish line and sit in a lawn chair.

They walk, to bring their heart rate down, and prevent muscle cramps. Apply the same thinking to shifting gears on your workstyle. Try being a “Digital Slowmad.” Experiment with spending longer stretches of time in one place. If wanderlust strikes, or you aren’t inspired by your surroundings, the open road (or sky) will wait.

Health insurance providers offer expat health plans and long-term travel insurance plans tailored for digital nomads.

A home base to store your worldly belongings (other than a storage locker, or your parents’ basement) can grow on you. Short-term leases on a house or apartment can be arranged. Send your rent deposit to your future landlord through secure electronic money transfer, and move closer to family and friends. Take on remote work and sustain multiple revenue streams through the cloud.

When your vision quest is complete, or you’ve had your fill of thrilling experiences and tearful good-byes to friends, you can go home again. Until then, if you need to transfer funds in foreign countries to suppliers, friends, or family, open a free XE Money Transfer account, or contact the XE office nearest you.

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