There have always been people who want to travel for a living rather than only once in a blue moon for vacation. These wanderers live for new experiences and often don’t want to be stuck in an office for most of their working lives.
Due to advancements in technology, traveling as a career is more accessible than ever. For millennials who love to travel, it makes achieving your dreams of seeing the world a viable option.
Luckily, it doesn’t take much more than a laptop and a cell phone to keep you connected to your home office and your colleagues, no matter where you are.
Remote Work Options
Many companies are moving away from brick-and-mortar offices and taking advantage of telework agreements. The savings gained by not having to pay to maintain a traditional office setting translates into increased company profits and higher wages for employees.
If your company has not yet moved in this direction quite yet, don’t be discouraged. Take the initiative and broach the subject with your supervisor. If your position does not require for you to have face time with your colleagues or clients, there shouldn't be anything standing between you and traveling freedom.
Accessible Entrepreneurship
If your employer won’t budge and allow for you to work remotely, consider becoming your own boss. With advancements in website design, you can easily start your own business.
You can apply online for licenses, bank loans, and set up your own blog with ease using an online template. For example, if you’re interested in starting a fashion blog, there are plenty of resources available. You can legitimize your company within a day’s work behind your laptop computer from anywhere in the world.
In addition to moving away from maintaining offices for employees, many companies are also hiring more contract workers. Companies are not required to pay contractors benefits such as health insurance and paid time off.
Starting a consulting firm or a career as a freelancer also enables you to choose your clients and to take on only the work that you would like to do. As a freelancer, you have the power to turn down clients and to only create working relationships with those that share your values.
Connectivity
Staying connected to your colleagues has never been this easy in technological history. There are a number of different apps and software available to have conference calls, screen sharing, and collaborative document editing. Using the hotspot on your phone, you can be working while riding passenger and living the #vanlife or while taking in your favorite view from the top of a mountain.
As long as you have cell phone service, you log in to work and accomplish what you need before moving on to your next adventure. Some digital and phone companies are making an extra effort to appeal to the digital nomad. Take advantage of offers like unlimited data, free in-flight texting and other special offers to save money on communication while you are exploring the sights of the world.
Maintaining Work-Life Balance
Many people can be distracted by the fanciful idea of not having to be tied to an office and forget to maintain a work-life balance — which can be a struggle whether you are on the road or deskbound.
Being connected on the go can have numerous benefits; however, don’t forget to look up from your screen while you are traveling. Traditional work settings allow for walk breaks, snack breaks or smoke breaks. While working in non-traditional settings, like being on the road, you can take your break to hike to the closest mountain summit and take in the view, or visit a local museum before getting back to work.
Being a successful digital nomad means getting your work done wherever you are. Sometimes that means chasing good cell phone reception, putting your travels on hold to meet deadlines, or pushing through the night to get to the next major city to call in and meet your boss from a Starbucks because you crushed your phone on your last rock climbing adventure.
If your dream is to see the world without going broke and maintaining your career, take advantage of what technology has to offer and set your sights on your next destination.
