TPC Team
There was a time when the notion of working from the sandy shores of a tropical island felt like a pipedream – a fantasy world for stargazers and romantics. It was hard to believe we could live the lives that influencers led, snuggled cosy in a hammock with a laptop overlooking a crystal blue sea. We couldn’t pick up and just work from anywhere – that would be crazy, right?
Of course, the world has changed a lot over the last few years. The Great Resignation taught us that workers aren’t willing to put up with ‘good enough’ anymore. We’re learning to prioritise flexibility over rigidity, chasing new career paths that allow us to do what we love (and make money doing it) – and we’re leaving behind the corporate jobs that hold us back from having the lifestyle we want.
In other words, it’s not so crazy to imagine yourself working from another corner of the world. In fact, it’s never been more achievable. As long as you have good wifi, a curious spirit and a willingness to adapt to new surroundings, there’s little holding you back from chasing the unknown shores of a nomadic life.
Say hello to the nomadic future
2020 ushered in a seismic shift in the way businesses embrace remote working. Before the pandemic, roughly 17% of professionals in the US worked from home five or more days a week. That increased to 44% post-pandemic. In the UK, the numbers shifted from 5% to nearly 47%.
Much of this change was due to mandatory work-from-home restrictions imposed by governments, but as we start to shift back to ‘life as usual’, we’re seeing that more and more people are opting to stay remote – and if their employers doesn’t accommodate for that, they are willing to leave for a position that does.
We’re also in the midst of global attitude change towards the way we view work. Many professionals are realising they don’t have to stick to a traditional 9-to-5 job. They can launch a portfolio career instead, putting them in control of when they work, who they work with and how much they earn.
This is the perfect recipe for the digital nomad. If you no longer want to commute to a brick and mortar office building, you don’t have to. The horizons are literally endless.
These days, anyone can be a digital nomad
It’s not just limited to influencers and tech gurus anymore. By 2035, the number of digital nomads is projected to reach a billion worldwide. In other words, it’s a growing trend, with no sign of slowing. We spoke to a number of nomads in our community from a range of diverse backgrounds and professions to find out what inspired them to travel and live a more flexible lifestyle:
Hannah D’Souza is an Integrative Psychotherapist and Counsellor who made the shift in 2020 to online therapy after engaging in her own therapy and supervision remotely.
Alexandre Liaume is a Product Manager and Interior Designer who works between London, Madrid and France, allowing him to be closer to his family and partner.
Anthony Donataccio is a Clarity Facilitator, Mentor for Introverts and Coach who has been travelling the world with his wife for the last six years, having visited 45 countries along the way.
What these discussions proved was that nomadic communities are on the rise and it’s okay to embrace the uncertainty and excitement that travel has to offer. Work doesn’t have to hold you back; it can open up doors to new opportunities and experiences. You just need to be brave and put yourself out there.
“I never really had an intention for where it was going to go. All I knew is that I wanted to experience something different. For me, it was about slowing down and getting curious.”
Anthony Donataccio
Wondering if the nomadic lifestyle is right for you? Here are a few tips, epiphanies and lessons from our experts to help inspire you to follow the path less travelled.
Find your own rhythm and routine
One of the best things about being a nomad is the flexibility it has to offer. You can spend anywhere from a few days to months in a new country, only to pick up and move to an entirely new environment whenever you please.
Hannah wanted to live somewhere tropical, even if that meant working unusual hours to accommodate her clients. In the summer of 2020, she moved to Barbados for five months. The time difference wasn’t the easiest thing to navigate, but getting up super early for sessions meant she had most of the day free to go hiking, kayaking and swimming in the sea – all the things she couldn’t do when she lived in London.
“I’m not going to pretend waking up at 2.30am was lovely. It wasn’t completely seamless, but it wasn’t difficult. For me it was a no-brainer. I had that time abroad and I knew I wanted to keep doing this. I wanted to keep living in locations that suit me and were good for my wellbeing.”
Hannah D’Souza
During the pandemic, Alexandre moved every few months between his office in London to Madrid and France to ensure that he was able to spend time with his partner and with his family. Despite there being some learning curves around setting boundaries and ensuring time for self care, he also found the benefits of travelling far outweighed any pain points he experienced.
“I felt more free. I felt like an actual human being in control of my own life. It became more about what I produced than how long I spent at the office. For me, from a happiness point of view, this way of working was much better.”
Alexandre Liaume
Building a community is key
Anthony and his wife had always been avid travellers, but when he reached the point of burnout at his corporate job in finance, they decided there was no better time to leave Brisbane behind and try their hand at working abroad.
“There was definitely an element of uncertainty. We just had to arrive there and see what developed. Through that, we started meeting people through expat groups.”
Anthony Donataccio
By building a community of expats, Anthony and his wife were inspired to explore new places they never would have thought of. This was also a great way for Anthony to try out different career paths. It was through groups like The Lunch Club and The Portfolio Collective that he realised he was interested in coaching.
For Hannah, building a community was much easier than she ever could have expected. She started to recognise the same people popping up over and over again – people who weren’t tourists, but were nomads like her – and the bravery sparked by travel made her more inclined to say hello and build lasting relationships.
“Digital nomads are all around. Because you’re somewhere new – somewhere that’s not home – you tend to be quite social. I’ve formed great friendships during my travels, to the point where I am now going to Canada as one of my digital nomad destinations to stay with someone I met.”
Hannah D’Souza
Don’t let uncertainty (or tradition) hold you back
Alexandre never planned on being a digital nomad – it sort of just fell into place. But now he can’t imagine working any other way. As the world started to transition back into hybrid and in-office working, he realised he wanted to retain the freedom to travel and work wherever he wanted.
“There are going to be two types of companies, the ones that are making remote work, work, and the ones that are old-fashioned and don’t let you work abroad. Don’t hesitate to stand your ground. You want to be remote. If your company isn’t allowing you to do this, just stick to your dream because you will find the perfect match.”
Alexandre Liaume
For Hannah, working as a remote therapist was still quite a new phenomenon. People got used to the idea of online therapy during the pandemic, but what she has realised was that most of her clients were still happy to continue with that mode of care. Because her personal wellness was so important, she made the time difference work.
“In Western culture, we’re really scared to ask for things in our work. We’re scared to ask for time off for self care and we’re scared to ask if we can live somewhere else. We have to put ourselves first and realise life is also for living. If you can find a job where you can live the life you want and work, there’s no better reason to do it.”
Hannah D’Souza
A few ways to make the transition easier
All three had different experiences, but each new adventure helped them realise that being a digital nomad was much easier than they realised.
Thinking of taking the leap yourself? Just remember to:
- Make time for self care. It’s so easy to let work consume you. Set boundaries and be disciplined about when you start, when you finish and when you take breaks.
- Try not to over plan. Don’t lock yourself into a new location for too long. See how it goes and be willing to cut it short or extend your trip depending on how it works out.
- Don’t work entirely virtually. Meet up with other nomads and make friends who you can collaborate with face-to-face. It will make such a difference.
- Live simply. You’ll be amazed by how few things you’ll actually need when you’re moving around. Too much stuff can become cumbersome and hold you back.
- Plan out your finances. You don’t have to spend loads of money on travel and eating out when you live nomadically, but you still need to plan for all the costs, plus any financial commitments you still have back home.
- Be aware of tax implications in your destination. Taxes can be tricky, so do your homework before you go to live abroad.
The best piece of advice we can give? Give it a try
The changing world of work has opened new opportunities for curiosity and exploration. If you want to work from somewhere new, you can. If your company doesn’t let you work remotely, there are literally thousands of startups and contract roles that will.
“You might love it or you might hate it, but you won’t know until you try it. Just get curious. You never know where that curiosity might take you.”
Anthony Donataccio
If Hannah, Alexandre and Anthony have proven anything, it’s that you can build the life you want and still make a living. So it’s time to ask yourself, what’s really holding you back?
If you’d like to learn more about launching your own digital nomad career, feel free to post a question in our community and start connecting with other nomads for inspiration. We can’t wait to hear where you end up!
Think this sounds like the right path for you? Come along to our monthly Get started event for new members to find out what a portfolio career could look like and how The Portfolio Collective can help you take those first steps towards professional success – and don’t forget to connect with our community!
2 responses to “The digital nomad workforce is here. Are you ready to join?”
Great article @stephaniedotto – and wonderful to learn a bit more about your experiences @hannah-dsouza, @alexandreliaume, and @claritymaven.
Thanks @lexi-radcliffe-harttpc! Not gonna lie – it’s made me want to be a digital nomad myself!