Recently, the topic of digital nomads has been gaining more and more attention and popularity at the same time. Especially in the last two years, remote working and digital nomadism has become a norm with the terrible influence of the COVID pandemic. People have a more stable attitude toward this mode of work, while the emergence and development of a large number of telecommuting digital tools and methods have provided more substantial technical support for this mode.
If the epidemic has taught us anything over the past few years, it is that life is just too short, and there is too much of this world for us to explore. The good thing is that the impact of the epidemic seems to be much smaller at the moment, and many countries are slowly starting to reduce or even lift the restrictions. This makes it possible to work remotely in a brand-new place or even in different countries.
Obviously, there are also many people who do not understand digital nomads or only know it is trending stuff. This concept has actually existed for a long time and has inspired Bagsmart to provide stylish and functional bags to digital nomad work and digital nomad travel. We also have a number of employees who work remotely from Paris, Los Angeles, and other locations. If you too are interested of becoming a digital nomad, then listen to our advice.
What is a digital nomad?
If you know about telecommuting, this concept will be easy to understand. Digital nomads are "updated" telecommuting workers because they work in more liberal and diverse ways. They can work in a cafeteria or in any city in the world. They can constantly switch from one country to another, working while experiencing and enjoying a different living environment. In general, digital nomads work remotely from anywhere. Of course, all this must be based on the availability of WIFI and telecommuting tools.
There are many benefits of being a digital nomad. First, this mode is flexible in that you can choose to live in a city with a lower cost of living and save a significant amount of money; you can also go to cooler places in the summer and work in warmer areas in the winter. Secondly, you can get away from the dull working environment of the office and go to various places to learn about the culture, meet new friends and broaden your horizons. Last but not least, you’ll be more creative as you are doing the things you love.
As there are two sides to every coin, this mode also has some drawbacks. Changing areas frequently means constantly moving and looking for a new place or country to live. In a new location, you may have to endure a specific time of isolation for a while, and you will also need to keep in constant contact with the local authorities to obtain proof of residence. All of these factors may cause you to be less productive.
In our opinion, these shortcomings are insignificant and can be overcome. It is of course up to you to weigh and decide. You can first try this way of working in different locations in your own city to see if it meets your expectations.
How to become a digital nomad? Here are our tips for you…
- Choose your nomad remote work
If you already have a job and your company agrees to you working remotely, this is absolutely the best. But you should be aware that telecommuter and digital nomad are still two different concepts. Maintaining a balance with work while traveling is much more complex than at home. You need to make sure you can achieve this balance on the road to make it easier for you to be a digital nomad.
If you are currently looking for a job, you may want to choose from some of the following careers: Blogging, YouTubers, Customer Service, accounting, design, editing, digital nomad freelance... These jobs will have more freedom, you can have your nomad work from anywhere. You can also choose other jobs, but in any case, you have to choose from your own interests, skills, and the possibility of working online.
You always have to remember that income is the basis for supporting you to travel and enjoy your life. That's why we emphasize the balance between life and work at the very beginning. After becoming a digital nomad, you can cut back on unnecessary expenses such as some gym fees, shopping membership fees, etc. These services will not be valid in your new city. If you can make sure you have enough credit in your bank account to live in another city or country for a few months, that's better.
- Some factors you need to be careful of
Taxes: Different countries have different tax policies for digital nomads. You need to know these policies (both your mother country and your destination country) and whether you need to file a tax return or you are likely to face fines or even more severe penalties.
Insurance: Travel is an exciting thing, but it is also a part of life. As much as we don't want it to happen, we get sick and may encounter accidents while traveling. That's why it's necessary to get some insurance for travel digital nomads, and you can also go to your local insurance agency and ask if there are more specialized insurance programs for digital nomads.
Accommodation: Booking and Airbnb are two of the best options! Choosing your accommodation is important and it will affect your living and working experience for the next two months or more. Pick neighborhoods that are relatively quiet but historic and avoid unsafe neighborhoods... You can get more information in local forums.
Emergency backup plans: It is a wise choice to design an emergency backup plan for yourself because you don't know if something unexpected will happen along the way of your adventure. You can set aside some emergency reserve and set up your own emergency contacts for maximum protection.
Unlock your phone: Different countries have different cell phone carriers, so it's a good idea to unlock your phone before you go abroad to use it in a different country.
- Devices & equipment
Cell phones, computers, data cables, SD cards, networks, and other electronic devices are vital, without the digital nomad tech you will find it difficult to carry out your work. Also, some software, such as VPN, Google Docs, etc. can help you work more efficiently and browse websites in different countries better. If you are an employee of a company, you should also be aware of the telecommuting tools used by the company.
A good bag is just as important. Did you know that Bagsmart is committed to providing digital nomads with higher quality and more functional bags, including bagsmart toletry bag, bagsmart tote, bagsmart backpack, bagsmart laptop back, bagsmart stylish camera backpack, bagsmar electronic organizer and so on. Our products are through and through to the last detail to ensure adaptiveness and modularity. Each seam and each pocket in or on a Bagsmart bag have its function and is placed for intuitive and quick access. We try our best to make the transition from digital nomad life to work (vice versa) more natural and smoother for you with our savoir-faire and to save your time for discovering and redefining the essence of life and the world.
- Where to go?
Although your purpose in another country is to work and travel, your visa is still a tourist visa. For some countries, digital nomads' work is a grey area, so most digital nomads will answer tourists to avoid some unnecessary trouble when the customs question them about their identity.
Some countries provide remote work visas such as Georgia, Croatia, Estonia, etc. Some countries do not have the appropriate visa but have a low enough cost of living and a great travel experience to make it worth your while—for example, Thailand, Hungary, Spain, etc.
- Join a digital nomad community
Joining some of the Digital Nomad community will allow you to receive relevant information and better advice more quickly. You can also find partners with the same interests in the community to travel with. There are many experienced and professional global digital nomads in these communities who can help you better explore and develop new countries and also share some important policies with you.
To conclude, in the post-epidemic era, teleworking will maintain its heat, and working as digital nomads will become increasingly attractive. While you try this new way of working and living, don't forget to optimize personal protection and make backup plans for some bad scenarios. Bagsmart respects everyone's choice, and we will continue to develop products adapted to the modern digital nomads to help you better travel between countries or cities, providing you with a more thoughtful and more effortless life & work fashion.
