I’ve been working remotely and living in different places in the world since 2019. In a previous blogpost I wrote about why I love being a digital nomad. It is a way of working and living I wish for everyone to be able to try. You can choose where to live, learn a lot about other cultures and their people, and develop your personal and work skills.
Read more about why I love being a digital nomad.
To not only romanticise this lifestyle, I want to share some reasons why I don’t love being a digital nomad. From the outside it looks like the perfect life. No doubt, it does have its great sides! But it is not always as amazing as it seems.
#1 Always on the move
As the term ‘digital nomad’ already states, you are living a nomadic life. On the one hand this means that you get to experience many different places, on the other hand you constantly change locations and switch from one place to another. Being always on the move can get quite exhausting after some time.
Finding a home
The whole journey always starts with finding a place to live. This involves lots of research, looking for transport and planning the route. The accommodation should be well-equipped and needs top internet connection. Private apartments are not always the best solution, as life can get quite lonely there. The place also needs to meet the available budget! All in all there are a few requirements a place has to meet. Finding a proper home as a digital nomad can therefore be quite a long process.
Once I arrive somewhere I kind of already need to plan where to go next. Even though I’m staying somewhere for a few months I need to think ahead. Depending on the season, many colivings and apartments are booked out months before. The biggest questions is always: How long should I stay and when is the right time to move on?
How I find nice and well equipped apartments in big cities.
Luggage
Being always on the move requires packing light. I usually travel with my big backpack and hand luggage (this contains my home office setup). If I visit warm countries like Thailand and Tenerife it’s more than enough space. But that also means that I’m a bit restricted if I wanted to visit cooler countries. As a digital nomad it’s tough to always have everything you need with you. Most of the time, I need to go back to Germany to repack my luggage according to my next stop.
This is what my home office setup looks like.
Social network
As a digital nomad you have to get used to a constant change of environment and your social circle. I do love to experience different countries! When it comes to a constant social network though it can sometimes be a bit annoying. I miss having a bunch of friends who I can hang out with, without any effort. Especially in colivings you need to make effort and go through the same introduction phase over and over again. It’s lovely to meet new people but if the social circle changes too often, it can get quite tiring.
Bittersweet goodbyes
Not to forget the heartbreaking moments when it’s time to say goodbye. The life of a digital nomad can be bittersweet. You get used to each other, have the most amazing time and then someone has to leave. The social network grows with each connection, but you never really know when or if you’re going to see each other again.
Due to the frequent changes and uniqueness of every day, the digital nomad life taught me to enjoy every phase of life. Being always on the move and the constant adaptation is one thing I usually love but sometimes don’t love about being a digital nomad.
#2 Visa & administration challenges
As a digital nomad I get to live in different cultures around the globe. Due to employer requirements as well as visa and data protection regulations it is not possible to actually live in the ‘whole world’. Looking at visas, my stay is usually restricted to a maximum of two or three months (if it is outside the EU). In some countries you are allowed to work on a tourist visa, in other countries you aren’t.
Additionally, it’s very important to have a look at legal restrictions and tax requirements. Each country handles those topics differently and it is one of the most annoying things as a digital nomad to keep track of the rules. What some should also keep in mind is the way data and IT security is handled in different countries. This might be less of a problem for freelancers but is definitely something your employer will take into account when it comes to choosing a country.
All in all there are a few visa and administrative requirements that have to be considered before country hopping. That is the not so nice part about being a digital nomad.
Read more about why I love being a digital nomad.
#3 FOMO hits different
I’m usually not a person who gets FOMO (fear of missing out). But it does hit me sometimes when I can’t be with my family and friends from Germany. As a digital nomad the time at my home country is usually limited and I’m therefore not part of their daily life.
I could spend more time in Germany to not miss out on special occasions. However my inner wish to be abroad is bigger. Nevertheless it’s hard to be far away from my loved ones and to miss out on just normal things as well as celebrations and birthdays. This one is probably the biggest downside of being a digital nomad.
Read more about my digital nomad experiences
- Finding a home as a digital nomad through Sabbatical Homes
- My time at Beachub Coworking Koh Phangan
- My experience at Nine Coliving in Tenerife
- My experience at Casa Netural in Matera, Italy
Being a digital nomad does seem like the perfect life from the outside. But like with everything in life, it does have its downsides as well. For me, the advantages of being able to move around the world, getting to know different cultures and meeting many interesting people while working outweigh the disadvantages.
