Being able to work from your laptop while traveling, setting your own work hours, not having to deal with the traffic in order to get to work on a daily basis… the digital nomad lifestyle sounds perfect, doesn’t it?
However, as with many things in life, there are always the pros and cons - even for the digital nomad lifestyle. Here are some of the challenges or hardest things about being a digital nomad.
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Figuring things out when I first get into a new city
The initial adjustment period is always the hardest. I’m trying to figure out the usual cost of things so I don’t get cheated by shop owners, visiting various FB groups, meetup groups and Couchsurfing to find events that I can attend in order to make new friends, getting settled into my new apartment and trying to pick up a new language.
Dealing with constant changes and ups & downs
As a digital nomad, you will have to get used to constant changes on a daily basis. The digital nomad lifestyle, by essence, is a lifestyle that doesn’t offer the same routine or stability that you might be used to back home. You might encounter constant changes to your clients, your finance, your surroundings, your new friends and many other aspects of traveling.
For some, this emotional roller coaster might be difficult to adjust to, especially in the beginning.
I’ve found learning to roll with the punches helps me deal with the constant changes in my life. If I were to lose a client, I might be disappointed but I know that I can always find another client. If I have say goodbye to a friend I’ve met while traveling, I know I will soon meet other awesome new friends.
Forming attachments and then having to say goodbye
Every traveler has had to deal with this - making awesome friends then having to say goodbye. I’ve made so many great friends while traveling and it is always so hard to say goodbye because you never know when you’ll see them again.
With other digital nomads in Mexico
Missing out on important events back home
When you’re traveling abroad for any extended amount of time, you are inevitably going to miss some key friend and family events. Traveling for long periods of time has resulted in me missing out on many important events back home, such as weddings, birthdays and New Years.
It’s odd too, because when I see pictures being posted on Facebook, there are times when I feel that these things look far more fun than I remember them actually being.
What are some of your hardest things about being a digital nomad?