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Working from home, and more importantly the increased likelihood of having a remote position in the future, has inspired me to eventually take on the life of a

by zests 6y ago

Working from home, and more importantly the increased likelihood of having a remote position in the future, has inspired me to eventually take on the life of a digital nomad. I want to travel the United States seeing and living in as many places as possible. Unlike several people posting here I wouldn’t mind working out of coffee shops or with just a laptop. I see opportunity for adventure while I am still young. I don’t mind the squalor of living out of my car and showering in gyms if it means I get to experience more from life. What’s the catch? I have no idea what this lifestyle would actually bring. If anyone knows what it is like please share your experiences.

technothrasher 6y ago
I have no idea what this lifestyle would actually bring. If anyone knows what it is like please share your experiences. https://www.amazon.com/Road-Jack-Kerouac/dp/0140283293 https://www.amazon.com/Road-Jack-Kerouac/dp/0140283293
- xyzwave 6y ago
  The only people for me are the mad ones...
- selimthegrim 6y ago
  Or for a slightly more positive take on the South than that book https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Across-America-Peter-Jenkins/dp/006095955X https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Across-America-Peter-Jenkins/dp/...
mikekchar 6y ago
Focussing and getting your work done is virtually impossible if you are travelling every day. It's just too tiring, and everyone needs a little routine in their day. I'm probably as much as a digital nomad as anyone (I usually travel 1 week out of 4 and work on the road a lot), but I limit myself to mostly going to places I already know well and where I can plan my day. The company where I work used to be fairly OK with people going off for 6 months at a time and doing a travel work thing. Almost without exception, the person travelling did not do a good job at work at all. I have one colleague who was quite successful at it, but he always worked that way (I don't think he even has a desk at home -- he just works in random places every day). But he also works probably 12 hours a day and at really strange times. So if he can't get good internet access somewhere, or he runs out of batteries, or if he has to move somewhere, he's completely used to it. If you seriously want to do it, I recommend living that lifestyle for a couple of years without traveling so that you get really good at it. Then add the traveling. Most of the people I know who have done this have really enjoyed the traveling but would not couple it with work again. It's really putting your life in hard mode.
- em-bee 6y ago
  one thing i do is to not expect to work fulltime. at least initially. 4 hours a day max, travel days are not work days. stay longer in one place than you would when just visiting. if you'd visit a place for a weekend, stay at least for a week. if you'd visit for a week, stay s month or more.
em-bee 6y ago
it depends on what is your goal in travelling. if it is visiting nice places, you'll still need vacation time for that. if it is to experience living in a country, then you can do it while working. rent an airbnb full apartment, not just a room. make sure it has a fridge, a washing machine, a working desk and internet for weeks at a time. do not bother travelling on weekends to visit tourist places, but rather seek out local places to relax. (whatever helps you relax, may be different from person to person) the first days when i arrive in a new place is to check out the local shops, figure out where i can buy food, etc. then try to make friends with locals. and then have them take you to interesting places on weekends. that way visiting those tourist places becomes a lot more relaxing because you don't have to worry about making the arrangements. the best way to testdrive this is when going on conferences. arrive a few days early, or stay a few days longer.

by zests 6y ago

technothrasher 6y ago

I have no idea what this lifestyle would actually bring. If anyone knows what it is like please share your experiences. https://www.amazon.com/Road-Jack-Kerouac/dp/0140283293 https://www.amazon.com/Road-Jack-Kerouac/dp/0140283293

xyzwave 6y ago
The only people for me are the mad ones...
selimthegrim 6y ago
Or for a slightly more positive take on the South than that book https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Across-America-Peter-Jenkins/dp/006095955X https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Across-America-Peter-Jenkins/dp/...

mikekchar 6y ago

Focussing and getting your work done is virtually impossible if you are travelling every day. It's just too tiring, and everyone needs a little routine in their day. I'm probably as much as a digital nomad as anyone (I usually travel 1 week out of 4 and work on the road a lot), but I limit myself to mostly going to places I already know well and where I can plan my day. The company where I work used to be fairly OK with people going off for 6 months at a time and doing a travel work thing. Almost without exception, the person travelling did not do a good job at work at all. I have one colleague who was quite successful at it, but he always worked that way (I don't think he even has a desk at home -- he just works in random places every day). But he also works probably 12 hours a day and at really strange times. So if he can't get good internet access somewhere, or he runs out of batteries, or if he has to move somewhere, he's completely used to it. If you seriously want to do it, I recommend living that lifestyle for a couple of years without traveling so that you get really good at it. Then add the traveling. Most of the people I know who have done this have really enjoyed the traveling but would not couple it with work again. It's really putting your life in hard mode.

em-bee 6y ago
one thing i do is to not expect to work fulltime. at least initially. 4 hours a day max, travel days are not work days. stay longer in one place than you would when just visiting. if you'd visit a place for a weekend, stay at least for a week. if you'd visit for a week, stay s month or more.

em-bee 6y ago

it depends on what is your goal in travelling. if it is visiting nice places, you'll still need vacation time for that. if it is to experience living in a country, then you can do it while working. rent an airbnb full apartment, not just a room. make sure it has a fridge, a washing machine, a working desk and internet for weeks at a time. do not bother travelling on weekends to visit tourist places, but rather seek out local places to relax. (whatever helps you relax, may be different from person to person) the first days when i arrive in a new place is to check out the local shops, figure out where i can buy food, etc. then try to make friends with locals. and then have them take you to interesting places on weekends. that way visiting those tourist places becomes a lot more relaxing because you don't have to worry about making the arrangements. the best way to testdrive this is when going on conferences. arrive a few days early, or stay a few days longer.