Work and Travel as a Digital Nomad

For many people, the dream of traveling while they work seems like an impossible fantasy.

But, in fact, the digital nomad lifestyle – or working and traveling at the same time – is a reality that you can make into your own. With the right skills, focus, and time management strategies, you can carve out enough time to travel and earn money at the same time, just as other digital nomads do!

To help you get started on your journey into the wonderful world of work and travel, here are some tips from fellow digital nomads about how to be successful with this new lifestyle.

What it means to be a digital nomad

Digital nomads are not just workers—they’re travelers with an entrepreneurial spirit. Similar to traditional nomads who move from place to place, digital nomads don’t have a permanent home, but rather choose where they live based on their work.

A digital nomad is an individual who works primarily from home via the internet, leveraging technology to earn income and develop their career while living in various countries around the world.

Unlike traditional nomads, however, these employees aren’t bound by location or tied down by long-term leases—instead, they leverage technology to be productive from anywhere in the world.

These days, with the internet widely available in even the most remote parts of the globe, more and more people are turning their passion into their profession as digital nomads.

For those who are considering becoming a digital nomad, there are plenty of great destinations to choose from where you can live comfortably on your earnings and enjoy the local culture of your host country at the same time.

Working While Traveling - The Basics

Living abroad is great, but it can be hard to find work when you’re not from that country.

Plus, it’s tough to save up for your next trip if you’re working overseas.

Luckily, you don’t have to give up on travel just because you want a steady paycheck.

How much does it cost?

Before you embark on your journey, it’s important to have a good idea of how much your trip will cost. If you’re planning to travel for at least one year, you need an annual budget of roughly $3,400.

This number is based on living in Southeast Asia for an entire year—the region with some of the cheapest costs in terms of food, housing, transportation, and other necessities.

Key Elements for Working While Traveling

To make working and traveling possible, there are some key elements you should consider. Flexibility with work hours is one of these elements.

Traveling usually requires some flexibility since plans can change on short notice depending on where you go, how long you stay, etc.

So having an employer who is flexible with your work schedule may save you a lot of stress down the road. Additionally, having good internet connectivity while traveling will make it easier to get your work done while enjoying time off exploring new places.

The Most Popular Locations for Digital Nomads

Some locations seem to come up time and again in the discussion of digital nomads. Places like Ubud, Bali; Chiang Mai, Thailand, and even Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are very popular destinations—and it’s not hard to see why.

It is of course very dependent and dynamic and varies from person to person, also during these unstable times the travel restrictions that each country has should also be taken into consideration.

What Skills Do I Need?

The biggest skills you need are proficiency in at least one language (ideally English) and tech-savviness. Working remotely often involves using video-conferencing to work with your team, so you also need to be comfortable speaking on camera.

If you don’t know what skills you’ll need, it can be difficult to build a well-rounded resume. Luckily, there are countless resources available to help you figure out what your skillset is. The first step is to understand that every job requires both hard skills and soft skills.

Anything that can be done online, remotely, can be a great way to make money and Luckily, there are many remote-working options available for digital nomads.

For example - translation and localization, customer service, design, programming, website promotion and development, social media management, content writing, and this is just the beginning!

Tripsguard is a full remotely workplace, one of our top values and company culture is work-life balance and diversity!

We are always searching for new members to join our team!

Check out our LinkedIn page for job opportunities!