Ok, I don’t really like the term – Digital Nomad – as it sounds a bit… pretentious. Maybe I can say – Location Independent – instead?
Either way, working without physical boundaries is no longer an impossible dream. With the rise of improved technology and WIFI around the world, there are many actually doing it.
I was a “digital nomad”, before the term first existed, back in 2007/ 2008. I ran an investment property consultancy from London, and was constantly traveling. I sometimes worked in offices, but mostly sat in Internet Cafes, which have now just become regular cafes.
I guess I still am a digital nomad. Even when I was the Marketing Manager for Console, my feet barely touched the ground, as I learned that in our mostly digital world we now all live in, customers craved seeing people face-to-face.
There are so many benefits of being Location Independent, for so many businesses. But old habits die really hard. 99% of businesses resist change. It doesn’t make sense, but it is what it is, for the moment.
Just think about it, REALLY REALLY talented employees, who are REALLY REALLY happy because they can work one week from Thailand, and the next week from Spain. Currently employers just let them go, and let them quit, without even trying to see the benefits of keeping them on.
Yes, times are slowly changing. SOME companies are starting to see the benefits of hiring and working with Digital Nomads.
I feel that this trend WILL continue, especially as the cost of international travel is the lowest it has been than any other time in history.
Life is short, too short to be sitting a cubicle day-in day-out, or even worse, sitting in an open-plan office where you really cannot get effective work done.
I look forward to connecting with and learning more about working and earning “location independent”. I will be sharing these blogs and other website resources here.
Fiona, I completely agree, this is the future of work!