In 2023, it feels like more men and women are embracing the digital nomad lifestyle than ever before. The prospect of living wherever you want and still earning a living is enticing, but unfortunately, there are many downsides. Here are the worst side effects of living the dream and being a digital nomad in today’s society!
1. You’re Far Away From Family
Far and away: the number one downside to living the digital nomad life is how far away you are from your loved ones back home. Whether you’re working from a tropical island or a small community in Eastern Europe (and everywhere in between), the distance between you and your family can often be too much to bear. In emergencies, nomads feel it the most; it’s not as easy as getting in your car and driving to your family if you need to be by their side!
2. Planning Is Near-impossible
When you’re living day to day and paycheck to paycheck, all long-term planning is far more challenging than you could ever imagine. For example, if you are invited to a wedding six months in the future, the logistical headaches begin! Even a simple event back home can turn your digital nomad lifestyle upside down; unfortunately, this leads to many people choosing not to accept plans in the future as there are too many uncertainties.
3. Lack of Stability
Unless you’re blessed with your dream job that guarantees a set income every month, the digital nomad life involves freelance work. As any freelancer will tell you, not only is fair pay hard enough to attain, but sometimes the work itself can disappear in the blink of an eye! This lack of financial stability can wreak havoc on even the most responsible and mature person’s headspace.
4. It Can Be Isolating
Not everyone handles being isolated well, and even the most experienced digital nomad confesses that sometimes, being alone so much leads to panic attacks and depression. When everyone you love and know is overseas or thousands of miles away, putting on a brave face and continuing to work diligently can be challenging. The feeling of isolation is one of the most common reasons nomads give for ending this lifestyle for good.
5. Others Will Judge You
As a digital nomad, I’ve heard it all. Questions like, “Do you even have a real job? You don’t make money, do you? Are you lazy?” are thrown at me regularly. Even my parents are unsure of what I do for a living, even though I’ve explained it to them approximately 1,000 times! Unfortunately, part of being a digital nomad is constantly pushing back on others’ misconceptions about your career.
6. It’s Stressful
The prospect of living the digital nomad life is intimidating, sometimes overwhelming, and definitely not for the faint of heart! These factors lead to constant stress for the typical digital nomad, which nobody welcomes in their life. To put it simply: It’s stressful. As a nomad, you only make as much money as the work you put into it, which puts the weight of your world directly on your shoulders (and laptop).
7. It’s Challenging To Achieve a Balanced Life
In many cases, being a digital nomad means your work-life balance is completely thrown off. When all you do is work, it can be challenging to turn off your “work-first” mentality, let loose, and have fun. If you’re anything like me, you will tend to feel guilty when you’re not working because you could use your all-important free time to make more money instead of spending it. It’s weird, I admit.
8. You Rely on Technology Too Much
If you think a typical person is addicted to technology in their daily lives while having an ordinary job, digital nomads take this to the extreme! When you’re living overseas and freelancing your heart out, you’re at the mercy of technology like never before. You’ll always need a charger for your devices. You’re constantly on the lookout for free, fast Wi-Fi connections. It never ends and ultimately adds to the stress mentioned earlier.
9. You’re Living for the Moment, Not the Future
When living the nomad life, you lose sight of your future, as sad as that sounds! Every day you work is essential to your well-being, and any day off can mean your financial future could be jeopardized. After all, it’s all about meeting quotas and making as much money as possible. Aspirations for a fantastic future are put on hold as you realize you’re living for the moment with everything you do.
10. You’ll Face Burnout
Inevitably, even the most experienced and successful digital nomads face severe burnout. Sadly, it’s par for the course. There will be countless days when you don’t want to work, but you have to power through, or else you can count your cushy job goodbye! While experiencing burnout is always possible, only the most disciplined and mature nomads can make it through to the other side unscathed.
Source: Reddit
