The dream is to travel the world. The other dream is to be able to fully support that first dream by doing something you love.
At first glance, it might not seem like the easiest ask, but there are digital nomads out there who pull off both dreams easily and productively. If you’ve ever traveled through Chiang Mai or Berlin or Hong Kong, chances are you’ve either met a digital nomad or, at the very least, sat across from one at a coffee shop.
What is a Digital Nomad?
By definition, a digital nomad is someone who works remotely – usually in some kind of tech, marketing or communications job that only requires they work online – using their freedom of mobility to see the world. There are a lot of jobs you can do remotely, and you don’t have to wait for an employer to sanction your travels; starting your own business or website (like, for instance, selling Merino wool clothing to awesome people!) is a great way to open yourself up to the digital nomad lifestyle.
You could start your own blog, even making it about a certain aspect of your travels, like food or outdoor adventure. Once the blog receives a good amount of traffic, you can monetize your site through ads and further fund your travels, which in turn gives you more to blog about. It’s a perfect cycle. Or, maybe you know graphic design or are a writer – you can work freelance for companies who don’t necessarily need your physical presence. WIFI and Skype is often all you need to be a digital nomad.
It’s perfect for people who crave new experiences and don’t feel they owe allegiance to a single place. Whether you do it long term or short term is entirely up to you as well; it’s all about regaining control – of your work, of your life and of your decisions. Equipped with nothing more than a computer and a few choice clothing items, like jeans, some Merino wool boxer briefs and a good shirt, you can live as freely as you want.
How To Get Started As a Digital Nomad
There are lots of prominent digital nomads: authors of blogs and books, as well as entrepreneurs and influencers. Katie McKnoulty, who runs The Traveling Light website, and who’s been profiled by Forbes and other publications, is a big advocate for the lifestyle, having left her marketing job in Brisbane, Australia and freelancing as she traveled around the world. She documents it all through rich photography and posts about how to live well as a digital nomad.
We recommend that if you’re serious about taking up the lifestyle, you check out McKnoulty’s blog, as well as others, like Rob Lloyd’s aggressively titled Stop Having A Boring Life blog, or Eli David’s instructional Become Nomad blog.
Be sure to also check out Reddit's community of Digital Nomads for a rich community of like-minded travellers – and, if you want a service that takes all the planning out of the equation, We Roam will plan an entire year abroad while you get your bearings as a newly remote worker.
Living a nomadic lifestyle also means that you’ll be living a relatively pared down lifestyle. Since you’re living out of a backpack or small suitcase, you’ll need to think critically about your possessions.
Our latest Merino T shirts and boxers, are built with travelers and digital nomads in mind. All of our clothing is able to withstand various temperatures, is odour resistant, and anti-bacterial. That means they stay clean for a lengthy amount of time so you can minimize the amount of clothes you carry.
Whatever you choose to take with you, you can live freely, modestly and adventurously, traveling the world as a digital nomad.
