Digital What?!

First things first, what is a digital nomad? Well it’s a phrase coined to describe the ever-growing number of people who work from their laptops, not an office, and who do this wherever they are in the world.

Bloggers are digital nomads. Many entrepreneurs or creatives are. In fact more and more professions are moving towards this way of working. Next time you go to a coffee shop, look around you. There are digital nomads there.

Obviously you may find yourself working from your laptop at any age but with our technology skills and increasing competition in the traditional job market, its highly likely you’ll find yourself working this way, either instead of university, or after you graduate.

As someone with an interest in pursing journalism, and with a passion for blogging, working in this way is something that I’m really interested in. Journalism is changing and traditional media outlets and newspapers are being replaced with blogs and freelance submissions. The office is dying. The same applies to many other careers. Look at web designers, online english teachers or traders as a couple of examples.

So is this way of working suited to you? Here are a few things to bear in mind.

• There are plenty of advantages to this way of working. The first is the freedom that being a digital nomad gives you. You can work from anywhere in the world. If you love travelling then finding a way to move about, while making money may be ideal. You also are likely to be your own boss. That means you set your own hours and your own rules. Working from your laptop means you have to be a pretty self motivated character. If you want to make money, you have to make sure you put the work in, but surely it takes the edge off that Monday feeling if you’re working from the beach?
• Of course there are plenty of cons to consider too. It takes a special type of person to be able to work this way, particularly if you’re younger. The primary thing you have to bear in mind is loneliness. How good are you with your own company? Do you have a wide network of friends anyway? We’re social creatures and working from your laptop means its harder to meet people. When I travel, I’m usually surrounded by people, but sometimes at home, when all my friends are at uni, I feel a little isolated.

Being a young digital nomad doesn’t have to be this black and White. Increasingly people are striving for a balance between an office and a nomadic lifestyle. This may mean that you work in an office for a couple of days a week, then from home the next. You may disappear for months on end, submit work back home, then come back to the office for a bit. You may travel but have constant interaction via conference calls or Skype meetings. There are endless way to make this work for you and your career.

So whether you’re thinking about the next few months, or the next few years, think outside of the box when it comes to your career. Thanks to technology, your office doesn’t have to have four walls.  Find a job that works for you.