Does working and traveling at the same time sound like a dream to you? Here's the truth.
So, what are the realities of being a digital nomad? After eighteen months of being in that world, I believe it's an experience worth having, even though there were times the reality differed a little bit from what I thought it would be.
Back home in Montreal, the perception of being a digital nomad almost seems like a never-ending holiday. I've had friends joke with me that I was always on vacation, or tell me I was lucky to find companies who didn't mind me working near the beach.
From 2022 to 2023, I was a part-time digital nomad, dividing my time from Canada and Mexico on-and-off, working as a freelance copywriter. I'd work for big and small companies on their content strategy, allowing me flexibility to work from where I wanted.
Plus, I was able to escape the harsh winters of Canada to work at a Mexican beach town like Playa Del Carmen or Cozumel.
The impetus to take a chance was strong: I already had a group of friends digital nomad-ing in Quintana Roo, one of Mexico's states. I rationalized, it was better to be in Playa Del Carmen than stuck in my apartment. I've also grown to enjoy the work-life balance I got from remote work.
It is possible to be good at your job anywhere if you're organized and disciplined enough.
Being a digital nomad does not mean you're always on vacation.
The first place I landed as a digital nomad Playa Del Carmen. In 2022, the pandemic was still relevant and almost everyone I met was a digital nomad of some kind.
I arrived on a Friday evening, so I was able to relax like I was on holiday. But once Monday morning arrived, just two days later, I was back in the remote office.
Sure, it was amazing to spend the weekends hanging out on the beach with friends, eating tacos, and immersing myself in my new beachside community. Yet reality hit me during the week in Mexico just as it would have in Canada.
Besides adapting to the time zone, I also did laundry, went grocery shopping, and adopted a new café to get my caffeine fix before my work day began.
Better yet, I even found a coworking space in Playa Del Carmen where I met several people in my position. (Since there were expats and remote workers everywhere, it wasn't hard to be tipped off to places like Nest Coworking where I could focus on important projects.)
Don't let Instagram photos and stories fool you: A digital nomad life, if you're away from home long enough, has as much routine and normalcy as any other lifestyle.
Can't escape the Zooms. (Yan Krukau/ Pexels)
Not all digital nomads are creative freelancers.
Granted, I had a great run as a freelance copywriter before the pandemic ended. I worked on brands like Audi, where I moonlighted as an email marketer and often wrote copy on behalf of social media influencers, designed web copy, and more.
But not all digital nomads are the same. I've met people who were full-time employees for a variety of companies. They spanned engineers, marketers, salespeople, and even CEOs of companies that went temporarily remote due to the pandemic.
They were taking advantage of the opportunity, and relocated, until they could and had to return to the office.
Remote employees are as professional as someone in a traditional office.
This is the biggest misconception I've experienced. As I mentioned, working remotely is still, you know, work, and professionalism is important no matter what kind of job you have.
If I put out one or two Instagram stories, I'd always get at least one friend or family member questioning my "dedication." In reality, a photo of the "sunrise", for example, only defines ten seconds of my entire day.
In my eighteen months of working on and off in Mexico, the coworking spaces were never empty. Some people there were even dressed in suits, despite the hot weather in Mexico year-round.
Not exactly a vacation energy at all! Similarly to me, they all took pride in their work and served their clients and employers as well as those in a traditional office.
Thankfully, Saturday mornings were usually our beach days.
Digital nomadism has its ups and downs, like anything else in life.
Even at the hostel. (Helena Lopes/ Pexels)
The world has changed a lot since I first got to Mexico in 2022. Now, the pandemic is behind us (thank God!), and it's not as easy to find remote jobs anymore.
Don't get me wrong, I am comfortable in my new hybrid marketing role, but I also find there isn't much of a difference between being a good in-office employee or remote.
Being a digital nomad taught me a lot about work-life balance that I believe anyone can learn from. For instance, there's no reason to be married to your job 100% of the time. Having interests outside the 9-5 grind made me happier and more focused at work.
Primarily, I realized you don't have to wait until retirement to see the world. Through a good company and careful planning, travel can be a priority whether you work remotely or work in-office. It allowed me to see things outside the traditional two-weeks off.
Personally, I'd rather walk to the beach once 5:00 pm hits than sit on the couch to watch Netflix sitcoms. I'd prefer being in an environment where I'm always meeting someone new, as opposed to always seeing the same faces in my hometown.
I do realize there are benefits of a traditional office setting, such as bonding with co-workers and building a normal routine. Ultimately, it depends who you are and what you need in a company or career path.
Despite the ups and downs, I'd be open to working remotely full-time again if the opportunity presented itself. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
