My first weeks as a true digital nomad
A digital nomad is a person who works online while traveling. I’ve been working online for a few months now, but the true traveling part only started a few weeks ago. Right now, I’m heading into my third week here in Bali and after some initial homesickness, I am definitely falling in love with this island.
Taking the plunge to become a digital nomad
If you are new to this blog, let me give you a little background information. Last year, I decided I had enough of the 9-to-5 corporate world. I dragged myself through the workweek, only to realize the weekend was too short to recover. I longed for long vacations where I could finally do what I’d been putting off because I had no energy left after work, only to realize that the vacations were also too short and too far in between.
Something needed to change. I tried working fewer hours, but the amount of work and stress stayed the same. I couldn’t just stop working. I had bills to pay. So what other options did I have? Quite a lot apparently, as long as I was willing to think outside of the box and put in some hard work.
I had no problem with putting in the work, as long as the work was meaningful and going somewhere. My work as an ecologist was meaningful in the sense that I loved working with nature, but it wasn’t going anywhere, or at least not in the direction that I wanted it to go in. I wanted to reap the benefits from my hard work myself, and not my boss.
The obvious solution was to become my own boss. Finding out what skills I had that could be monetized took a bit of time, but I finally found my niche: writing and translating. I had no formal writing or language education, so it was an uphill battle to get myself established and earn those first good reviews. It wasn’t easy, but remember nothing is impossible if you really want it and put in the effort.
Financial implications of being a digital nomad
I started my online business while still being full-time employed. I got little sleep, but in this way, I kept the financial security of a steady paycheck while I explored the freelancing world. The disadvantage of this method is that I didn’t fully understand the financial responsibility of being self-employed.
I received my last paycheck at the end of February. From then on, I was responsible for my own income. I had set goals to prepare myself for this and I reached those goals before taking the plunge, but it turned out that I wasn’t as well prepared for the mental implications.
Building a business takes a lot of (unpaid) time and effort. I think I did a reasonable job in researching what to expect, but there are always unexpected expenses you didn’t account for, and when you are just starting out, those expenses can be a bit overwhelming if they don’t fit in your budget. I did set up an emergency fund for this kind of thing, so I’m not too worried about it.
On the other hand, you have your income. The reality of being self-employed is that you don’t have a guaranteed paycheck anymore. Some weeks I’m drowning in work, but there are other times when I can’t seem to land new clients. I must admit that this uncertainty is more difficult than I thought it would be, especially during the first half of the month. I have monthly goals to reach, and only after I’ve reached those goals I can relax. This means that I’m hustling extra hard at the beginning of the month and forget to live.
I’m confident this will get better in time and once I have got some more long-term clients who provide a steady stream of projects. Right now, it’s just something to muscle through.
The nomad part of being a digital nomad
The nomad part of being a digital nomad is without the best part. I get to work in exotic locations and enjoy sunshine all day, every day. The difficult part is to remind myself, and my friends and family, that I’m not here on vacation but to work.
Working somewhere and being on vacation are two very different things. If you’d follow me along on my day, you’d be surprised at how normal and boring it is. Just like you, I wake up and eat breakfast. Just like you, I get behind my laptop and start working. The difference is that I might have to turn on the AC a bit when it becomes too hot or that I have to go to a different coworking place if the Wi-Fi isn’t that great. After work, I get something to eat and sometimes take a plunge in the pool to end my day. Just like you, I end up binge-watching a new show on Netflix until it’s way too late and I should go to bed already.
I do have the advantage that I can take some spectacular day trips or mini-vacations if I can get over the financial responsibility of being self-employed. That’s still a delicate balance right now and being on a beautiful tropical island doesn’t change that. I’m sure I would have exactly the same doubts if I were still in Belgium. This is also the biggest difference between being a digital nomad and traveling the world. My main focus is building a business and if I got some spare time, I get to enjoy whatever country I’m in. As a world traveler, your priorities lie in seeing and doing as much as possible. You can devoid your entire day/week/month discovering all that your current country has to offer. I’ve found that this is a distinction many people don’t realize when you tell them you are a digital nomad. Work comes first.
That’s not to say I haven’t been enjoying Bali so far. Having a pool 3 meters outside of my room is perfect for me. I just close my laptop, change into my bathing suit, and plunge in. Bali, especially Canggu, is also known for its many coffee places and there’s never a shortage of new foods to try out like amazing cinnamon buns or fresh smoothies. Each time I take a short walk around this village, I’m surprised at new sights such as rice fields, temples, or beautiful sunsets.
