5 Tips to Become a Successful Digital Nomad in 2023 October 3, 2022
Becoming a digital nomad can be a rewarding way to gain the experience of living abroad. Still, most people fail to take the time and effort necessary to become successful in their new lifestyle. A successful digital nomad will have to be highly self-motivated, have excellent work habits, and be creative and flexible. Here are our top 5 tips for becoming a successful digital nomad in 2023.
1. Make a plan and stick with it. #
If you’re thinking about becoming a digital nomad in 2023, it’s important to prepare yourself for what this really means — living abroad in a different country with its culture and traditions, the visa and travel requirements, the general expenses of housing and living, if you already have a job or being a freelancer or even entrepreneur, how are you going to balance life and work, and so much more.
First, you must make sure about the making money situation. Are you leaving alone abroad you want to make sure you can actually afford it? Or do you have some savings set aside for such an occasion? If you’re currently working, maybe there’s a way within the company you work for to fully switch to work-from-home, and if you’re already working remotely then you’re set!
You can be a freelancer and work remotely for marketing and virtual assistance services, as well as many other job positions remote companies post on their websites, LinkedIn, and many other remote sites for people on the hunt. Take into account that not because there’s an open position that benefits your interests, means you’re a fit for the job. Your abilities, skills, and experience are a huge part, you do not want to lie, stress, and suffer because you lied while traveling and having new life experiences. If there’s an open position that interests you but you know not much about, you can always learn new skills and take online courses if you want something new.
Second, research visa requirements in your country of choice. Is there any special paperwork needed for your visa/residence permit? If so, be ready! If you’re considering taking your pet(s) with you, don’t forget to also research their travel permits and necessities in your new home(s).
Last but not least, start preparing your personal stuff that will accompany you while living abroad! This means clothes, safety gadgets, personal documents, and anything else you might find essential. Remember, as a digital nomad you’ll be constantly moving and traveling anywhere you want to, so be prepared with all those things you can only take from home and other materials things you will be able to acquire as you travel.
2. Learn how to use the latest technologies. #
Becoming a digital nomad in 2023 is a great experience. It gives you the opportunity to travel and work from anywhere in the world, so you can be anywhere at any time. But it's not quite as simple as just packing your bags and hitting the road.
You need to make sure that you're prepared for any situation that might come up, and that includes being aware of all the latest technologies available to you as a digital nomad. You need to learn how to use those technologies—what they are, what they do, and how they can help make your life easier while traveling or working remotely.
The digital nomad lifestyle has evolved, and so should your technology. The best thing to do is to be on top of your security. This means making sure you have a way of protecting yourself from hackers and other threats. You can use technologies for your Digital Nomad lifestyle, such as VPNs, encrypted emails with one-time passwords (OTP), and end-to-end encrypted platforms to communicate with your family and friends.
If your digital nomad lifestyle is going to be successful, you have to make sure that your information is secure and protected. There are some great resources available online, such as HelpYouFind.Me, which will help keep your most personal important information safe from hackers and identity thieves, with its end-to-end encryption policy that allows you to safely share in-real time updates and documents with only those you trust the most. Not even us will ever have access to your personal data.
Learn more about how you can protect yourself and your family with HelpYouFind.Me here.
3. Do your research about the places you’ll be staying at. #
Do your research about the places you'll be staying, but don't let that keep you from being flexible.
With a little bit of planning, you can find an incredible place to live just about anywhere. If you're going to be staying in a city or a neighborhood, it's important to know what parts of the city are safe and where criminals lurk. You should also consider what kind of people will be living around you: Are they friendly? Will they help others who need assistance? It's also important to think about how close the people in your neighborhood are—do they have any pets? Do they have kids? What happens if there's an emergency during the night?
It's always wise to take some time before moving abroad to do research on where you'll be living because this will help ensure your safety as well as give you an idea of what sort of lifestyle is best suited for you.
4. Create a community of other nomads who can support you. #
When embarking on this unique lifestyle, you must be aware that networking is one of the most important things you can do. There are many Digital Nomads Communities out there, whether you find them online, on Facebook Groups, or even by word of mouth.
Research and dig about each one of the communities; what are their main discussions, topics of interest, and any other relevant information that you might find useful to feel safe and accompanied, to then later decide and begin engaging with them, to feel comfortable and more in touch with those who have been having the nomadic lifestyle for a while, they will surely provide essential information, tips, and guides for you to enjoy to the fullest while being safe.
Also, be open to making new friends! More and more people are joining this lifestyle each year and numbers have increased since the COVID Pandemic, chances are most of the people you meet are just like you, with the same vision of living freely and securely. Take precautions of course, but don’t be too afraid to meet new people and make new friends.
5. Stay in touch with your family and friends back home. #
If you're a digital nomad, you'll want to keep in touch with your family and friends back home. But how? We've got some tips for you!
First, make sure that they know where you are and that you’re constantly talking about any major updates like house moving, any upcoming traveling plans, or anything else. This can be done by sending them an email or a text message every week or two. We highly recommend using HelpYouFind.Me in these scenarios, as it allows you to share any important updates and information with a selected group of people that you truly trust the most.
At HelpYouFind.Me you can rest easy knowing that you can post any upcoming trip details such as hotel reservations, flight itineraries, and other details that may be lifesaving. Here you can also save and share digital copies of those documents you can not be carrying around everywhere, like passports, IDs, licenses, personal photos, insurance, Social Security Card, and anything you can imagine.
If you’re ever feeling unsafe or just want to take the extra mile with your safety, you can text our HYFM Telegram Bot, to share your current location, photos, or any text-post updates who will instantly* share them onto the Friends Feed, for your loved ones, those you choose, to see.
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Keeping in touch with your family and friends is more important than you think, even more important when you’re far away from home, someplace new with a few (or none) people you know. They are the people that know you the most and those you could always trust and rely on.
You might be able to visit your hometown once or twice during your travels, but try to make sure you have at least one trip back home per year. It's not just about being able to see your loved ones, but also about being able to stay connected with them—and having support from your loved ones will make it easier for you to travel.
Ready to start your Digital Nomad Lifestyle? #
The benefits of working as a digital nomad far outweigh the hardships, but it will take some time before you have everything figured out properly. Set your expectations in the right place and be patient with yourself. Your path will be different than other digital nomads', but you can still enjoy success if you find the work that you love while making enough money to live on.
Our advice would be to try these tips out and see how they work for you. If you need more details on how to follow through with an idea, consult a friend or coworker with some experience in that area, or even consider joining digital nomads and travelers groups, chats, or conferences. The more you know in advance, the better prepared you should be to meet any challenges head-on!
Adriana Lopez
