How To Use This Lockdown To Travel The World
Here we go again….The much-anticipated Lockdown Round 2 is here around the world, locking us all away for our own good. As a digital nomad whose travels are currently restricted to the grocery store and back, I’m personally re-evaluating how I want to spend my newfound time.
NOTE: Digital nomads are people who lead location independent lifestyles using technology to work 100% remotely.
At the beginning of the first lockdown, I felt like a deer in the headlights, incessantly reading the news and pondering the psychological complexities of The Tiger King. Now, I find myself determined to look at this Lockdown 2.0 as an opportunity I can leverage to create a better future life.
Though still just as depressing, strange, and anxiety-inducing as the first lockdown, this time the element of surprise has vanished. We’re all better prepared, better equipped, and potentially in a better place to make real progress toward our goals.
Before I dive into how YOU can make your goals of traveling the world full-time as a digital nomad a reality, I want to make one thing clear. Productivity should NOT be the main priority for those in lockdown. In the midst of this pandemic (and beyond), your mental and physical health should be your top focus.
However, if you’ve found yourself restless with extra time, if you’re not planning to sacrifice or neglect your self-care routine, and if you feel motivated to make your future the best it can possibly be by becoming a digital nomad in the coming years, read on.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE
This task on the digital nomad to-do list is the most important of all.
There are innumerable ways to earn money online. It may require you to take your work-from-home job to the next level by asking your boss to become a fully remote employee. It may require you to use skills you already have to start picking up freelance jobs on the side. Or it might require you to take online courses and dive in headfirst to a new career field. The first step is finding out which path is right for you.
MAKE YOUR JOB REMOTE…
The first route requires the least amount of effort, but it does require that you already have a position where it is possible to work remotely. Fortunately, if you do have a digital nomad friendly career, it has probably never been easier to negotiate a transition into a fully remote role than it is at this very moment. With so many roles going temporarily remote this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ll likely have solid success metrics and evidence of your productivity in an online environment. Consider compiling that evidence now so that when the time is right, you can present your case to your boss to make the jump to hyperspace remote work. Or casually bring up the idea with your boss or office HR person to test the digital waters.
…OR FIND A NEW ONE
The remote job market is nearly infinite. The downside to applying to these jobs is that you aren’t just competing with people in your city or county. You’re competing with people around the world. But the key to securing a remote position is the one thing you actually have a ton of right now: time. Be patient, keep submitting applications and sending LinkedIn messages, and the right role will come to you.
What are the best platforms for finding these mythical computer jobs?
If you can afford the subscription cost, I recommend using FlexJobs. (Hot Tip: There’s a Honey discount available if you use their online service!) FlexJobs thoroughly vets remote positions across the internet and compiles them on their site. Why does this matter? With online jobs, you run into the possibility of being scammed or the job poster being less than truthful with you about the in’s and out’s of the role. With FlexJobs, you’re basically buying insurance that could save you time and money in the end.
If money is tight or you’re not willing to pay for a subscription service, I would highly recommend a deep dive into digital nomad, remote job, and freelance Facebook groups. I’ve been surprised at how many people post remote jobs on these groups that you can’t find elsewhere on the internet. Just make sure you’re always wary of potential scams though.
Remote.co, We Work Remotely, Indeed, LinkedIn, Upwork, and Fiverr are good alternative options for finding remote jobs. Honestly, I recommend you regularly check all or most of these sites to stay up-to-date.
Don’t feel like there’s any remote position out there is right for you? Why not start researching ways you could start your own business or build passive income streams instead? Affiliate marketing, creating an online course, investing in rental properties — all of these are excellent ways to eventually earn money while you sleep.
When it comes to making money online, your options are truly as infinite as the World Wide Web.
LEARN A NEW DIGITAL SKILL OR HONE ONE YOU HAVE
Udemy, Skillshare, CodeAcademy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, even YouTube and TikTok — all of these are great resources for learning.
Other than YouTube and TikTok, I’ve personally used Skillshare and LinkedIn Learning and would recommend both. Skillshare is amazing for creative endeavors while LinkedIn Learning has the added benefit of displaying your certifications right on your LinkedIn profile for recruiters to see. Some companies even offer free LinkedIn Learning subscriptions to their employees. So if you’re currently employed, check to see if yours does before you pay!
A list of potential digital skills you could learn or sharpen are:
- Copywriting
- Graphic Design
- Computer Programming
- Website Design
- Virtual Assistance
- Social Media Marketing
- Tutoring
- Bookkeeping
- Content Creation
- Video Editing
- Customer Service
- Consulting
- Blogging/Writing
The sooner you get started, the better. Because if you start building income streams or sending out job applications now, you’ll be earning your money completely online by next year. To become location independent, remember that you’ll first need to become financially independent.
JOIN THE DIGITAL NOMAD COMMUNITY
There are so many ways to plug in to the digital nomad community right now, from wherever you are. And that’s because, well, we’re a pretty plugged in bunch! I’d recommend that you:
- Join Facebook Groups
Joining Facebook groups is a fantastic way to connect with other like-minded digital nomads. A few of my favorites are Badass Digital Nomads, Global Digital Nomad Network, Digital Nomads Around The World. You can also get really niche: there are groups specifically for women, vegans, whatever you’re into.
- Follow Nomad Influencers
From bloggers to YouTubers to podcast hosts to TikTokers to Instagrammers, you’ll feel much more connected if your feed is full of other travelers. Following, subscribing, and listening will help you plug in while you also learn about all the different aspects of the digital nomad community. You can even reach out to those people online with any questions you have about the lifestyle. Most people in the community would be happy to help an aspiring digital nomad out!
- Get In On A Meetup
If you really want to get integrated, you could even use Meetup to join a virtual meetup happening somewhere else in the world. Video chatting with other digital nomads who are “on the road” can help you get more information about the current travel situation.
BUILD STRONG HABITS AND ROUTINES
Start building good habits and routines now while you have time and energy. When you’re working remotely or for yourself, there’s no one standing behind you making sure you’re staying on task. This is 100% a blessing and 100% a curse. When you’re traveling, living in different apartments, constantly adjusting to new surroundings, you’d be surprised at how much a solid routine can keep you anchored. Exercising, meditating, journaling, reading, eating healthy — those are great habits you want to start incorporating into your day now.
BUILD YOUR SAVINGS
Tucking money away now will directly benefit your digital nomad lifestyle in the future. Any safety net you build will be oh-so-worthwhile in the chaos of a transient life. So whatever money you can put away, do it!
Clean out your home and sell anything you won’t need or use anymore when you hit the road. Cut ties with those extra expenses you won’t be using when you’re traveling the world. If we’re being honest, it’s probably time to let that local gym membership go anyway.
You could even start to budget for your future lifestyle, factoring in medical and travel insurance, monthly tech costs, etc. to see how much you’ll need to live realistically yet comfortably.
Rather than saving for a rainy day, think of it as saving for the many sunnier days ahead.
LIST OUT YOUR TOP DESTINATIONS
Now for the fun part: create your dream list of top destinations around the world. Nomad List is a fantastic resource for finding great cities that have everything nomads need, but you can also just use Airbnb or Coliving.com to peruse accommodations to your heart’s delight. Have fun with this part! Keeping the dream and passion alive is all too important, and easily forgotten in the mess of other practical to-do’s.
IN CONCLUSION…
There are a million excuses to prevent you from truly taking the steps to gaining a location independent lifestyle. The biggest one? Fear of actually taking the plunge and changing your life. But now could be the perfect time to methodically start taking steps toward giving yourself a better, brighter future as a digital nomad.
2021 and beyond are shaping up to become a record-breaking era of travel. Make sure you’re ready for it.
The Nomad Nerd is here to help you start living as your authentic, travel nerd self by ditching your 9–5 for a lifetime of adventure!
My name is Claudia and I’m a Gen Z Digital Nomad & Writer of https://www.thenomadnerd.com/.
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