In recent years, a buzz has surrounded the idea of the digital nomad lifestyle. It not only promises them freedom and adventure, but it provides an opportunity for them to work remotely. For many of these people, this dream has just become a path to clanciness and loneliness. Corina, a former digital nomad originally from Australia, poignantly captures this tension. As she looks back on the path that brought her here, she finds herself second guessing her decisions. Her experience is more timely than ever, as the population of digital nomads continues to grow around the world.
In 2022, Corina continued to work fully remote for a tech startup. She collaborated with her partner as they journeyed across Europe, Asia, and the United States. After a while, she started to feel stalked by the question, “What the hell am I doing?” This internal conflict was not unique to her. Matt, a 25-year-old British writer and part-time global nomad since 2019, voiced the same feelings. After having been in 12 countries over the course of only 90 days, he experienced a deep sense of loneliness. Exhaustion quickly became a part of his two-year journey.
“I didn’t feel successful; I felt lonely and exhausted. I wanted to go and explore, but I just didn’t have the energy,” – Matt.
Underneath the pretty pictures Caterina, a project manager from Italy, discovered a set of difficulties while leading the nomadic life. After four years of residing in Airbnbs, she and her partner have recently signed a lease on an apartment in New York. This decision followed a year of weighing the importance of stability against their ever-flowing mobility. One of the biggest trends that digital nomads are catching on to. They realize just how much never being anchored to one place hurts their quality of life.
The increase in the digital nomad population in recent years is a direct result of the transformation of work culture. A lot of people are romantically attracted to the idea of doing knowledge work from beautiful beaches, but the truth is much more painful than that. That was the conclusion of a recent study by the University of Groningen in the Netherlands on the effects of a nomadic lifestyle. Living this way long term can irrevocably change a person’s life trajectory. Increased health problems and emotional turmoil just scratched the surface of a prevalent undercurrent among everyone who has adopted this new lifestyle.
Like Emily Bratt, many find that the joy of travel continues to be inspiring and rewarding. Emily captured a stunning moment climbing a volcano in Bali at sunrise and stated:
“I don’t regret a second of my travels.”
Her optimism is a world apart from Matt’s mournful musings on his own life as a nomad. He previously described his time on the Hill as a “total wash,” disconnected and cut off from any substantive engagement or relationship.
Corina’s journey is a powerful illustration of the paradox that is the digital nomad life. She proceeded to spend two years in Japan, then a year in Australia. When she did return to England, the lack of clarity about her future was an enormous burden. At first, she thought that forcing him back to an office would be like “caging a wild animal.” But she found that the predictability of a 9-to-5 gig offered her a sense of calm she had not anticipated.
“Ironically, having a job has given me a break,” – Corina.
Corina’s epiphany speaks to the deeper challenge of balancing our work lives and our personal fulfillment. While the frenetic pace can be thrilling, the non-stop travel allows time to reflect on whether you are doing what you love and are truly happy.
As digital nomads navigate their unique journeys, they often find themselves grappling with fundamental questions about time and self-identity. Corina reflected on her struggles with time management while living on the move:
“When do I actually have my own time?” – Corina.
Her observations are a call to arms that ring true to anyone who feels the impact of lost personal time as they juggle constant travel and competing schedules.
As the tales of Corina, Caterina, Matt, and many others highlight, there’s a much more complicated picture behind the booming digital nomad lifestyle. Others experience soul-deep inspiration from the simple beauty found in nature. Others long for security and a place to call home. Eloise, a 38-year-old French national, explores the nightlife of various cities with fervor. She knows that most nomads don’t venture off the beaten path too far and end up working in familiar locations like Starbucks.