Peek into Digital Nomad Lifestyle

I once heard about a digital nomad from an article I read a year ago. The concept is not entirely new since I’ve been a freelancer myself a few years back. However, digital nomad lifestyle seems quick to catch on with millennials.  The idea to travel while still making money on the side is really appealing, even for me.

I, too, sometimes imagining writing by the beach in Bali, or somewhere else other than the confinement of my workplace.

 Burnt by curiosity, I venture into the digital nomad lifestyle.

The first thing to consider is finding a real online job. I’ve signup on several websites including freelancer.com, playtestcloud.com, Appen, and a bunch others. Truthfully, trying to find jobs in these websites at first felt chaotic. A lot seems to happen at once, too many job posts, applicants, even bizarre requirements.

I decided to focus entirely on writing-related jobs since a decent research job is almost nonexistent – or maybe I’m looking in the wrong place?

At first, several job-posters asked me to move into Skype for further detail. I conformed to one of them and submitted several articles via Skype. For you who want to try getting an online job – DON’T do this. NEVER submit your work in a different platform than the original site, believe me, I’ve learned it in a hard way.

After a while, surprisingly, I’ve landed myself articles and social media writing gig, and for a quite decent amount of money too. They require me to interview some employees in their company, build a story, and publish them on their website and social media. I’ve met with them and I know where their office is, somehow it gave me a sense of security.

At the end of my first online job, they gave me a five-stars rating, which highly boosted my confidence. I regain my self-assurance and made me feel better amidst the third life crisis waves. Thinking back on it, it is kind of funny how such a digital rating can make a difference in your mood and feeling.

Not long after that, I’ve landed my second job which continued to the third, and so on until now.

However, the idea of digital nomad lifestyle is to have these online jobs as your main job. And frankly, with current condition, I cannot rely solely on online jobs. A quick calculation, to fully become a digital nomad, I will need at least eight decent-paying jobs in a month. Which makes the time amount needed is equal to – or more than – regular office job.

On a positive side, I do feel some degree of freedom. I can write anytime and anywhere I go, as long as I have an internet connection and my laptop.

Most of the articles I wrote in coffee shops, several while I waited for a meeting, another on a café by the beach. I plan to keep searching for online jobs because I found these jobs are a good distraction and the best way to improve my writing skills. Who knows, maybe someday I can take the leap and become a true digital nomad.

maybe someday I can take the leap and become a true digital nomad