Digital Nomads of the 21st Century
Nomadic People
The term nomads was first heard in the early years of civilization as groups of people or communities who move from place to place instead of setting down in one. Unlike migration, major and permanent move from one location to another, nomadic people annually and occasionally return to their original locations. Nomads would usually be hunter-gatherers, pastoral or those who raise herds and peripatetic or those who offer trade wherever they go.
Since then, they have evolved.
Societal developments caused a change in their lifestyle and nomadism have then become a minority lifestyle. But for this young generation, a new kind of nomads have developed, instilled in them is the same culture of moving from one location to another in order to make a living.
Digital Nomads
Defined by Wikipedia as individuals who use telecommunication technologies to earn a living and, more generally, conduct their life in a nomadic manner, "Digital Nomads" are those who work remotely from home, coffee shop and public libraries to accomplish tasks and goals that takes place in a single, stationary workplace, traditionally.
More and more people want to break away from the 9-to-5 working hours and be able to go on an adventure. This generation’s workforce see freedom as the ability to travel the world while being able to live and work from anywhere – the ultimate goal.
Digital nomads are distinct in a sense that they are not solely about changing location constantly but rather wants to rid of the restrictions, time and place give when it comes to their working environment.
Versatility
With the objectives of developing professionally in their chosen industry and having the freedom to travel aimlessly, digital nomads practice versatility and mobility. It is necessary for them to have the ability to work anywhere in the world and to be able to transfer from one place or another. Nomads could be sipping coffee at a nearby Starbucks as they work, be in France the next day and still earn.
Finding a temporary office equipped with all the facilities an office can offer – stable internet connection to be more specific – in a foreign country is so much easier than one could imagine. As the numbers of remote workers grow, coworking spaces rose. Coworking spaces are workplaces that you can rent for temporary use. First seen in the US, the sudden boom of the market resulted to several communal areas located globally.
Reaching a middle ground between cozy coffee shop and functional office, coworking spaces offer not just coffee and internet, it comes with desks and even meeting rooms. They are membership based workplaces and some providers even allow members access to their other sites in different locations. Depending on the nature of your business, you can choose from staying in coffee shops or renting a desk in a coworking facility for a couple of days. Today’s technology allows young professional to have everything they need to work and operate right at their palms.
Digital nomads’ housing needs also differ from those of normal traveler. They often need something longer than what hotel terms offer but also need something shorter than what apartments offer. Air travels have been made easier and much cheaper as well. Their flexibility dictate cheaper costs. Though it seems like this is just a phase, experts says that they are here to stay. With such diverse community, this growing industry seems to be for everybody and yearly, more and more members of the workforce are becoming nomads.
Are you a digital nomad? Planning to be one? If you're looking for a place to work, we can introduce you to one!