Love to travel? For many, traveling is not just an adventure; it’s a job. These digital nomads leverage technology to work remotely, living an independent lifestyle. But that doesn’t mean they don’t work. Because when work is fun, it doesn’t feel like a job. Read on for our guest blogger John Miller and his tips on how to survive on the road with these 5 “P” Skills of Digital Nomads.
Many people who love to travel dream of living the nomadic lifestyle. Working and living on the road while traveling the world or just choosing where to live and when. But how do these digital nomads do it? Here we explore what skills and attributes you need to survive as a digital nomad on the road.
5 “P” Skills of Digital Nomads
Table of Contents
1. Passion
To keep you motivated even at the worst of times requires a passion for what you do. Knowing what you love and what you truly want to do in life gives you the skills to succeed and fulfill that goal. And that’s how digital nomads survive on the road.
Really think hard about what you are passionate about. What excites you and gets you up in the morning? Being able to recall this passion when the going gets hard will pull you through. If you love what you do and what it enables you to achieve, then you have your dream job!
You will have your down days – as long as you know it will happen it’s easier to deal with. For example, you are jetlagged and have to edit lots of photos for a deadline or write an article which is due now! It doesn’t mean it isn’t working or you’ve lost your passion – people are entitled to have a bad day, remember that.
2. Purpose
Remember why you are doing what you are doing. Write down your purpose somewhere, in a journal, book or even on your phone. It will feel much more real in black and white and serves as a visual reminder of why you have started this journey.
There might be a certain sight you want to see like, a milestone you want to achieve or like so many travelers, a bucket list to check off. Bizarre tourist attractions might make your list, or maybe exploring the best ski resorts? Whatever your purpose, have it in mind when on the road to keep you focussed and on track.
On the road, a nomad skill is to be objective and keep your purpose and goal at the forefront. Learning to recall the reason you started in the first place will help you through and keep you positive.
3. Plan
You might think that life on the road is just drifting along, but it’s a bit more work than that. You need to plan ahead and have a rough travel plan. Even if it is month by month or year by year, having a plan will save you money and make the most of your time.
Where are you going to stay? Do you need to book house sitting in advance or are there any incentives for bloggers for future hotel stays? It pays to plan your travel ahead, just as much as your work.
Organization is key when living the life of a digital nomad. You need to plan your time well, deciding when and how you are going to work in your chosen destination. Think about things like on and offline working and where you will access WIFI and how secure it will be.
Planning your work and travel will make your life a lot easier, and that’s what being a nomad is all about right?
Great packing is another planning skill digital nomads possess. Using packing cubes is definitely the answer to keep your items organised while long term traveling. Take a look at this travel packing cubes review to help you choose the right ones for you.
4. Positivity
The power of positivity is often underrated. It’s easy to be positive when you are lying on a sun lounger on a tropical resort with a drink and your laptop. And life can really be that good. However, it’s difficult to be positive all of the time.
With a two-day storm and your internet out, you might begin to wonder why you set off on this journey in the first place. But it is important to stay positive, even in difficult times. Next time you are feeling down why not think about what a story this will make in the future or how you can learn from this experience.
Being mindful can help you to stay positive too and is a skill possessed by the avid and frequent traveler. Enjoying the moment and appreciating what you have can keep you happy and content. Enjoying a long soapy hot shower or savoring every bite of a delicious local dish are examples of how to be mindful on a small scale.
5.People
The people you meet and share your time with are the ones who make your world a better place. If you want to live a digital nomad life, you must be able to communicate effectively with people. Be that online or in person. It’s important to be able to sell yourself to potential clients and to get great travel deals too.
People around you will help to keep you positive too. If you are traveling long term as a couple you’ll learn how to pick each other up and enjoy your experiences together. Even if you are a solo traveler, there are many people you meet along the way who will inspire you and improve your travel experience.
For digital nomads, the skill is to listen and take on board other people’s advice, listen to their stories and to learn from their experiences with people. This is a special way to live the life of traveling on the road and to tell the stories of the people you meet.
Are you working and traveling the world?
More and more people are enjoying a mobile lifestyle as jobs are increasingly location independent. This means the number of digital nomads is higher than it has ever been and it is easier to enjoy a lifestyle that you once thought was just a dream.
Are you a digital nomad making your living whilst traveling? Or are you aspiring to make the change to mobile working, if so do you possess the skills required?
Guest Blogger John Miller is a travel enthusiast and blogger. You can check his blog at Pretravels.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter