"Digital nomad." A term thrown around on every corner and every Instagram profile. But what does it actually mean? Read carefully, because I'm about to spill the honest truth about all the wonderful and shadowy corners of this lifestyle.
We're talking about a person with a passion for long-term travel who isn't quite financially comfortable enough to do it without some steady income. And thank goodness for the digital age — today, everything is possible. You can find WiFi in the most remote corner of the world, and if not, you can buy a local SIM with internet for a few coins and share data directly to your laptop. And since I hear daily comments from people saying what a dream job I have — that I get to fly around the world and get paid for it — I decided to come clean about it publicly. And maybe even inspire those who suffer from the same uncontrollable nomadic urges as I do.
Yes, it's truly amazing. I wouldn't trade it for anything and I'm grateful from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity. BUT — like everything — nothing is purely rosy. Combining a travelling lifestyle with work can be quite a challenge. Imagine a situation where all your friends plan a great all-day trip and you... well, nothing — you have to stay and work. And quietly envy those lucky ones who don't have to deal with anything more serious than remembering their sunscreen and sunglasses, while a million client obligations are running through your head. Self-discipline is the greatest burden of nomads. The alpha and omega of successful functioning. Because believe me — every single day an opportunity arises to push work aside and go enjoy yourself. And when you have the most beautiful paradise around you, it's very hard to say no. Self-denial is the currency that, once a nomad learns to live with, means they've made it.
/ BALI: paradise for surfers & digital nomads
The popular site nomadlist.com ranked the Balinese area of Canggu the highest among the nomad community. This platform evaluates various aspects of the digital nomadic life, summarises them alongside user comments, and creates a ranking of top places where you, as a digital nomad, should thrive. And I have to say, first place is well deserved. This place looks as if it were created primarily for these purposes. Coworking spaces are everywhere here, as are stylish little cafés with fast WiFi — and outside of work, you can pop out for all kinds of physical activities at a very high level, including yoga, dance classes, and of course, surfing. From just €3/session you can rent a board, which combined with work duties makes for a perfect mental cleanse.
Working in the most beautiful office in the world can be absolutely wonderful, but sometimes also a little frustrating. Let me tell you about one specific example. On a beautiful February day (yes, even February days are beautiful in Bali), I naively sat down in the famous venue on the cliff in Uluwatu — Single Fin. A cliff above one of the most epic waves in the world. And off to work I went. Or at least that's what I thought. But almost the only thing running through my mind was the vision of throwing myself into the waves, how the pleasantly cool sea water would refresh me in that hellishly hot air, how the sun would tan my skin to chocolate. But no — I had to sit disciplined on a not-very-comfortable wooden chair surrounded by a crowd of tourists who had equally come to enjoy their fresh fruit smoothies. The chattering of excited Chinese tourists, too-loud music, an extremely persistent fly, and an unbelievable view are just a small sample of the distractions that can await you in this type of "office." But if you can rise above the disruptive elements in that moment, you get used to it over time — and maybe you'll even come to enjoy this kind of office. Though not every day is a holiday, right.
/ Working from the beach... or not?
"Those digital nomads — they're the ones who work from the beach, right?" ...No. A myth that spread largely thanks to social media, but is miles away from reality. High humidity, sand everywhere combined with the wind, and a weak signal make the beach one of the most inhospitable environments for quality work time — and your laptop won't thank you for it either. Repeated exposure to humid salty air with particles of dust and sand isn't kind to any electronics. But as they say, there's no accounting for taste, so go ahead and try it yourself — because I had to experience it firsthand despite warnings from colleagues in the industry. A popular choice for those working in the tropics is also the ever-present café scene, which you'll likely find on the #foodporn shots of lifestyle bloggers. The gastronomic and aesthetic experience goes without saying. One fresh watermelon juice (no plastic straw!) please, and let's get to work. I always recommend testing the WiFi first though, so you don't end up wasting your own data needlessly. Last but not least, I'd highlight coworking spaces. My almost daily refuge. And in Canggu there are several. As a true Slovak, I zeroed in on the free one. But I definitely didn't regret it. Matra coworking is on the third floor (making it one of the tallest buildings in Canggu, period) with a 360° view including the ocean. I personally love spacious and especially well-lit spaces, so Matra ticked all my boxes. WiFi was sold in packages like a consumable — from €2 to around €8/day. Meaning you'd eaten and drunk that money away and still got WiFi on top. Good deal. A slightly worse deal were the more classic coworking spaces, where you pay around $200 a month. Manageable for people with profitable businesses, but personally it seemed like too much to me, since I was paying nearly the same for accommodation. That said, in those coworkings, besides a permanent warm seat, you also gained a community of nomads with various businesses. And what's the best thing about communities? Networking. One word leads to another and you can meet not only new friends but also people who can advance you professionally. Specifically at Dojo and Outpost, regular events are organised — and most thankfully aren't members-only, so anyone can attend and learn. These talks cover various topics, but primarily focus on business development, online entrepreneurship, marketing, graphic design, and more. And since clients often need things sorted ASAP, constant internet access is simply a must-have. I'll also confess that it occasionally happened that I simply didn't plan my work far enough in advance — and since deadlines don't budge, I've found myself working from some very bizarre places: the deck of a ferry (more than once), an airport (which served as my temporary residence at the time), or routinely from a hostel full of people. Situations that bring you perilously close to the edge of your nerves — but when there's no other option in that moment, you adapt and tell yourself "challenge accepted."
/ Professions
If you're wondering what kind of occupations actually fall under the digital nomad umbrella, here's a quick overview. In principle, they can be divided into 3 categories: your own online business, remote work, and the well-known "freelancers." With an online business, you can classically sell your own products through websites, or via platforms like Amazon (dropshipping), selling services, e-books, online courses, membership-based sites, or blogs themselves. Some companies today already allow their employees to work remotely. Of course, if your job is dependent on what happens in an office, you won't get very far. But if you're an independent unit, or can connect with colleagues online and that's enough to achieve the desired result, you might qualify as a "remote worker." In Slovakia things tend to arrive a little later, so don't give up if your boss can't yet imagine this way of working. But if you don't want to wait, you can check out sites where job listings abound — and maybe your perfect role is waiting there for you. >>> remote.com >>> jobspresso.co >>> angel.co/jobs >>> and many others. The third category is the already-mentioned freelancers. And who belongs to this community of independent workers? Mostly people who offer their services through various platforms or other means, without being limited by their geographical location. >>> graphic designers >>> social media managers >>> copywriters >>> translators >>> writers >>> programmers >>> web developers >>> app and software developers >>> SEO/PPC specialists >>> photographers / videographers >>> virtual assistants >>> and many more.
If you have any further questions about digital nomadism, life in Bali, or any topic related to online marketing, graphic design, or websites — you know where to find us. :) Nikol Neštická @nikol.ness
