As technology has drastically changed and inspired all levels of growth in our society, it has also affected how people work across various industries.
It has led to the rise of digital nomads – people who earn a living working online and in several locations instead of a fixed one.
The term “digital nomad” comes from a book of the same name, written by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners and published in 1997. They predicted a future where the workforce would be trotting around the globe.
It is a working model that is particularly desirable among the younger generation, specifically Gen Z and millennials.
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The dream lifestyle
Many young people prefer to be digital nomads, as this lifestyle gives them the flexibility to work at favourable hours and to see the world. This lifestyle can help the worker become more creative.
Emmy award-winning creator of the NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, Evita Robinson said: “When we think about our parents, it was about getting into a job, getting that 401k and going up the corporate ladder.
“We’re really kind of blowing that ideology up in many ways because we aren’t waiting to retire to travel and see the world.”
A journalist and digital nomad, Marquita Harris added: “Now is the time in our history where we’ve had the most passports and we’ve had all of this access.
“Being a digital nomad has allowed me to travel deeper, to understand way more than I ever could when I would just take a vacation for four days somewhere. And I feel like I learned just so much from those experiences.”
The downsides of the trend of digital nomads
As liberating as it is to be a digital nomad, it also has some negative aspects.
In the United States alone, the number of digital nomads has doubled from 4.8 million in 2018 to 10.9 million in 2020, leading to overtourism.
Overtourism puts pressure on an area, as there are too many visitors – it reduces the quality of life and experience there.
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The covid-19 pandemic and its role in contributing to the rise in digital nomads
The coronavirus pandemic has also massively changed how we view our world. For the first time ever, globally, workers from all sectors and industries were instructed to work from home (with the exception of the media).
This move was made to control the spread of the coronavirus, which was deadly at the time.
Both employers and employees saw new possibilities, and work policies changed long after the virus was eradicated.
Although restrictions were lifted and people could return to the office – many chose not to.