In the Cascade Mountains of Southern Oregon, there sits a volcano with no peak. But what takes the place of a billowing summit isn\u2019t a barren crater — it\u2019s an electric blue lake, surrounded by pine trees and the jagged remains of the volcano\u2019s collapsed mouth, which crumbled during an eruption almost 8,000 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This place is called Crater Lake. It\u2019s considered one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States. It\u2019s also where Justin Champion, a Content Professor at HubSpot Academy, spent his work day last Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A striking landscape, like Crater Lake, is a normal office view for Justin and his wife, Ariele<\/a>. After working in the National Park, they headed north to Portland and spent a day in Mt. Hood. Then, they drove through Redwood National Park. And next week, they plan to work in Yosemite National Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Justin and his wife have been living, working, and traveling across America in a Ford F-250 with an Airstream trailer hitched to its back for the past two years. And their alternative lifestyle has helped them prioritize life experiences and close connections over material possessions. They\u2019re modern day nomads. Or what most people call digital nomads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is a Digital Nomad?<\/strong><\/p>Digital nomads are remote workers who usually travel to different locations. They often work in coffee shops, co-working spaces, or public libraries, relying on devices with wireless internet capabilities like smart phones and mobile hotspots to do their work wherever they want.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n With 34% of remote employees working 4-5 days a week out of the office<\/a>, the digital nomad lifestyle could be an exciting possibility if you\u2019ve caught the travel bug and want to break free from the shackles of 9-5 life. Below, we\u2019ll cover the benefits, job opportunities, and realities of this alternative lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s find out if it\u2019s the right fit for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no time to waste when you travel to gorgeous places almost every day. Exploring your new surroundings will motivate you to get your work done as soon as possible. Adventure can be one of the best types of motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creativity happens when you mash seemingly unrelated concepts together to form a new idea. Neuroscientists call this synaptic play<\/a>, and the more incongruent the concepts are, the more synapses occur in your brain. Working in a different place everyday gives you a lot of diverse experiences that you call pull from to make these creative connections. And when your brain is chock full of these diverse inputs, your ideas are much more inventive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Constantly traveling to new places pushes you out of your comfort zone. And to adapt to new environments everyday, you need to be willing to engage with different people and cultures. This makes you more open to new experiences in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traveling also improves your brain\u2019s reaction to change<\/a>. When you travel, the stress of navigating a foreign place sprouts dendrites in your brain. These dangling extensions increase your brain\u2019s capacity and attentiveness during new and challenging situations in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a nutshell, traveling strengthens your desire and ability to learn new skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though work can be great, we still work to live, not the other way around. Finishing work faster gives you more time in your schedule to explore your surroundings, do the things you\u2019re passionate about, and spend more time with loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adventure and memorable experiences forge close connections between people. When you embark on your journey, you\u2019ll meet other digital nomads and become friends with them. And if you travel with a friend or significant other, your relationship will be closer than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, most companies embrace remote work. 43% of American employees spent time working remote last year<\/a>, and this number will only increase. But being a digital nomad and working a few days at home are two different animals. If you want to keep your day job while traveling, you need to prove to your manager that you can handle full-time remote work before you can do work on the road. Justin Champion decided to work remotely for six months before he even asked to travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for job, sift through sites that only list remote jobs, like We Work Remotely<\/a> or Remote.co<\/a>, and ask prospective employers if the role lends itself to your nomadic lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Freelancing is also a common role for digital nomads. Before you embark on your journey, though, you must be realistic with yourself. How will you be able to make a living? Answer the following questions to help you figure this out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you know how you\u2019ll be able to make money, you can enter the gig economy by marketing and selling your services on your own, or finding work on a freelance service marketplace like Upwork<\/a> or Fiverr<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you chose to work for a company or yourself, becoming a digital nomad doesn\u2019t mean pigeonholing yourself in a specific role. Your job just has to be fully digital. Listed below are some common roles that lend themselves well to a fully remote lifestyle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see, there\u2019s a lot of different industries and roles for digital nomads. Remote work is becoming commonplace, which is exciting and beneficial for the workforce. But that doesn\u2019t mean anyone and everyone should be a digital nomad. It\u2019s still a tough challenge. You need to be organized and disciplined, or you won\u2019t be able to enjoy your travels — which is the point of the lifestyle, right? So how do you set yourself up for success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Paying for things that don\u2019t greatly impact your life is never ideal. That\u2019s why you need to get rid of all the expenses that you won\u2019t need living as a digital nomad. Things like gym memberships, subscriptions, and debt are all expenses that\u2019ll bog you down on the road. And if you\u2019re a freelancer, they\u2019ll be even more of a burden because you might experience some periods of inconsistent income. Getting rid of these expenses and paying off debt will allow you to fully focus on your work and travels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever lifestyle you pursue, it\u2019s always smart to have safety net. You never know when an emergency will arise. This rings especially true when you\u2019re a digital nomad because you\u2019re mostly own your own. You can\u2019t find solace in a warm, comfortable home or family, and if you\u2019re freelancer, you don\u2019t have the luxury of a consistent paycheck. To widen your safety net, you should sell any unnecessary belongings, move the essentials into a storage unit, sell or rent your house, and save as much money as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Traveling can give you some of the best experiences in your life, but it not always a blissful, perpetual highlight reel. It\u2019s still real life. You\u2019ll get sick, have emergencies and accidents, and need regular checkups. You also need immunizations to enter certain parts of the world. Your health should be your number one priority during your travels, so make sure you buy a solid health insurance plan<\/a> that\u2019s valid in all the places you visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ample funds are the key to successful travel. American credit cards will usually charge you a fee if you use it abroad, so ask your bank for an international credit card. You should also sign up for credit monitoring services that\u2019ll alert you if anyone tries to steal your identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most countries have different cell phone carriers, so if you want to bounce from country to country, you need to call your current carrier and ask them to unlock your phone. You\u2019ll be able to use your phone in any country because you can put a different sim card in your phone from each international carrier you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you square these things away, it\u2019s time to start your new life on the road. But actually living life as a digital nomad is an entirely different ballgame than preparing to be one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a digital nomad, your budget should be your bible. And if you follow it, you can live quite comfortably. To create a successful budget, calculate your living expenditures, the cost of traveling to each destination, staying there, the activities you\u2019ll do there, the costs of working, and how it all affects your savings if you can\u2019t earn a salary for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you live abroad, It\u2019s crucial to have multiple backup plans in case of any emergencies. Nothing really ever works out the way it\u2019s supposed to. Things happen. What if your truck breaks down? Or what if you get stuck in a foreign country with no backup plan? What\u2019s your plan B and C? You need to set these processes in place to handle the inevitable bumps in the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Digital Nomad communities like Couchsurfing<\/a> and Nomadlist<\/a> will help you learn the nuances of the digital nomad lifestyle, and reduce its steep learning curve. Fellow nomads will be happy to answer any pressing questions about your new lifestyle and any areas you plan to visit. They\u2019ll also teach you how to work effectively on the road. And arguably the most beneficial perk of these communities is that you can connect with other traveling professionals, which can lead to new business opportunities, partnerships, and friendships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your employer lets you work remotely, show them and your team some respect by being available as much as possible online. Not having wifi or cell phone reception should never be an excuse for missing a meeting or failing to get an assignment done. The same goes for client work, if you\u2019re a freelancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make sure you\u2019ll always have internet connection, consider investing in a cell phone booster and a mobile hotspot mifi device. Cell phone boosters can detect the smallest shred of cell phone reception and send the signal to your vehicle. Mobile hotspot mifi devices strengthen your mobile hotspot service, so you don\u2019t have to rely on a spotty, public wifi connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing the language of the country you\u2019re going to or knowing that they speak your language is crucial for successful travel. Assuming that there has to be<\/em> someone who will understand English is a dangerous move. But if you must go to a place where you don\u2019t know the native language or they don\u2019t speak yours, use Google Translate or another translation app to navigate your new environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re not living in an RV, find affordable housing on AirBnB or Couchsurf before you arrive to your destination. And make sure your lodging is near a hospital, emergency room or clinic in case of an emergency. You should also research the area to find safe neighborhood to stay in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Airports are notorious for charging ridiculously high currency exchange fees. If you need cash, draw it from an ATM. Your bank will charge you a fee, but it\u2019ll be much lower than the one at the currency exchange desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If an adventurous lifestyle sounds appealing to you, then being a digital nomad can be one of the most rewarding yet challenging ways to live. But if you arm yourself with organization, discipline, and a thirst for learning, you could enjoy an exciting and fulfilling life on the road. Just ask Justin and Ariele Champion. They\u2019re living the\u00a0alternative\u00a0<\/em>American Dream. And they’ve never looked back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Originally published at Hubspot Blog<\/a> and written by <\/a>Pamela Bump<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/remote-work-stats<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the Cascade Mountains of Southern Oregon, there sits a volcano with no peak. But what takes the place of a billowing summit isn\u2019t a barren crater — it\u2019s an electric blue lake, surrounded by pine trees and the jagged remains of the volcano\u2019s collapsed mouth, which crumbled during an eruption almost 8,000 years ago. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,2,9,6,3,7,8,4],"tags":[18,21,22,20,23,16,19,11,14,13,17,12,10,15],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222\/revisions\/224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.remotebharat.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Living the Dream? 5 Benefits of Being a Digital Nomad<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
1. You\u2019ll be more productive.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. You\u2019ll have more breakthrough ideas.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. You\u2019ll become more adaptable.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. You\u2019ll have more time to do the things you love.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. You\u2019ll make lifelong friendships.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Common Jobs for Digital Nomads<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
How Do You Become a Digital Nomad? 5 Things to Consider Before You Get Started<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
1. Get rid of unnecessary expenses.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Make sure you have income you can rely on for months in advance.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Get travel health insurance.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. Set yourself up for financial success.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. If you travel internationally, unlock your phone.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
7 Tips for Living as a Digital Nomad<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
1. Make a budget.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Plan for the worst-scenario.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Join a digital nomad community.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
4. Make sure you have cell reception or wifi.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
5. Make sure you can communicate with locals.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
6. Research your destinations.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
7. Draw cash from ATMs.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Before you set off …<\/h4>\n\n\n\n