“You are so lucky, I wish I had that freedom” –

If you are what we call a Digital Nomad, you have probably heard people around you say this once or twice before.

Working from “absolutely” anywhere.

Well, there is some truth in this. But like everything else in life, there are pros and cons.
In the past few years, the concept of digital nomadism has been praised to the skies almost as the ultimate lifestyle. Social media platforms have helped glorify the idea of working from anywhere and everywhere, mostly from empty white sand beaches, hammocks, or lounging by infinity pools in dreamy backdrops.

As most of our team is composed of Digital Nomads, and so are 90% of our colivers, it would be fair to say we have a pretty good understanding of what it truly means, and we believe it is time to debunk some myths.

Digital Nomadism has its share of difficulties

Instagram vs. reality.

Of course, in today’s world, it remains a privilege to have any kind of agency on our work setup and location.
But we all know by now that with great powers come great responsibilities.

There are so many difficulties in being a digital nomad:

• To gain such freedom, many people had to give up the security of a full-time job to take on several hourly or part-time gigs. It is not rare to find out after transitioning to Digital nomadism, that you actually work more hours than you did in your previous so-called 9-5 job.
• Many Digital Nomads feel the need to prove themselves more now that they are not at the office all day. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and burned out without clear guidelines and boundaries. You are your own boss now… turns out you are the worst boss you ever had.
• Yes, being constantly on the move is exciting but also takes its toll on you. It is exhausting to never settle down for more than a couple of weeks at a time, to not have a place to call Home. It is emotionally draining to make friends and leave them again and again. Feeling lonely among a lot of strangers and acquaintances is very real as a digital nomad as it takes deep, meaningful, and repeated encounters to create trust and establish authentic friendships.
• Yes, exploring new cultures is beautiful. But it is also mentally exhausting to have to constantly adapt and integrate new ways of doing things.
• Guilt is a very common feeling among digital nomads as they are often torn between working more or taking advantage of that hard-earned freedom.
• It is really challenging to keep up with a routine that benefits your mental and physical well-being when you are always on the go and carry just one suitcase around.
• Being a digital nomad demands very high levels of self-awareness and organizational skills. Things that are not innate to all of us often demand a long period of trial and error and adjustment, before finding the balance and rhythm that fits us.

Having seen more than one of our residents struggle in the past 2 years, we have decided to put our experience to good use. That is why we have co-created the Wellness Coliving Experience. It will not be a holiday nor a retreat, but an incubator for good practices and helping digital nomads incorporate realistic habits into their day-to-day busy lives, so the Digital Nomad dream does not turn into a nightmare.

Join us this fall or share with your nomadic friends who would benefit from the experience!