Many people talk about quitting the 9 to 5 job and becoming a digital nomad.
Is it really that simple?
The super-quick answer is “NO”… it is just not simple at all. In fact, it’s quite difficult and requires a lot of consistency, as well as smart work.
In this post, we are going to look into opportunities and challenges that you may face when embarking on the ‘Quitting the 9 to 5’ journey.
So you’ve just finished reading “The 4 hour work week” and you’re getting ready for Thailand. You’re skimming through your holiday checklist. Then you’re just about to hit “send” on that resignation email to your Boss to quit your 9 to 5.
BUT WAIT… STOP 🚫
Time for reality check. How many of us can comfortably quit that boring 9 to 5 and start the digital nomad adventure ?
Traveling the world while working (on the laptop) the 4 hour workweek. It sounds good but it’s not that simple.
In this post, we’re going to look into some challenges as well as opportunities which we suggest you consider before deciding on becoming a digital nomad.
Let’s start with the opportunities. Always look at the bright side as they say.
Opportunities – Why quitting the 9 to 5 and becoming your own boss can be easy.
Freelance economy is doing well.
The freelance economy is booming with over a quarter of UK organisations relying on freelancers to complete core business tasks. This means that, as long as you have the required skills and know how to market yourself. You should be able to find clients.
Multiple jobs can be done online / working from home (or a beach resort if you’re very lucky).
There is a lot of interesting freelance gigs you could consider. Anything from graphic design to building smartphone apps. Of course we’d like to mention the opportunity we offer , here at Gambole to make a side income.
Marketplaces to offer your skills.
A number of big marketplaces is available to those willing to embark on a freelance journey.
Some of the more notable being PeoplePerHour and Upwork.
These platforms help connect buyers with sellers.
Acquiring new skills is easier than ever before.
Living in 24/7, always on digital world has it’s perks. Of of these perks is easy access to knowledge. Learning new skills has never been so easy. And what’s best, you can now do it for free or for a fraction of price of what it would have cost you just a decade ago.
There are tons of free and inexpensive courses available on platforms like Udemy.
Challenges
Although opportunities for becoming a digital nomad or freelancer are plentiful, there are also some challenges.
Marketing your skills
Now, we’re not sure if this one is a challenge or opportunity. Perhaps a bit of both. While there are many ways and platforms available to market your skills, there is also plenty of competition. You may have the best skills out there but if you don’t know how to market yourself, you’ll struggle to find clients.
Cashflow
You’ve probably heard the term “feast or famine” It refers to either having too much of something or too little. That “something” we’re talking about here is paid projects and clients.
This is especially true when you’re just starting out. Unlike your 9 to 5, freelancing, or working for yourself in general, does not guarantee a steady income. In you 9 to 5, you show up on time and collect your wages by the end of the month. Freelancers get paid by projects, projects can vary in amounts of money they will generate as well as longevity. Some projects will be one off jobs, other can last a couple of months. Some arrangements may be much longer depending on your business niche.
This is why managing your cashflow may be a bug challenge. If you don’t generate enough income from your projects and have no savings, you may simply run out of money.
Now, imagine if this happens when you’re in Thailand. This could be an and to your digital nomad lifestyle.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it. Although this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the pros and cons for becoming a digital nomad. We hope this post will give you sone idea about the opportunities and challenges which may await you on your freelancing journey.
