WANT TO WORK ONLINE & TRAVEL? CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO FREE RESOURCES

Adventurous Nerd

Work Remotely + Travel Independently

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Nomad Planner
    • The Writer’s Journal
  • Blog
  • Remote Jobs

5 Big Digital Nomad Mistakes to Avoid

February 24, 2022 |

Share Tweet Pin G Plus Email
image of text box 5 big digital noomad mistakes and how to avoid them

I’ve made a lot of mistakes as a digital nomad.

I’m a short-term digital nomad, meaning I travel and work from my laptop for periods of time. I’ll often hit the road for months or even years but I always return to my base. Rinse and repeat. I’ve been doing this for almost a decade. Yet I still make mistakes. I suppose it’s human.

But there are a few big mistakes I’ve made, especially early on in my nomad ventures. Most of them are common (I’ve seen many others make the same blunders).

I want to help you avoid making these mistakes yourself. So, here goes…

Digital Nomad Mistake #1: Traveling Too Quickly

When I first became a digital nomad, I had no set plan. I picked my first destination and hit the road. I had a loose idea of where I would go second, but no idea of when I’d go or how long I’d stay. It was almost like a race to see as much as I could in a short time. And I wasn’t the only one. Most of the nomads I met were also like me. Some would spend a week in one city, bounce to another, then bounce to another country, even. It wasn’t long before I suffered the consequences of hopping around too quickly.

My work suffered, my health suffered, and my bank accounts suffered.

This isn’t to say there aren’t people who can handle so much upheaval in a short time. I’m not one of those people and I think this style of frequent moving is not suitable for most. You either burn out or you realize your work/exercise/hobbies are being impacted.

Digital Nomad Mistake #2: Not preparing the boring stuff

As fun as nomadism sounds, there are a lot of non-sexy aspects to the lifestyle.

There are many boring details to work out before you go. It isn’t enough to daydream about all the fun you’ll have and the excitement of waving goodbye to your normal life. You also need to handle a lot of logistics before you leave home.

For example:

  1. Creating a budget.
  2. Figuring out your financials (do you need to open specific bank accounts to avoid heavy overseas charges, etc.).
  3. Sorting out health insurance that’ll cover you on the road in case of sickness or accident.
  4. Getting the right phone and other electronic gadgets you need to stay connected.
  5. Figuring out what will happen with your mail while you’re away.

This is a short list of the many essential logistics you must take care of before you leave home.

Digital Nomad Mistake #3: Only making fleeting connections, not meaningful ones

It can get lonely on the road. Very lonely.

In my first two years as a nomad, I battled with this pervasive feeling of loneliness. The next time I went nomad, I realized what I’d done wrong the first time. I hadn’t actively made any efforts to form real bonds with people. This one goes hand in hand with traveling too quickly.

It’s near impossible to form meaningful connections with anyone if you’re only staying in one location for days or weeks.

So, to solve this, I now stay longer in each location AND I actively seek to meet people and spend time getting to know them, both local and other nomads.

Digital Nomad Mistake #4: Poor Working Habits

Unless you’re nomading on a trust fund or living off savings, you need to support yourself. This requires maintaining some semblance of productivity and effective work habits.

This may be the biggest mistake I see nomads make, especially younger ones, and especially in countries like Thailand where the sun is bright, the bodies are warm, and temptation is high. You could spend weeks, months even, just ‘hanging out’ doing everything from partying to yoga to meet-ups but not getting any real, focused work done.

Every nomad must figure out a work system and create effective habits that facilitate productive work.

This is non-negotiable if you want to sustain yourself.

Digital Nomad Mistake #5: Overspending/not budgeting

Another essential aspect of self-sustainability is budgeting.

I like to keep strict tabs on my money, but I don’t believe each person should keep an intricate penny-by-penny budget. What I do believe is that to avoid the mistake of overspending, you need to have an idea of how much is coming in and how much is going out in fixed expenses, coupled with awareness around the amount you are spending daily.

Because nomadism can feel like a fun vacation, especially at the beginning, it’s easy to spend indiscriminately. One night having drinks here, two dinners there, a daily excursion on the weekend, daily cappuccinos and lunch at your favorite trendy cafe etc. etc.  It all adds up, especially if you’re in Western Europe, for example. And if it adds up to more than you have coming in, you may have a problem.

To avoid these problems, stick to a budget, even a loose one.

If you’re still on your journey toward becoming a digital nomad, check out my Massive List of Resources blog post. 

Access the Nomad Library
Free Resources for Working Online & Traveling the World

image of text box nomad library resource list freelancer script

Filed under: Nomadism
Share Tweet Pin G Plus Email

About Alicia-Joy

View all posts by Alicia-Joy

Related Posts

  • image of text box too old to become a nomad. think againToo Old to Become a Nomad? Think Again
  • image of text box how to overcome language barriers as a nomadHow to Overcome Language Barriers As a Nomad
  • image of text box 24 lessons from 24 months of being a digital nomad24 Life Lessons From 24 Months of Being a Nomad
  • image of text box 3 habits of a travel addict5 Habits of a Travel Addict

About Alicia

Hello. I’m Alicia Joy. I help people who want to work from anywhere. I’m a writer, avid reader, and nomad. I've been a nomad off-and-on for almost a decade (I like returning to a base country at times). I love to share my own experiences and I'm a research nerd. I love to research stuff and share what I find. I do a ton of research on the topics of remote work, online freelancing, and nomadism. I share the most interesting bits I find.

previous article: How to Quickly Learn Remote Work Skills (Part 1: Content Writing)
next article: Safety Tips for Female Digital Nomads
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • About

©2022 adventurousnerd.com

Copyright © 2023 · Bel Canto theme by Georgia Lou Studios

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
SAVE & ACCEPT