Some claim to feel lonely after leaving the comfort of home, family and friends for an indefinite period of time.
This is Lauren Juliff’s situation. To pursue her passion for seeing the world, she quit her part-time job at a British supermarket after graduating in 2011.
She was initially successful using her travel website, Never ending footstepsto document and finance her travels.
Lauren started traveling the world with her partner, another digital nomad she met along the way.
“This lasted five years. We traveled to 75 countries during this period, alternating quick movements with stays of several months in a single city,” she said.
However, After five years, Lauren developed severe, recurring panic attacks.
“I suspect the panic attacks stemmed from the lack of stability or predictability in my life. Every few weeks I changed countries, changed friends, changed cuisines, and changed languages with no real consistency. she said.
She decided to settle down. After moving to Lisbon, Portugal, her physical and mental well-being improved significantly.
Lauren was able to develop positive friendships, acquire cooking skills, and pursue interests outside of travel.
She was able to triple her salary with a workplace, a reliable internet connection and more time to work on her career.
Today, Lauren makes people aware of the harsh reality of life as a digital nomad.
17.3 million American workers were identified as digital nomads in 2023, more than twice as many as in 2019, according to self-employment experts MBO.
According to a statistic from the Post Office, 72% of workers said they plan to become digital nomads.
More and more digital nomads are starting to share their struggles publicly
I spent 2023 as a digital nomad in South Korea. It was lonely and intimidating, but it taught me what is really important to me. – Wyin Kong, 28, shared a story in the BusinessInsider.com interview.
Wyin Kok’s journey as a digital nomad in South Korea, inspired by the shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, brought both enriching experiences and significant challenges. Despite the benefits of cultural immersion and the growth of personal independence and self-confidence, Kok faced initial loneliness, safety concerns as a solo female traveler, and the financial burden of the cost of living abroad. Her experience underlines the complex reality of digital nomadism, balancing personal growth with the struggle to adapt to a new environment and lifestyle.
My year as a digital nomad looked perfect online. The reality? Lost luggage and no days off. – shared Francesca Spectre.
Francesca Specter’s digital nomad experience, which moved from London to Bogotá and beyond, highlights the challenges and disillusionments of combining work with travel. Despite the initial excitement, Specter faced exhaustion, disorientation and a struggle to balance work with the pleasure of travel. While this lifestyle enriched her social media, it failed to provide the peace and routine required for her writing or the relaxation expected from a stay abroad. Ultimately, Specter’s journey underlines the hidden costs of digital nomadism, leading to her realization of the value of separating work from play and valuing the stability of home.
The dark side of being a digital nomad, a 2023 study
To better equip those considering this lifestyle, researchers spoke to nearly a thousand digital nomads in the US to gain insight into the less glamorous side of digital nomadism.
Here are the key takeaways:
- About 41% of digital nomads report that their lifestyle affects their ability to maintain romantic relationships.
- About 83% of location-independent professionals experience feelings of guilt when taking time off or disconnecting from work.
- A significant 77% of nomads have experienced burnout at least once, with entrepreneurs (80%) most affected by this problem.
- On average, 40% of location-independent workers regularly or always experience feelings of loneliness.
- Nearly 77% of nomads are concerned about their financial stability, with remote workers (84%) showing the greatest concerns, surpassing entrepreneurs (71%) and freelancers (75%).
- As many as 84% of digital nomads have faced tax-related challenges at least once.
- Nevertheless, 94% plan to continue their nomadic lifestyle in 2023 and beyond.
