Why the Nomadic Lifestyle Doesn’t Have to be All About Travel

Written by Shelby Andrews.

When you hear the term “digital nomad,” what do you think of? Most likely, you imagine a beautiful tan, a backpack and an endless roadmap of destinations. You visualize an Instagram feed full of travel photos, exotic locations and an endless scroll of immaculate #LifeGoals.

But what if I told you that the #NomadicLifestyle didn’t have to be all about globe trotting? What if we told you the whole purpose of being a nomad was to simply create a schedule that fits your lifestyle?

COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed our world and deeply impacted the travel industry. International travel has been taken off the table and skepticism will likely remain for years to come. However, these restrictions do not have to mean the end of our nomadic lifestyles. The real reason we chose to work remotely wasn't only to trot the globe, but to have the FREEDOM to spend our time how we choose. It's easy to get caught up in the #Nomadic façade bombarding us on social media, and it can sometimes feel like in order to enjoy working remotely, you HAVE to be exploring or travelling 100% of the time.

Most mornings, I wake up early and make a coffee. I sit on my patio and drink it while enjoying a quick social media catch up and listening to the sounds of my cozy, quiet neighbourhood. After this, I check my emails and make my to-do list for the day. Then I head out for a run. I come home, make my breakfast and settle into my office until late afternoon. Typically, I eat a late lunch and then spend some time away from my laptop. Sometimes, this means a photoshoot for clients; sometimes it means housework; sometimes it means doing something for just for me.

However, the beauty of working remotely is that I choose to do this each day. In fact, I get to choose all of my days now—I'm not stuck in a stressful commute or in the same cubicle with my schedule laid out for me. Don't get me wrong. I love my work, and I work HARD. But I also love work-life balance, and I love having time to make MYSELF happy. And when I'm happy, my work is better, my clients are happier, and business runs more smoothly.

The nomadic life means something different for everyone, and that is exactly what I love about it. Sure, I love planning a vacation (whether it involves a plane, a road trip or a staycation in my beautiful beach town). But in between passport stamps, I also love spending time with my friends, my family, and most importantly, myself.