A Practical Alternative to Digital Nomadism in 2019
Another year is coming to a close and you still haven’t made the plunge into the digital nomad life.
BERLIN — The common phrase ‘finding a job is a full-time job’ could not be truer than with digital nomadism. Not only do aspiring digital nomads often need to balance several jobs, but also health insurance, visas, housing, taxes, banks, currencies, flights, and then more jobs. The initial process can be daunting, but the payoff is certainly worth the effort.
Most articles on digital nomadism are structured in one of two ways: first, as ‘how to’ pieces which provide tips that try to be specific enough to be helpful but general enough to apply to any country and second, as anecdotal articles which paint an idealized lifestyle with a perfect work-life balance, complete with peak physical, mental and emotional health.
These two types of articles work hand-in-hand to create a free and easy lifestyle that is both inspiring for those working in corporate offices and frustrating for those who seriously consider going remote. I wouldn’t ask a friend who lived in France for help when moving to Canada. Her initial advice may be helpful, but in the end, she doesn’t know the ins-and-outs of the Canadian-specific context. The truth is in the details and neither of these types of articles is honest with you.
A recent study projects 50% of the workforce will be remote by 2020, and in the same 2018 report, 78% of remote workers currently work from home. Consistently, the biggest struggle for remote workers professionally is communicating effectively with their team and privately? Loneliness.
If remote workers feel lonely in their own communities and homes, imagine the potential isolation cultural and linguistic barriers can produce while abroad. A recent article nicely highlights the potential pitfalls of digital nomadism, by initially outlining the conditions society struggles with — depression, anxiety, insomnia — and how a nomadic lifestyle can “exacerbate the pre-existing challenges.” These challenges are multiplied by the continual change and logistical demands that make the digital nomad life both exciting and daunting and by the solitary lifestyle digital nomads lead.
Startups are a great compromise
The traveling and untethered lifestyle that digital nomadism affords can also be found in the startup scene. Startups are a great alternative to digital nomadism because they often provide a lifestyle that is in-between traditional industry jobs and working remotely. Further, startups provide the space to troubleshoot many of the issues that arise with digital nomadism from the very first steps to establishing yourself abroad to becoming a seasoned expat.
1. Assistance with legal logistics. Arguably the most daunting task of moving abroad is logistics and foreign bureaucracy. Startups are more internationally friendly because they often target international markets. Director of Paris-based startup Station F Roxanne Varza argues “today’s successful startups are international by definition” and highlights new opportunities specifically for startup entrepreneurs and employees like the French Tech Visa, which is opening up new avenues for international movement.
Legal assistance is also crucial because your visa influences how long you can stay in a country, how many hours you can work, your health insurance and how you pay taxes. As startup cohorts are often international, many of the questions or problems you have can be answered by a fellow expat. On the flipside, if you need to find a good doctor, call an agency or find a phone plan, the locals among you are a wealth of information.
2. Inclusion in the local community. Beyond legal issues, startups provide a working family that promotes integration into your community. The loneliness, culture shock and homesickness that often accompany a digital nomadic life are much less likely when you work with others who either empathize with your situation or provide a new network of friends.
3. Facilitate genuine cross-cultural experiences. Similarly, a startup cohort facilitates one of the key motivations of digital nomads — sharing and comparing cultures, foods, lived experiences and language. Further, learning how to work and communicate with others from different backgrounds and working cultures is a great way to learn how to manage your own work-life balance and communication skills.
4. Networking for future opportunities. Startups’ collaborative approach and outreach also often provide the groundwork for future collaborations and freelance opportunities. Further, as startups often have a comparatively quick turnover rate than established corporations, the ability to act on new opportunities is more widely accepted in the startup community.
Ultimately, startups not only provide a more practical avenue for international travel but also a richer experience while abroad. Digital nomadism may be the dream, but startups can actually make it happen.
This story is published in The Startup, Medium’s largest entrepreneurship publication followed by +400,714 people.
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