The definition of digital nomads consists of two essential characteristics. First, a digital nomad is someone who travels constantly. There are no limits to this, the only important thing is to travel without having to overthink when and where. Also, a digital nomad is a person who works using technology to perform his or her functions. 

One of the myths most associated with the term is to treat digital nomads as tourists. We can constantly see advertisements of people on a beach working with their computers, but that is often not true. In daily life, the beach is not always the best place to perform work tasks. What is true is that this type of advertising exemplifies the freedom that a digital nomad can have.

Benefits, challenges, and tips for becoming a digital nomad:

If you're still reading this article it's because you're interested in being a digital nomad. Don't worry, below we summarize some of the benefits, challenges, and tips for you to finish deciding if being a digital nomad is really what you are looking for.

Benefits:

• Freedom of movement: freedom to decide where, how, and when to work. Being able to travel and visit places without the need to wait for the classic vacation every year.
• Flexible schedule: One of the most well-known benefits. A digital nomad does not have an Office hour, he/she works at the time that best suits him/her during the day. However, this does not imply that digital nomads do not work, the schedule is just more flexible. 
• Exciting life: The digital nomad is presented with experiences on every trip they make. They can learn about new cultures, practice different sports, meet people from other countries, etc.
• Learning languages: Being a digital nomad allows you to improve or learn new languages. One of the most effective ways is through language immersion.
• Less stress: This lifestyle reduces the symptoms of stress by putting the person at the center of decisions in the short and medium-term.

Challenges:

• A lot of discipline: Being a digital nomad implies being well organized, having good time management and above all managing money correctly.
• Commitment to work: You can not ignore the work, you must be 100% committed to your work and ensure to increase your productivity. 
• Constant Wifi: You must make sure that in every place you go there is a good internet signal. This can be one of the most common and most visible problems in a work environment.  
• Time zone: When the hours vary too much between the place of destination and the place of takeoff can complicate the hours of sleep, and work meetings, it can even be negative for health in the long term. 

Advice:

1. Don't rush, ideally start with small steps that bring you closer to digital nomadism. Opt to become a freelancer in your spare time and capture a solid client base. Eventually, you will be able to depend on your own work.
2. Talk to the company where you work and tell them about the possibility of working remotely. This will define whether your chances of being a digital nomad and remaining part of the organization are real.
3. If you are already part of a company that opts for remote work, it is not superfluous to tell the company about the decisions you will make in the future. This will allow you to map out your short- and long-term goals within the organization.
4. Part of being on the road and working is ensuring good internet connection, comfort, and personal relationships. Your possibilities range from renting houses on Airbnb to signing up for special coworking spaces to work in.
5. Be tidy. If possible write down all your tasks, meetings, and daily chores. Flexibility at work should not diminish your productivity, on the contrary, it should allow you to be more efficient in the development of tasks. A simple way to get organized is to use the google calendar and set it to send you alerts constantly.

Imagine Apps and Digital Nomadism 

At Imagine Apps we are committed to the remote work modality for the development of our activities. Adding the flexibility of schedules that we offer to our collaborators makes us one of the most attractive companies for people to start in the world of digital nomadism.

We also provide our staff with the necessary tools so they can develop their work in a 100% virtual way, so we are proud to say that we have workers from different parts of the Latin American region such as Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. 

Imaginer Testimonial:

Natalia Castro and Miguel García, COO and Project manager at Imagine Apps, shared their impressions about being a digital nomad and their experiences traveling and working at the same time:

What motivates you to constantly travel while working?

Natalia: Life is very short, work should not impede doing what you love the most. I am motivated to be a digital nomad by the fact that I can organize my work and be flexible with the times as long as I can deliver.

Miguel: I like to get to know new places all the time. I enjoy learning about the culture, language, and customs of each place I visit. 

What has been your experience traveling and working at the same time?

Natalia: I have had several. One that I remember; for example, in Nuquí Chocó there is only a signal for Movistar, a telecommunications company, and I am Claro, so it was extremely difficult to accommodate me well. I had to ask for data from people who live there and I had to enter meetings by cell phone because there was no wifi. It is also difficult because if it rains then the signal drops and it rained there every night. However, this was not an impediment and I was able to accomplish everything.

Miguel: It is a challenging experience and requires planning, adaptation to constant change, and focus. The most common anecdotes that arise are related to the problems associated with the unstable connection of some places, additionally, it is important to take into account if the change of schedule affects your itinerary.

materialize what are the challenges of traveling and working at the same time?

Natalia: The internet, the limited time to get to know a new place and share with the local people, many meetings.

Miguel: Time difference and schedule crossings.

What are the benefits of working and traveling simultaneously?

Natalia: Clearing your mind, living happier and calmer, visiting communities, sharing with new people, working with renewed energy, gaining experiences, and making contacts, forces you to organize yourself very well.

Miguel: You can transform your life during the process, as you work in parallel to grow personally and professionally.

Does traveling affect your performance at work, are you still as productive while you are on the road?

Natalia: The same, it would only be affected if something extraordinary happens, but within the normal, the point is to adapt to work according to what you have to do.

Miguel: It is important to take into account the objectives you have, so you should make a good planning and be aware that you will not be able to travel at an accelerated pace since you will be working remotely and you will have to dedicate the same amount of time to your work activities and make the most of your free time.

What advice would you give to people who are thinking of becoming digital nomads and have not yet been encouraged?

Natalia: I would tell them to learn to manage their time very well because it depends more on that. How organized you are to meet your goals and at the same time enjoy a trip.

Miguel: We must put aside the limitations and fears that society imposes. If you have a dream you must work to materialize it. It is not easy, but seeing them materialized will be worth it.

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