The rise of digital nomads and remote working has sparked curiosity and fascination across the world, with many dreaming of living a different life overseas. But with all the hype, there are a lot of misunderstandings about what this lifestyle actually entails and who those people really are are.
1. Digital Nomads Are Always on Vacation
One of the biggest myths is that all digital nomads are always on vacation. Sure, Instagram may be filled with ‘Digital Nomads’ holidaying on the beach all day in Bali, it’s not the reality for most.
Like any other worker, Digital nomads juggle deadlines, meetings, and work projects just like anyone else, just from different locations. Most work very hard to keep their businesses running or maintain their freelance gigs, sometimes working 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week if up against a crunch
2. Expats Are Just Running Away from Their Problems
Some people assume that expats are fleeing from something, whether it’s a bad job, a messy breakup, or a need to escape the stresses of their home country. While some may move abroad for personal reasons, many expats are simply looking for a better quality of life or new opportunities that aren’t available in their home countries.
3. Digital Nomads Don’t Have Real Jobs
.Another common misconception is that digital nomads aren’t doing “real” work. People often assume that if you can work from anywhere, it’s because your job doesn’t require much effort or skill.
In reality, many digital nomads work in demanding fields like tech, design, writing, marketing, sales, customer service and consulting. These jobs still come with the same expectations of meeting deadlines, and delivering results.
4. Expats Are All Rich and Living the High Life
There’s a belief that all expats are wealthy, living lavish lifestyles in luxury apartments in glamorous cities. While it’s true that some expats find lucrative job opportunities abroad, many are simply making a modest living and living frugally to stretch their budgets in pursuit of something bigger.
In fact, more affordable living is often the motivation for the lifestyle with many wanting to put the resources towards starting a business or investing more time towards a goal.
5. Digital Nomads Are Always Traveling to New Places
Yes & No. Many people assume that digital nomads are constantly hopping from one destination to the next randomly booking flights to unknown places. While it’s true that they have the freedom to move around, not every digital nomad is living life at 39,000ft.
Quite a few prefer to settle in one place for a while, building routines, forming connections, and immersing themselves in the local culture. Many Nomads and expats will have a small handful of destinations they enjoy and will stick to those or one region of the world.
For expats who prefer to live beyond just a tourist visa, many choose to stay in one location for months or even years.
6. Expats Are All Super Adventurous
There’s a common belief that all expats are adrenaline junkies, constantly seeking out adventure and new experiences, presumably turning up to their new destination by parachute or jetski!
While some digital nomads and remote-working expats thrive on extreme sports or spontaneous travel, most I’ve met are reserved individuals seeking a different lifestyle or career path. Many prefer a quiet life, focusing on their work, hobbies, and personal growth. In their free time going for a hike, seeing another area for a few days or catching up with friends for a drink.
Traveling can be intimidating, however you certainly don’t need to be Indiana Jones.
7. It’s All About Tax Avoidance
There’s a big misconception that digital nomads and expats are mainly motivated by the desire to avoid taxes or dodge the financial obligations of their home countries. While it’s true that some countries offer tax incentives to attract foreign workers, many digital nomads and expats are not actively seeking to evade taxes.
In fact, tax laws can be complex for people living abroad, and it’s important for digital nomads and expats to comply with both local and home-country tax regulations with some investing considerable resources into staying compliant. Simply being out of the country for 183 days doesn’t mean you don’t have tax obligations!
8. Being a Digital Nomad Is Only for Young People
It’s a common misconception that digital nomadism is only for the young men. While it’s true that many digital nomads are in their 20s and 30s, more and more people of all ages and walks of life are trying to make it work.
One surprising trend is the growing number of older digital nomads often have more experience, financial stability heading overseas to reskill or pursue their own business goals. One factor in particular for this is the current weak job market and large number of redundancies which have saturated many markets.
9. Expats Hate Their Home Country
Another striking misconception is that digital nomads and expats leave their home countries because they hate the country. Everyone’s reasons will vary, but most people I’ve met deep down love their home countries very much. In quite a few cases such as my own with Australia, worsening political and economical conditions in the West has made it unattractive to live in for the upcoming generation.
Wrap Up & Conclusion
Being a digital nomad or expat is far from what popular media often portrays. It’s not all beaches, luxury living, and endless adventure with most people just being regular individuals.