There are people who are able to travel the world and work at the same time. They are called digital nomads and they take the idea of remote working to the extreme. Since they no longer need to go to the office, they decided that the world would be their cubicle instead. There are a number of them who have had to cut their dreams short because they couldn’t make things work. They made too many mistakes. 

They are fairly common mistakes so it is likely that you will make the same ones when you set out. It’s important to know what they are so you can avoid making them yourself. In this article, we will give you some of the most common ones so you know what they are. 

1 – You didn’t hone your skills first

Before you hit the road you have to know that you are going to be able to make enough money while you are on the road. Most people try to work as freelancers as digital nomads but don’t have enough clients to make it work. It’s important that you have the skills to not only be a great freelancer but also have enough clients in your portfolio to always be working. 

Hone your skills so you are an expert and you’ll have enough work to keep you traveling. For instance, if you are a graphic designer, it’s not enough to know how to use a background remover app. You have to have a lot of high-end skills that set you apart. 

Whatever it is that you do, make sure that you are the best at it so you are able to maintain things. It is going to be more of a challenge to pull this off since there are a lot of moving parts involved with being a digital nomad. 

2 – You didn’t make a budget

A lot of the people who have to cut their plans short and go back home have to do so because they ran out of money. It is more expensive than many people realize to live as a digital nomad. To make sure that your money stretches as it should, you’ll need to have a solid budget. 

Admittedly, it is more difficult to make a budget for being a digital nomad than under normal circumstances. What it takes is a lot of research into the destinations where you plan to go. Find out what the cost of travel will be to get there, then the housing costs, and finally what it will cost to feed yourself. 

3 – Not researching the visa

It is very tempting to fly by the seat of your pants and not have much of a plan. Unfortunately, you can’t be as spontaneous as you’d like. For instance, many countries require a visa to enter. If you don’t research and plan ahead you may not be able to get there. Make sure to check well in advance in case you have to put in an application for a visa at the consulate. 

Published by HOLR Magazine.