How couples can start a new life as digital nomads?

Do you think life as a digital nomad is for solo travelers only? Think again! Some couples today are ditching a regular home and hearth, and living a non-traditional existence by taking their relationships and jobs out on the road. They are digital nomad couples who are ready to work remotely and share their joys and challenges with a more open mindset like this couple. Here are some tips on how couples can begin a new life as cyber wanderers.

Start smartly

Spot a sector where you would like to work and set proper deadlines for yourself. If you and your partner have a digital skill that you can monetize – such as content writing, copy writing, web designing, SEO marketing, video editing etc – you probably already have one or two employers or draw income as a freelancer. In that case, it probably does not matter where you work from – as long as you can submit the project at the end of the day.

If that is not the case and you lack the necessary digital skills, both of you have to learn a skill that can earn you income through the internet. Both you and your partner have to be comfortable with this idea. Start learning and once you have got the requisite skills, contact the clients as quickly as you can. Convey to them that you are ready to even work free of cost, as you want to build a good portfolio.

Work hard, so that when the early clients get satisfied, they will endorse you. These people will pay you themselves for the following assignments or refer you to clients who can pay you handsomely for similar work. Once you get to that point, you can well be on the path to be a successful cyber nomad. Once the two of you have managed to do it together, and have begun to get some traction, you will be able to get your new lifestyle off the ground. More power to the two of you!

Establish a schedule

It is important to do so even before you start your lives as digital nomads. The purpose of a proper schedule is to ensure that you finish all your work on time, possibly ahead of it, and get time to explore other things – such as going out and enjoying the sights and sounds of your place. Make a list of things that you can see in your town or city that you can enjoy together. This will prepare you for the life ahead as cyber nomads.

Save some money

This is very, very important. While you are in a different land, there could be emergencies, illnesses, accidents and other unforeseen mishaps. There could be times when neither of you cannot work for some reason. Or it could be that you find out that the digital nomad lifestyle is not for you. Even a nasty breakup cannot be ruled out, and if your sustenance depends on the two of you working together as a team, you are going to be either on a rock or a very hard place.

It is better to save some money, possibly as much as can see you through a year of no work. In any case, traveling and working is not so much fun when you have financial worries in your head all the time.

Travel light

If you are interested in living as digital nomads as a couple, it is imperative that you stick to a minimalist lifestyle. In other words, travel as light as possible. Do not drag unnecessary belongings in suitcases that will just serve to slow you down. Carry only one bag with all the bare essentials and a backpack. Your main objective as virtual nomads should be getting first-hand experiences of life rather than collecting irrelevant items and souvenirs.

Travel slow

You are not in a hurry to see places, are you? If you are not a millionaire, or even if you are, but both of you intend to work while traveling, it can be a good idea to settle somewhere for a few weeks before hitting the road again. This will give you enough time to know each place more deeply and soak in everything that it has on offer – culture, foods, people, weather etc. Your minds and bodies can absorb everything at a more natural pace. Once you have got slightly bored with the place, you can decide to move on. It will be better that way.

Take your own sweet time and explore an area at your own pace, as there is no rush to see all things. Stay in a place for some weeks. If you find that you love it, stay for some more time. If that is not the case, there is always the flexibility to live in some other location – it could be a different hostel or Airbnb in the same place.

Do things together as well as alone

Any relationship is kept alive and can be made more interesting when couples are in a sort of arrangement where each gets his / her own space and is also able to enjoy the moments of together. Remember that working for a project for 10 hours sitting next to your partner / spouse does not really mean you are spending time together, although the two of you might physically be together. It is essential to take time out and do things like going on a date together, catching a flick now and then, going out on Sundays etc and not talk about work during those times. Otherwise, how will you enjoy each other’s company and see the place that you are going to be in?

Side by side, both of you need to have your own space as well. Do your own thing at times, such as listening to music, catching a Netflix show that you like, going on a solo hike etc. You would love to live these ‘me-times’ to come back refreshed and not get bored of each other. Have separate friends, hobbies etc so that you can give space to one another and not feel claustrophobic in your relationship. But you should also try similar things at times to get a good break from staring at your PC screens at all times.

Find good places

An important part of travel and work is undoubtedly the fact that you have to find the right place to settle in for a few days or weeks. Search in expat / nomad groups on Facebook and find out which particular cities and countries are conducive to couples who wish to work remotely. Get a feel of what kind of experience you can expect – an easy place with good weekend trip destinations and public transportation facilities readily available or some place that is off the beaten track with a tranquil coastal vibe that can do a world of good to the two of you.

Over the weekend, as you explore your new place, scope out at least some of the co-working spaces or cafes. Check the WIFI speeds and find out whether there are sufficient number of outlets around that area, whether the level of noise or crowd is not too distracting etc. That way, when you have to settle down to work, you will not have to crane your neck in search of a good place.

Develop a connection with other digital nomads

As a digital nomad couple, you are going to miss a social life. While that might be okay with the two of you, there would be times when you would like to talk with someone other than your partner. The same would probably hold true for him / her as well. This issue can be successfully dealt with by connecting with other nomads and socializing with them from time to time.

More couples are choosing digital nomad hubs or locations across the globe that have reached a critical nomad mass already. Going the same route can help you to form a social group, which can be very useful in times of emergencies. Communities like these can make your new life and career more enjoyable. You can hop from place to place and find like-minded people to tie up with.

Stay focused

Being digital nomads can give you plenty of freedom, and if you hate the regular 9-to-5 existence with dreams of seeing the world but not having enough money for it, working as cyber wanderers can let you live the life of your dreams and yet have money in your pockets. You can stay together and travel new places, gain new insights, have new things to explore and share and grow individually as well as together as a couple. But both of you need to remain focused on work that has to be done. The harder you work now, the more you can relax later on. The key to fulfillment and success in a digital nomad life is to hit that sweet spot between work and travel.