4 Ways to Enjoy Your Digital Nomadic Lifestyle with Family
There’s a reason why more and more people are taking the plunge and starting their journey as digital nomads. Getting to travel to exotic destinations and make a stable income all the while spending time with your family – sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it? Well, we’ve got the technology to thank for that.
However, those of us who have spent some time as digital nomads might have found that there are some things they may be missing from their old way of life such as stability or regularity. They might even find themselves craving a routine or worrying about how they’re going to educate their children when their families are constantly moving.
Digital nomadic lifestyle does come with its own set of challenges (as does everything in life). However, there are creative ways of dealing with the hard parts of a being a digital nomad with family – this article will teach you how you can make the most of it.
1. Stick to your budget
Digital nomadic lifestyle enables you to live in freedom, but there are also some responsibilities that cannot be escaped. One of them is budgeting and spending your money consciously. Many digital nomads are freelancers with inconsistent incomes, which is yet another reason why it’s important to save money and stick to a budget.
Although living as a nomad you’re already reducing your impact on the environment, there are always ways to help Mother Nature while also saving some money. Those include avoiding bottled water, packing light, cooking by yourself, and using local transportation.
2. Embrace world schooling
An innovative approach to education, world schooling extends the acquisition of knowledge beyond the four walls of the classroom. In their pursuit of establishing a location-independent source of income, parents often settle in one place where they travel to different places occasionally, with travels ranging anywhere from a couple of days to one whole year.
This gives them a chance to send their kids to a nearby school where they’re enrolled in programs such as phonics for kids which is fundamental for acquiring other language skills such as reading and spelling. By working with teachers who focus on improving pronunciation and clarity, the children’s ability to sound like a native English speaker is enhanced. Good language skills, in turn, open new doors in life and enable the child to explore new cultures and languages more easily.
3. Nomadic lifestyle doesn’t equal holiday
One of the most difficult things about this type of lifestyle is never really treating it like a way of life but more like a holiday. Sure, it’s tempting to go on city tours and visit major sightseeing spots every time you travel. However, you need to understand that your alternative lifestyle isn’t a vacation.
Instead of splurging on popular attractions, spend more quality time with your family and look for new ways to grow your business. Also, try to establish a routine. Doing so will ensure you can sustain your lifestyle and continue doing the things you love.
4. Get your kids to embrace this type of lifestyle
A major lifestyle change as this doesn’t only impact the parents, but also the children. Once they start getting older, they may start wondering why their lifestyle is so much different from the other kids’, and why they don’t get to live in one place and make friends there.
When they’re old enough to understand, talk to them about the advantages of a digital nomadic lifestyle, highlighting its best sides. Emphasize how traveling the world and exploring new cultures isn’t something everybody gets to do, and that they can make lots of friends all around the globe. If the kids are happy, it’ll affect the whole family, so make sure they’re on board with whatever decision you make.
For many, the digital nomad lifestyle represents a breath of fresh air, something they didn’t even know they needed. Once they’ve committed to it, they may have found that this was the best decision they’ve made.
That being said, there are things digital nomadic lifestyle might be lacking in. However, after researching a bit and relying on creativity to overcome certain issues, you will realize that it’s possible to live the life you want without going down the road people usually follow, but carving out your own path and focusing on what you think is right instead. There’s no one road to happiness, and it’s up to each of us to find our own.
Salman Zafar is an ecopreneur, consultant, advisor, speaker and journalist with expertise in waste management, waste-to-energy, renewable energy, environment protection, conservation and sustainable development. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe. Salman is the Founder of EcoMENA, a popular voluntary organization based in Qatar. He is also the Founder and CEO of BioEnergy Consult, a reputed consulting firm active in biomass, waste-to-energy and waste management segments.
Salman is a professional environmental writer with more than 350 popular articles to his credit. He is proactively engaged in creating mass environmental awareness in different parts of the world.
Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org or salman@bioenergyconsult.com
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