We recently spoke about the good ol' Digital Nomad and making their (our) way around the world in the most conscious way we can, as well as some general tech tips. Those articles came from the sustainability angle, now let's jump into more specific tools that allows this lifestyle to blossom...
Sure, we've had much of the basic tech for many a year. The telephone has been around for a year or two I'd say, internet (widespread use) for a quarter of a century, Skype and such like since 2005 or so.
Basically, all this stuff has been possible for a good 20 years. The penny is now dropping a bit more (people don't tend to be the quickest of cats and are also slow to change... but to paraphrase Darwin - adaptation's where it's at). Covid 'helped' in the sense of remote working being forced upon most people, although many people have forgotten that and seem to be back thinking that you're tied to a location.
Don't get me wrong, there's something to be said for getting together in person for various reasons, but the point is it's possible to be anywhere and maintain (or increase) productivity and lifestyle. That can be different for different people and organisations of course, but that's up to them to discover and work out the best way of doing things.
That long opening rant leads me to today's article. That being the more recent tech tools that make this way of living and working possible and in a state of constant improvement. Whilst you could do most of this back in 2010, you probably wouldn't as it was more awkward and not part of societal norms. Now it is to a degree, and every day people are working on technology that makes it a bit easier and smoother.
Let's look an overview of some of the tech out there and how they can fit in. We can dive a bit deeper into specifics in future articles...
Ten Top Tech Tools for Digital Nomads
The digital nomad lifestyle can be an exciting ride but it only works with the right tools. Here are 10 such tools to help stay productive while working from anywhere:
1. Reliable Internet
- eSIMs: Airalo, Nomad
- Hotspots: Skyroam, Travelwifi
- VPNs: NordVPN, ExpressVPN
2. Communication Platforms
- Chat: Slack, Teams
- Video: Zoom, Google Meet
3. Project & Task Management
- Trello, Asana, ClickUp keep projects on track.
4. Cloud Storage
- Google Drive, Dropbox, Notion for sharing and storing files.
5. Time Tracking & Invoicing
- Toggl, Harvest for time management.
- Wave, FreshBooks for billing.
6. Banking & Money Transfers
- Wise, Revolut, Payoneer make global finance easier.
7. Accommodation & Workspaces
- Stay: Airbnb, Nomad Stays
- Work: Coworker, Croissant, Selina
8. Travel Planning
- Skyscanner, Hopper, Kiwi.com for flexible flights.
9. Language & Culture Tools
- Google Translate, DeepL, AI earbuds for translation.
10. AI Productivity Helpers
- ChatGPT, Jasper, Calendly, World Time Buddy simplify content, scheduling, and time zone headaches.
Pro tip: Pair a VPN with cloud storage and an AI assistant for the ultimate nomad setup. It's secure, efficient and adaptable anywhere.
Digital Nomadism (if you want to use that term) isn't going anywhere and is only going to increase as people become more aware and actually see how things can be. The improved lifestyle (after some trial and error of finding what's right for them) whilst maintaining and sometimes improving productivity, and just the sheer flexible nature of it, you have to take notice.
People have options (despite what 'they' say) and can vote with their feet. Technology makes it a no-brainer to at least take a look at this style of working and living and these tools and far more is making it ever more possible and desirable.
With the right tools, professionals can thrive while travelling, balancing productivity and exploration. There are responsibilities that come with it, and those need to be learned and integrated. Gone are the days of a static, stuffy office and set hours. At least the option's there... do with it what you will!
Do you have any 'must-have' tech tools you like to take on the road? And where do you see this all going?
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