Becoming a digital nomad took me over 5 years, you can start immediately

Cheryl talks about when the travel bug hit her and how she and Jack created a part-time digital nomad lifestyle. Unlike most digital nomads, they keep a home base in New York, visiting Cheryl's family in Arizona and exploring their travel bucket list a month or two at a time.

Breaking free: balancing love, family, work, and life's curve balls

You're here because YOU want to become a digital nomad. Maybe you are putting it off because your kids are in school, you have a job that ties you to an office, you are a primary caregiver, or you have a brick-and-mortar business. You might think that becoming a digital nomad is all or nothing. You might even be a remote employee like me, who wants to travel for a few months and then come home.

I'm not what you would traditionally call a digital nomad. I don't write to make a living or run a digital business; I am a remote employee who travels for a month or two at a time, heading back to New York in between travels. This is perfect for Jack and me because we need to be close to his aging mom, yet we can visit my family for weeks or go on adventures in different cities or countries. Our home base provides the stability I need for intense work periods and launches.

In college, I traveled extensively, managing developer programs that took me to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Orange Partner Camps in Florida, and more destinations than I can list. I knew travel was life back then; the timing wasn't right because I had small kids, managed a full-time job in part-time hours, and had a full-time schedule in college. A lot was on my plate, but traveling for work inspired me to juggle everything at home.

A remote employee and an entrepreneur begin digital nomad life

The pandemic was the kickstarter for #coupletravel goals.

For a long time, I played the waiting game. I got my degree, my kids grew into adults, and then I was in a job where I HAD to be in the office every day. I left to get another more flexible role, and I left that role to join a late-stage startup. Each decision brought me closer to my dream of becoming a digital nomad. Then the pandemic hit, and the two weeks at home kept extending, so I spent a month in Arizona visiting my family, then came home for a month until the lease on my apartment ended. When that happened, I started my journey as a digital nomad, eventually meeting Jack and moving to New York. My lifestyle intrigued him, and we incorporated traveling for a couple of months at a time with being home.

Start your digital nomad journey

Kids prevent me from traveling.

If your kids are still in school and you have the flexibility to work from anywhere, plan summer vacation around travel. Instead of spending the money on summer camp, rent a home in a place you've always wanted to visit and if the time zones permit, plan your adventures or tours before your work hours, or take a Friday or Monday off for family playtime.

My job requires me to be in the office a few days a week.

If you have a remote job that requires you to be in the office a few days a week, see if your manager will let you work remotely for one week a quarter. Then, take that remote week preceding or following a vacation to test drive digital nomad life a few times a year.

My business requires me to manage in person.

If you have a brick-and-mortar business, train your team to communicate with you virtually via email, text, Slack, Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet. Try out taking one day a week to work virtually, eventually taking a week and then a month until you can travel for extended periods while your business continues functioning.

I have a special circumstance. Can you help me?

I know these suggestions may not cover every scenario. Share your challenges with us, and we’ll brainstorm personalized solutions together.

Get started checklist

Get started on your adventures with the printable Travel Kickstarter checklist, weekly planner, and packing list.Click the button to download the printable travel checklist, weekly planner, and packing list.