The Rise of the Digital Nomad Lifestyle: From Remote Work to “Work From Anywhere”

A new breed of worker is untethering from the office. They’ve swapped cubicles for cafés and boardrooms for beaches. These digital nomads are defined by a location-independent, technology-enabled lifestyle that allows them to travel and work from anywhere with internet — often logging in from tropical bungalows one week and mountain cabins the next.

Over 17 million Americans now identify as digital nomads, a figure that surged 131% since 2019.¹ And it’s not just twenty-something backpackers: this movement spans generations and professions — from solo creatives and remote tech workers to families and retirees who are trading permanence for possibility.

Where It Started: From Telecommuting to Full-On Location Independence

In the 1970s, a few researchers pitched "telecommuting" as a solution to traffic and workplace inefficiency. Fast forward to the 2000s, and thanks to Wi‑Fi, cloud tools, and smartphones, working outside the office became feasible. But full-blown nomadism? That took guts, a backpack, and a solid data connection.

In 1997, The Digital Nomad by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners predicted a future where technology would free people from geographic constraints. The book anticipated many elements of today’s nomad ethos.²

Then the Pandemic Hit: And the Office Lost

In 2020, remote work went mainstream out of necessity. Entire industries discovered you didn’t need a desk to deliver. When the world opened up again, people with newly untethered jobs started asking, “Why stay here?”

Harvard Business Review reported that the pandemic accelerated adoption and shifted how people think about combining travel with work — not just short remote stints but longer-term location independence for some workers.³

Why People Do It: More Than Just Pretty Views

• Freedom: Structure your schedule and choose your workspace — from hammocks to coworking hubs.
• Cost Optimization: Lower living costs in many countries can stretch higher incomes further.
• Creativity + Growth: Changing cultures and scenery often sparks new ways of thinking and working.
• Intentional Living: Ditching the commute creates room to prioritize wellness, projects, and relationships.

The Realities (That Instagram Doesn’t Show)

• Unstable Infrastructure: Not every "coworking café" has reliable outlets or fast internet.
• Isolation: Constant movement can make deep community harder to maintain.
• Visa Rules + Taxes: Immigration and tax law are complicated; many countries now offer digital nomad visas to ease friction.⁴
• Burnout: Without structure and downtime, working while traveling can be unsustainable.

New Infrastructure: From Coworking to Nomad Visas

Coworking and coliving networks such as Outsite and Roam provide infrastructure for the mobile worker, while governments from Portugal to Estonia and Mexico now offer formal programs to legally host remote workers.⁵

Work Has Left the Building — Now What?

The digital nomad lifestyle is not a blueprint; it's a provocation — a challenge to traditional definitions of success, place, and purpose. It asks: what if you built your life around living, and then designed your work to support it?

Resources for Further Reading

• NYT Review: Nomadland
• Harvard Business Review: The New Reality of Digital Nomads
• Wired: How Digital Nomads Are Changing the World of Work
• The Guardian: Digital Nomads, Tech Visas, and Remote Work
• Nomad Girl: Digital Nomad Visas

Bottom line: You don’t have to hit the road to think like a digital nomad. Ask: what would work look like if it followed your life — not the other way around?

No. 925 is for those who don’t wait for permission to live free. Join us in working without walls.

FAQ: Digital Nomad Lifestyle

• Who counts as a digital nomad?
  People who regularly work remotely while living in multiple locations — typically using internet-connected devices to perform their job and moving between places for weeks or months at a time.
• Are digital nomad visas widely available?
  Yes — dozens of countries now offer visa programs or specific entry options tailored to remote workers; program details and eligibility differ by country.
• Is this lifestyle only for young people?
  No — digital nomadism spans ages and professions, including families and retirees who prefer a mobile lifestyle.
• What are the biggest downsides?
  Infrastructure reliability, legal/tax complexity, isolation, and the risk of burnout are common challenges.

Further Reading

• NYT Review: Nomadland
• Harvard Business Review: The New Reality of Digital Nomads
• Wired: How Digital Nomads Are Changing the World of Work
• The Guardian: Digital Nomads, Tech Visas, and Remote Work
• Nomad Girl: Digital Nomad Visas
• MBO Partners: State of Independence
• Statista: Digital Nomads

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