Quit a job and become a nomad. But why?
Hello my dear reader, if you are reading this article it means that the idea or working from home or remotely is already is at the back of your mind. You might have a perfectly fine job that feeds you and makes you feel good, but there might still be one side of you that wants a change. And not just a change of a job or profession, but a complete change of lifestyle.
That was the case with me. Gradually after working day to day every day I started to feel that I don't really care much about how my morning starts, nor do I care about the place that I live. It felt like I'm living a life just for a sake of existing.
And then I suddenly realized - it is time to drop it all and sail away. It is not worth trying to catch up on something that I don't really want. One day I just told my manager that I no longer want to work there and closed the door of the office, hopefully, the last time.
Is it a good idea?
Decisions are always tough and especially career decisions. While one part of me understood that it was not the greatest idea, I could no longer be in the same place (San Francisco Bay Area, in my case) and I need to move on. At the same time making a plan and transitioning to a remote job also takes time. And I no longer wanted to wait, that's why I took a harsh move and quit.
That's why I would say that if you have a time (and courage) to wait you should stick to your job and make a plan before you do the move. And please do not burn bridges - it is always better to be in a good relationship with your friends and colleagues.
However, if your job (and location) are making you feel sad, powerless and empty and you have enough resources to sustain yourself for a few months, then making a change most likely will be better for you.
Benefits of location independent work and life
There are multiple benefits of going this route. First of all, physical health matters. It is not healthy to commute every day just for the sake of being in the office. People drive long distances every day, eat breakfast on a fly, spend time in the traffic and feel miserable at the end. Do you think a life is worth this way? Some say yes, but for me, it's a clear "no".
Second of all, logistically jobs are built that way to make you spend money in the same area where your work or close by. The better the job market in your area, the higher the rent and house prices, as well as higher prices overall. In the end, you end up spending money where you work and not saving much. You might be surprised, but logically it makes much more sense to live in a cheaper city (or country) and work for the employer that allows you the opportunity and joy of working wherever you want.
Finally, and most importantly, working remotely gives you the opportunity to spend time at the place that you like and surround yourself with the people that you like. No longer pointless coffee-talks, unnecessary awkward situations and need to see people that you don't want. Your work is your center of attention, but you don't treat it as a meaning of life anymore. You treat it as work solely. Do your job well during the day, then close your laptop and be done with it. Isn't it that reason alone is the best motivation of how to escape the rat race?
Disadvantages of a location independence
Of course, that would be unfair to say that location-independent job is a paradise and it's for everyone. No, it's not for everyone. Some people do really enjoy being able to socialize and talk to each other during the day about different aspects of their life. If you are one of such people, you would be missing out for sure.
Also, your job or profession might not be portable at all. You might not love all aspects of your work, but if this is the profession that you like and it has no options of being remote (e.g cashier at the grocery store, construction worker, etc.) then you cannot work remotely. Sorry, the world is still catching up with this new trend of a nomadic lifestyle. And not everything supposed to be location-independent and that's OK.
Conclusion
There are numerous benefits of a decision of becoming a digital nomad and work completely remote from anywhere you want. However, before doing any change in your life try to weight benefits and disadvantages for yourself if that's really what you want.
You could take a move quickly and regret it or you could make a change that will fully transform your way of thinking about life. In my case, I've quit my job first and then started looking for a remote job. It was not the easiest route and finding new projects is still a hard work, but at least I know that I'm doing it for a reason. And because I can't stand living in Silicon Valley as another reason. But that's a totally different story.