I've finally said goodbye to my 'permanent home' and today is the first day of my digital nomad trial. By midday I had crossed two counties, directed traffic on a busy road (to avoid an accident happening), stumbled into camera shot for a local TV show and contemplated the benefits of freedom from material belongings with a mobile monk. It's amazing what happens when you are free to interact with the world in flow.
My digital nomad trial is going well - so far, so good. I''m not 100% location independent yet but I'm getting there pretty fast - over two thirds of my week is now completely free of specific geographical ties. Barring no-go areas, physical limitations of the human body and issues of practicality, I'm free to go anywhere. Today I'm checking out public buildings in the Welsh capital - I'm writing this post from the top floor gallery of a new library (recently opened by the Manic Street Preachers and one of the most sustainable buildings around), with great views over the city's rooftops (pictured).
This new lifestyle has got me thinking: what exactly is a digital nomad? Are there grades of digital nomadary? Or is it more about doing it the way you want?
Here are some definitions:
"A Digital Nomad is a person who works from wherever he/she wants, be it an airport, hotel, plane, restaurant, coffee shop, office or even while traveling. Digital Nomads use digital camera's, laptops, notebooks, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s), and smart phones in combination with the many web-based services through Internet access points (like WiFi hot spots) to make money and maintain a living by their own standards and values." -Richard Vader
"[someone who has] the freedom to work from anywhere" - Justin Wright
And Thom Rigsby describes his digital nomadic lifestyle as “I don’t sit in one spot to work, I work where I sit"
How would you define a Digital Nomad? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
