how to be a digital nomad - amy wagner, agile cambridge 2016
TRANSCRIPT
How to become a digital nomadBy Amy Wagner | @amyeee
(and how to manage one)
1997, Tsugio Makimoto, David Manners
“Over the next decade, technology will deliver to us a range of tools that will give us all the facilities of homes and offices - in our pockets.”
“It will happen gradually and people will be slow to realise that a revolution is occurring…”
#digital nomads in the world
“digital nomad”Do you identify with the term?
Sam Mandy Tim
no no no
No“Snake oil connotations”
“I just work on the road while I travel”
“I personally find the term digital nomad to be silly”
8,342 members Slack channel & forum
24,311 members Facebook group
29,441 readers Sub-Reddit
facebook.com/groups/DigitalNomadsAroundTheWorld/nomadlist.com
reddit.com/r/digitalnomad/
how do I become a digital nomad?
why
“This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time”
- Tyler Durden
Commuting is bad.
1. Couples are 40% more likely to divorce when 1 person commutes for 45 mins + [1]
2. 1 in 3 workers with 90 min + daily commute has recurrent neck or back problems [2]
3. Vehicle-miles traveled has a stronger correlation with obesity than any other factor. [3]
For sources, see references.
When do you do the ‘work of work’?
how
3 easy steps
1. Get rid of your stuff
2. Make your job remote
3. Pick your first location & book your travel
1. Get rid of all your stuff
easier / lighter to travel
escape the consumerism trap
2. Make your job remote
Convince your boss / colleagues
It’s cheaper for them
You’re a grown-up
A
2. Make your job remote
Convince your boss / colleagues
It’s cheaper for them
You’re a grown-up
Work on that start-up idea
Live somewhere cheaper
Work somewhereinspirational
A B
2. Make your job remote
Convince your boss / colleagues
It’s cheaper for them
You’re a grown-up
Work on that start-up idea
Live somewhere cheaper
Work somewhereinspirational
Find a remote OK job
A B C
3. Pick your first location
how do I manage a digital nomad?
the same( with a few extra constraints )
“But I need to keep an eye on my people”
Guess what? They can NOT work at work too.
In 2016, is this still true?
"The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation"
agilemanifesto.org - 2001
Sam
Traveller for 2 years. 10 months on the road, 2 months of Summer at home.
New Zealand citizen
Software Engineer, core team 4, wider 30
✔ Text/messaging: all hours
✔ Voice: daily stand-up, weekly wider team
✔ F2F: 2 per year on averagesamhogg.com
Tim
Full-time ‘stealth’ Van-dweller around UK
“I never park in the same place two nights in a row”
UK citizen
Technical sales/account management, team of 2
✔ Text/messaging: daily, not enough
✔ Voice: regularly to speak to customers, connects to office PBX
✔ F2F: “Too often”tdobson.net
Mandy
Full-time traveller for 8 years
USA citizen
Global house-sitter
Developer, last job, team of 3
✔ Text/messaging: constantly, all day
✔ Voice: daily stand-up, 1 extra call av.
✔ F2F: 2-3 per yearvagabondette.com
synchronous to
asynchronous
Industries that work remotely
1. Military 2. Computer and Mathematical 3. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and
Media Occupations 4. Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 5. Life, Physical, and Social Science
Occupations 6. Legal Occupations 7. Community and Social Service
Occupations 8. Architecture and Engineering
Occupations 9. Business and Financial
Source: globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics
50% of the US workforce holds a job that is compatible with at least partial telework
20-25% of the workforce teleworks at some frequency
Sam Mandy Tim
Nomading problems
“Meaningful relationships”
“Fear of missing out”
“Dropping into ‘tourist mode’”
“Building relationships”
“Constantly planning next move”
“Loneliness”
“Difficult maintaining friendships at home”
“When you don't know the area”
“Evenings are boring”
Sam Mandy Tim
Nomading perks
“Incredible global networks”
“settle in foreign cities”
“I haven’t had a winter in three years now”
“Seeing so many new places”
“Significantly cheaper than USA”
“I can just leave”
“Being in the most convenient place for now”
“Being able to lie in bed, on the internet, with an ace view”
“Constant adventures are possible”
Mandy spent $11,623.24 USD - 1 year visiting 41 cities, 19 countries
Transportation: $2459.70 (avg $204.98)
Lodging: $3093.63 (avg $257.80)
Food & Entertainment: $4254.93 (avg $354.58)
Miscellaneous: $1814.98 (avg $151.25)
Working visas and paying tax
Estonian Digital identity given to non-residents.
Run a location-independent business, online.
“There will be 1 billion digital nomads by 2035”
Freelancer population is increasing
Internet speed is increasing
Marriage is decreasing (mechanically linked to home-ownership)
Flight costs / times are decreasing
9b people, 6b working, 50% freelancers, 1 in 3 digital nomads = 1 billion
Source: levels.io/future-of-digital-nomads/
Pieter Levels, Founder nomadlist.com
Websites
nomadlist.io - Forum and Slack community (membership fee)
weworkremotely.com - job site
Digital Nomads Around the World - Facebook Group
r/digitalnomad - sub-Reddit
Further reading
Thanks!
References
1. “Couples are 40% more likely to divorce when 1 person commutes for 45 mins +” Sandow, Erika (February 2014). “Til Work Do Us Part: The Social Fallacy of Long-distance Commuting”.Urban Studies: http://usj.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/08/06/0042098013498280
2. “1 in 3 workers with 90 min + daily commute has recurrent neck or back problems”Crabtree, Steve (13 August 2010). “Wellbeing Lower Among Workers With Long Commutes”Gallup poll: http://www.gallup.com/poll/142142/wellbeing-lower-among-workers-long-commutes.aspx
3. “Vehicle-miles traveled has a stronger correlation with obesity than any other factor” Lopez-Retina, Javier et. al. (December 2006). “The link between obesity and the built environment. Evidence from an ecological analysis of obesity and vehicle miles of travel in California” Health & Place: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829205000572