Digital nomads spend most of their time traveling from country to country, working as they go. For many people, this might seem like a dream – the independence, the memories, the opportunities. In fact, roughly 18.1 million American workers described themselves as digital nomads last year. This represents a staggering 147% increase since 2019.
But it can be a daunting experience when things begin to change, especially if you have just welcomed a child into your family. Surprisingly, it is absolutely possible to continue on as a digital nomad, even as you become a mom. It might take a while to get used to the new addition and responsibility, but there are ways to ease this adjustment.
In this post, four of the best tips to help your family thrive in the digital nomad lifestyle have been explained.
Establish a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Working and traveling at the same time isn’t for the weak, and it can certainly become livelier when children are involved. Whereas you might have once enjoyed working on the road at all hours, you might now long for quiet evenings to share with your partner and kids. This is why it is vital to create a balance between your work and personal life, and this balance must be managed healthily.
As you will generally lead a busy life, burnout is a very real possibility. It could be easy to overwork when you are working in ever-changing environments with fluctuating schedules and unpredictable distractions. Not only that, but you will also have to juggle life as a mother, which can be mentally and physically exhausting at times. Thankfully, by establishing a healthy work-life balance, you can prevent burnout from occurring.
The best way to avoid burnout is to prioritize rest. Of course, you should ensure you get a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night, but rest in this respect means a lot more. It means taking regular breaks, working at a sustainable pace, and forming a routine you can stick with. This means choosing which days and hours you will work and how you will spend your days off.
Make Changes to Protect the Family’s Well-being
Even if you have been a digital nomad for quite some time, the arrival of children means internal changes are required. You will face rather unique challenges as you travel and work while parenting, and these challenges can impact many areas of life, including the health of your family, routines, and transportation. To ensure these areas of your life flow smoothly, you must begin making changes early on.
There are many ways to protect your family’s well-being, but the first method to consider is updating your insurance policies. International medical coverage is crucial for digital nomads, and you must look at amending your policy as soon as you realize you are pregnant. Some insurance providers will even offer maternity care as a bonus, so you should review the policy early on and take advantage of such benefits. In fact, it could be beneficial to update your health insurance policy when, if, you decide to try for a baby to ensure you receive the additional benefits.
Additionally, children living the digital nomad lifestyle will have specific needs, and these needs will change as they age and grow. This is no different than ordinary kids, though. As well as accessing suitable healthcare, they will also require an education. Some digital nomad parents will choose to homeschool their children, while others will find suitable online schooling. This can have an influence on how your children socialize, too.
Build an Effective Support Network
When you are so far away from your home country, you might begin to feel isolated and lonely. You are miles and miles away from everything that was once familiar, and you are raising children away from those experiences and any close family or friends. A phone call or video call isn’t always the same as being in someone’s physical presence, and this is why you must seek out support.
Building a support network is priceless, particularly as a digital nomad and a mother. You must find people that you trust and enjoy spending time with to obtain that feeling of connection and belonging. Your children could even benefit from this if you befriend other digital nomad families, particularly if they have children of a similar age. Even if you move around lots, this connection can be maintained via phone and video call.
After making friends once, the next time will be easier – for both you and your children.
Remember to Have Fun
Although a lot of changes occur when adding a child to your digital nomad lifestyle, and this can be stressful, you must remember to make memories. For many, this means remembering to have fun and enjoy all of the moments you share with your family as you travel. Not only will this benefit your mental health, but it will also strengthen family bonds.
Your family will be together a lot, and this means you have the perfect opportunity to create lasting memories. Make time to explore local attractions, play games, and simply relax together, and all of these shared experiences will reinforce your family connections.
To conclude, digital nomad life might not appear suitable for families to outsiders, but it can be a very rewarding experience. You have the opportunity to spend lots of time with your kids, and what parent doesn’t want that? However, you will need to make adjustments to ensure your family thrives, as outlined in this post.
