10 Reasons You Shouldn’t Become a Digital Nomad

by Jonathan Lee Martin

I’m done being a digital nomad. Despite my attempts to convince others that the minimalist mindset frees you to do outlandish things like taking a travel sabbatical, I failed to convince myself.

So rather than continue to mislead you, let me come clean and save you from the eerie silence my empty apartment makes when the AC turns off. In truth, I planned to sit down and write this confession sooner… but I don’t actually have anywhere to sit. 🤷‍♂️

  1. I’m tired of being asked “is your house always clean?” because I don’t even have a house.
  2. Can I please… stop… decluttering… and fretting over every single thing I own now that I have 17 possessions.
  3. I’m tired of having nothing to clean, because I’m never using the same floor or kitchen sink long enough to make it dirty.
  4. I’m tired of feeling like such an idiot when I see my friends with a real adult life. Kids, attics, house, cars, television and a Netflix account.
  5. I’m tired of people thinking I’m insane because I own next to nothing, don’t have a house or car, and have no debts. Thanks for ruining my life, Dave Ramsey.
  6. I’m tired of not being allowed to use the #adulting hashtag since everyone thinks I’m lazy for not washing dishes I don’t have.
  7. I’m tired of having no gym membership because I already get so… many… steps… from all this hiking. The world is my treadmill.
  8. I’m tired of being hungry all the time. Oh wait, I’ve got a box of Clif bars here in the back seat…
  9. I’m tired of missing coupons for Chick-fil-A because I don’t have a mailbox. Come to think of it, I can’t find a Chick-fil-A in Iceland.
  10. I can’t finish the tenth reason because I’m tired of sitting on this tree stump with a view of Mt. Hood.

I could probably address most of these issues with a trip to T.J.Maxx, but that would require a car.

As a digital nomad, I embrace the minimalist mindset — it frees you to pursue opportunities without regrets or obligations to tie you down. If you’re looking for more substance and less satire, here’s how you can start the journey of becoming a digital nomad today.