How the ‘temporary digital nomad’ lifestyle empowers women

By Amy Ramage
Amy Ramage, Founder, MD and Creative Director of Célibataire shares why more women should capitalise on the ‘temporary digital nomad’ or fauxmad lifestyle

Digital nomads are taking the world by storm, with over 35 million swapping their business desks for beaches and city breaks across the globe. Its popularity is so great, that now over 50 countries offer a Digital Nomad Visa – giving the legal right to work remotely while residing away from their country of permanent residence. 

This is truly a movement, and while the term has been around for approximately two decades, the parameters around what you’d expect a digital nomad to be have changed. This privilege was formerly the domain of freelancers, but it has now – with the support of this Digital Nomad Visa – extended to those with full-time ‘traditional jobs’. 

It’s a new post-pandemic way of working that maintains solid professional links with a home city or commercial hub while enjoying the everyday beauty and vitality of the type of holiday destinations most of us can only visit for a week or two. This is being the ‘temporary digital nomad’ or the fauxmad. 

The fauxmad turning point

I have always loved travelling. But after founding Célibataire early last year, it reached the point where the sheer time and dedication needed and involved with founding a business started to make an impact. I was burnt out and needed a bit of a reset and recharge.

However, taking a prolonged hiatus is difficult when you’ve only recently started a business. That’s when the idea of ‘working away from home’ struck me. It seemed to me the perfect way to take a ‘non-break’. Ultimately, I packed my bags and headed from my studio in East London to beautiful, sunny and historical Athens, Greece. 

Honestly, it was one of the best things I have ever done. The time away in this vibrant city was a constant source of inspiration for me. And it helps that the city packs quite a punch. It is in a constant state of artistic and cultural rejuvenation – galleries, sprawling creative hubs, and an inventive food scene abound. As a design enthusiast who loves culture, this spot re-sparked my creative passion.

It helped that Athens is fully equipped for the digital nomad, with its collaborative office spaces and internet connectivity. This meant there would be no difference between working from my studio in London or from a Greek balcony. Except, of course, for the view of the Acropolis and some sunshine.

Advice for building a digital nomad-leaning team

With that in mind, my experience as a digital nomad - albeit temporarily - demonstrated how beneficial this experience could be. I've also encouraged my team to dip their toes into this lifestyle. And from London to Yorkshire and Europe to the Pacific, we, as a team at Célibataire, have become experts at working seamlessly together, as one, from different locations. 

It offers a work/life balance for each of us, showing we can make our work ‘work’ from any location to the same standard as we would in a shared office space together. However, there is some advice to take on board if you’re looking to take your digital nomad adventure – or make it available to your team: 

Foster a culture of connection: My experience wouldn’t have been the same if I didn’t trust and have a great connection with my team. I’m lucky. But as the team gets bigger, and these same policies are offered to all of the team, you need to know that members aren’t slacking off but doing their full workload. Embedding an open, honest and transparent culture is crucial, as it will make employees recognise collaborative, fair and responsible values. 

Create flexibility policies: It’s always been my prerogative to ensure that my agency is as flexible as possible. This could not apply more when it comes to being a digital nomad. I was lucky with Greece because we were only two hours ahead. But that's not the case with, for example, Thailand, which is 7 hours ahead. 

Of course, different roles have different requirements for availability, but if you’re going to offer this sort of opportunity to your teams, you must be willing to accept this will have an impact. It’s much more regular these days to receive an email with a signature that stipulates an employee has a flexible working arrangement, which can be a powerful tool for the digital nomad in the right circumstances. 

Invest in quality collaboration software: Remote work isn’t viable without collaboration software. Presumably, that’s why digital nomadism thrived following the pandemic when every business had its fair share of Zoom. Because, like employees working from home, digital nomads need the proper technology and tools to be efficient and successful. Features such as chat, video, screen sharing and digital whiteboards bring workers together, even if they’re far apart physically. At our agency, we’re a big fan of Slack and use it to keep in contact throughout the day. 

The New Rich is – and will be – this method of working

The author, Tim Ferriss, who popularised the term “digital nomad”, said: “Gold is getting old. The New Rich (NR) are those who abandon the deferred-life plan and create luxury lifestyles in the present using the currency of the NR: time and mobility[...] the fantasy is the lifestyle of complete freedom.”

And that’s exactly what it is. We, as digital nomads, are breaking the expectations of ‘Office Culture’ and are deeming the term ‘Working from Home’ more accessible than ever. Today, work-life doesn't need to be the 9-5 in exchange for the occasional short holiday. You can be just as productive, if not more, from your dream location, and when the work day is done, you can find the best plate of moussaka, get lost in the Plaka district's narrow pedestrian streets, and shield yourself from the sun under the Olympieion. 

It’s refreshing to see the possibilities that can arise from travelling and working from a greater distance. I urge anyone who can try – and to help your team try as well – it’s an experience you won’t regret. 

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