If you had the ability to work anywhere in the world, where would you go? For many people, the ability to combine their work-life with their life’s passions has always seemed a bit like a pipe dream. But thanks to the rising trend in remote work and digital nomadism, that dream might not be so far off.
For one sector of remote workers, the ability to work anywhere means that they can also pursue their more adventurous side. This might mean basing themselves in a ski town (like this one), or at a popular scuba diving beach village, or even a remote outpost that is only a stone’s throw away from hundreds of mountain biking trails.
When your only work requirement is good internet, the world really opens up to you in terms of what adventures you want to pursue and where you want to pursue them.
This idea of combining work and adventure is what we would like to call an Adventure Digital Nomad.
WHAT ARE ADVENTURE DIGITAL NOMADS
You could say that at their core, digital nomads are really just adventure travelers. For in the end, some of the biggest reasons for becoming a location-independent remote worker are the desire to truly experience a destination, explore new and unique places and dive deeper into one spot.
Similarly, other popular reasons for being a digital nomad include the overall feeling and desire of freedom, the desire to push your limits, learn a foreign language, explore new landscapes, flexibility, and being able to work with indigenous and local people. That all sounds pretty adventurous to us.
So now the question is, how do you combine work with adventure?
Well the truth is, it can sometimes be tough to balance your work (even when doing it remotely) with your desire for adventure. Luckily, one of the easiest ways to remedy this is to put yourself in a spot that focuses heavily on the type of adventures you are after.
Adventure digital nomads understand the importance of location and therefore they will be hard-pressed to sacrifice their ability to live and work where they want. For many, access to adventures (hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, windsurfing) also means higher levels of happiness, and in turn, higher levels of productivity at work.
\\ Things Adventure Digital Nomads Focus On
There are a few specific things that adventure digital nomads focus on more than others besides just the specific location. These things not only help them follow their adventurous passions, but also help them be more productive, motivated and successful. Below are a few of them.
| Access to either their own set of transportation (a car, motorcycle, even a bicycle) or if they can't have their own wheels, then really good public transportation. This is super important, for transportation means more access to adventures (both near and far).
| Traveling with the seasons. An adventure digital nomad will know what season, and specifically what type of weather, suits them best - and they will follow it. This could also mean following the sun (like we try to do) - for more sunlight hours means more adventures.
| Access to adventure gear (and at a good price). While some adventure digital nomads will bring some of their own gear with them (like hiking boots and backpacking bags) others might need to either buy gear when they arrive in a new place or rent it while basing themselves there. This is especially true for big items like mountain bikes, scuba gear and kitesurfing setups.
| A community of other adventurers. Community is a big thing for digital nomads in general, but for adventure digital nomads finding a community of like-minded adventurers is even more important. This is because a community means you will likely have people to talk to about beta (information on specific adventures, like backpacking routes), people to discuss various options with (what is the best backpacking route in the area), and finally, people to actually go out and adventure with.
Combining the ability to work with the ability to adventure is one of the top perks of being a digital nomad. For many people, balancing work with their passions can sometimes feel like a chore - especially if your job keeps you from being able to live in a place where you can fuel that passion regularly.
While the idea of being a digital nomad is already on the rise (see here), we believe that by taking it a step further and also focusing on being an adventure digital nomad, you not only allow yourself to work wherever you want, but you also get to focus more on the things that bring you so much joy, fulfillment and overall happiness.
If you are wanting to combine remote work with your adventurous spirit, then following an adventure digital nomad lifestyle is definitely right for you.
Backroad Packers is all about living an adventurous life, so if being an adventure digital nomad sounds like an absolute dream, then definitely consider subscribing so you don't miss out on any useful information + adventure travel inspiration.