In recent years, telecommuting has become a new way of working for many companies, which makes the "digital nomads" a group of freelance workers hidden in the crowd visible.
The mobile office form of "digital nomads" breaks the traditional strong relationship between work, work location and time, blurs the boundaries between work, life and leisure, and allows people to maximize the freedom of work space and time.
Of course, like the two sides of a coin, is the new life and work status of "digital nomad" really as good as it seems on the surface?
work while living
In recent years, news like "25-year-old woman fled the big city to buy a house with 15,000 yuan in Hegang" has been frequently searched, attracting people's attention.
In Lijiang, Dali and other cities in Yunnan, there are a group of young people who gather in local shared offices or coffee shops and work hard.
This group of people is "digital nomads". They choose to leave big cities and live in small cities with lower cost of living and more suitable environment.
"Digital Nomad" is literally translated from English "Digital Nomad", which originally means a nomadic people who live by water and grass.
The former Hitachi CEO Makimoto Jixiong first proposed the concept of "digital nomads" in his book published in 1997.
In the era when the mobile Internet was not yet popular, he boldly predicted that in the future human society, high-speed wireless networks and powerful mobile devices will break down the boundaries between occupations and geographical regions, and thousands of people will sell them. house, to embrace a whole new way of living around the world while relying on the Internet to generate income.
He also predicted that these people earn the highest level of income in the world through the Internet, but choose to live in places that are equivalent to the price level of developing countries. An annoying commute".
It can be said that rather than being tied to a desk, more young people hope to have the opportunity to travel around the world, meet people from all walks of life, and work freely anytime and anywhere. These needs have been magnified under the epidemic.
At the beginning of 2022, the "2021 White Paper on China's Travel and Vacation" released by Mafengwo shows that more than 60% of Chinese young people are eager to choose a working method with an irregular office location and enjoy vacation life while working.
Dali in Yunnan, Anji in Zhejiang, Lingshui in Hainan, Liuzhou in Guangxi and other places have become the preferred destinations and settlements for China's "digital nomads".
Technology blessing, concept change
The realization of the "digital nomad" way of life and work directly benefits from the advancement of science and technology and the development of digital technology.
With the development of economic globalization and wireless network technology, all walks of life are accelerating the process of digitalization, from office automation, supply chain digital intelligence, to home office, flexible employment, enterprise production and operation methods and workplace forms, are all affected by digitalization. Deep impression.
The improvement of the digital capabilities of a large number of enterprises has made it possible for employees in different employment methods and work modes to collaborate efficiently and give full play to their advantages.
The development of technology, coupled with high-speed and affordable wireless network connections, has freed more and more people from the limitations of time and space, and portable office equipment allows people to quickly build a working environment.
It is understood that "digital nomads" have a wide range of jobs, including information technology, creative services, education and training, consulting, marketing public relations, financial accounting, etc.
What these professions have in common is the ability to perform tasks remotely using digital tools and the Internet.
In addition, the increase in the number of "digital nomads" is closely related to the changes in social values and job hunting views.
Affected by the epidemic and economic factors, the trend of "fleeing" from first-tier cities has risen again.
Living in a low-cost place, serving high-paying customers, taking advantage of "geographical arbitrage", spending less time supporting oneself and more time enjoying life, has become an ideal working lifestyle for more and more young people. Gradually gain the recognition of family and society.
According to a report by the Future Work Institute, a Chinese think tank, at present, more than 34% of employees around the world are working remotely for a long time.
The rapid growth of the number of "digital nomads" in our country also implies people's reflection on the relationship between work and life.
In fact, paying more attention to the quality of life, hoping to take the initiative in work, and pursuing more free, flexible, and diversified employment methods have become the priority options for Chinese people to realize their self-worth and improve their quality of life.
"Digital nomad" is not a paradise
"Digital nomads" can make people temporarily stay away from the oppressive feeling brought about by the fast-paced life in big cities, competitive workplace culture and ineffective social interaction, and escape the pressure of high housing prices, high consumption, long commuting time, and involution.
But at the same time, "digital nomad" is not just as simple as freelancing and telecommuting, it means a new state of life.
Not everyone is suitable to be a "digital nomad". Although it seems extremely free, it also means more risks and stronger capabilities.
How to balance the relationship between free play and efficient work output requires a strong internal drive and self-discipline; from teamwork to individual combat, you must deal with various unexpected emergencies; how to learn to break the boundaries of yourself , have a strong ability to adapt to the environment, and be able to resolve loneliness while lacking a sense of belonging, etc., are all compulsory courses.
No job or lifestyle is perfect, and any life has its own shackles, and "digital nomads" are no exception.
Freedom and independence are the norm, loneliness and isolation are the challenges.
Many people are tired of the mainstream life of clocking in and going to work according to the rules, and yearn for a free working environment, so they blindly follow the crowd.
However, the life of a "digital nomad" is not a way to escape from the predicament of modern times. Whether it is to follow the traditional work model or become a "digital nomad", it should be a rational choice after careful consideration.
The escape of the body is only a temporary escape, and only the freedom of the mind is the real freedom.
The real life of "digital nomads" is often not as glamorous as what people see on social media. Although it is a spiritual path that many people want to take while balancing work and travel, it is also accompanied by certain difficulties and challenges.
Exploring a sustainable and healthy working and living state requires a rational choice of the most suitable way.
(Banyuetan.com reporter Li Xiaoling)