A talk with Jordan Simons on how to sustain the digital nomad lifestyle

For some, the nomadic lifestyle is just like a short love affair. Magical, exciting and very intense. However,  just as magical it appears just as difficult is it too sustain for a long period of time. So what can we do and what should we be aware of when we want to sustain a nomadic lifestyle and turn our love affair to a long term thing?

Meet Jord, backpacker turned successful digital nomad and content creator. He has been embracing the nomadic lifestyle for almost five years, earning a full-time income from YouTube AdSense and video/photo content. After exploring over 70 countries, he now spends most of his time in one of our favorite digital nomad locations, Bali.

The nomadic lifestyle comes without instructions. But as an established digital nomad who truly understands the struggles and challenges, he is the perfect candidate to ask for some tips and tricks.

5 tips on how to sustain your digital nomad lifestyle

DIGITAL NOMAD TIP #01 – FIND DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS

In order to stay in the game, you need a stable and full income to keep you rolling. When it comes to photo and video creation, it took Jord a few years to figure out how to make money around it. His first dollar as a digital nomad came from YouTube AdSense. However, if you want to earn a full-time income as a digital nomad you have to explore more ways to make money. Now, besides YouTube AdSense, one of his main revenues comes from Stock footage and licenses his photos.

Like many other digital nomads, Jord was trying to make ends meet month to month, mostly relying on YouTube for a long period of time. Yet, he emphasizes the importance of having a long term perspective when entering this career.

“To sustain the nomadic lifestyle you need to have a long term view in mind and always explore new opportunities and platforms when building your revenue stream,” he says.

This long term approach, doesn’t only apply to content creators but most digital nomads. You can also check out our digital nomad talk with Kait Rich, who combines online coaching programs with in person retreats to create a full income.

DIGITAL NOMAD TIP #02 – MAP OUT YOUR PERSONAL WORK/LIFE BALANCE

To map out your personal work/life balance will help put your body and mind at ease. For Jord, this meant to settle in Bali instead of travelling around and work on the go. He still goes on trips to create content, but comes “home” to do the editing etc. A choice which provides stability and the opportunity for a work/life balance that enables him to keep creating.

We would never underestimate the importance of hard work. Yet, we also believe that you should enjoy the places you go to. To be fair, what is the point in spending 100 hours a week in front of the laptop, if it keeps you from doing what you set out to do in the first place. Which in most cases, is to see and experience the world.

Therefore, you have to map out a personal system that works for you. Nowadays content creation and vlogging is a very popular digital nomad job. However, Jord has seen some of the biggest Youtubers get burned out due to pure exhaustion. Just focusing on work, will most likely prevent you from creating and suppress your motivation in the long run.  

DIGITAL NOMAD TIP #03 – PAY ATTENTION TO THE LAST DETAIL  

As said earlier, there is nothing wrong with being a hard worker. In fact, you should be. However, if you don’t pay attention to the last details it may not pay off as you want it to. According to Jord, content creation goes far beyond producing videos and editing. Many make the mistake of finishing one video after another just to move on to the next straight away. But in order to get the most out of your hard work, paying attention to the last detail is key. In regards to content creation, the last detail is putting some time in marketing your content. In the end, getting those last bits right can make all the difference!

DIGITAL NOMAD TIP #04 – NEVER SACRIFICE THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK OVER QUANTITY

We don’t believe in failures. However, Jord has made some mistakes we all can learn from. One is to take on too many projects and sacrificing the quality of the outcome. “Consistency is key, but if your trying to divide your attention to too many projects, none of them will end up any good,” he says. As a digital nomad your time is very precious. Therefore, in the process of choosing which projects to take on, remember to stay true to yourself.

According to Jord, it’s better to dive into a fewer amount that really spark your interest rather than fumbling around with 10 different projects. You should prioritize projects that provide value both personally and professionally in the long run.

DIGITAL NOMAD TIP #05 – HAVE PATIENCE, SUCCESS DOESN’T COME OVERNIGHT

Turning into a successful long term digital nomad is a long and tough journey. The struggles are real no matter if you are a vlogger, coach, content creator or something completely different. Success mostly doesn’t come overnight and if it does, it might not last long. According to Jord, a lot of people become video and photo creators without having the actual understanding or backbone of monetization. Building an understanding takes time and effort, but hang in there. As long as you stay consistent with your work, see improvement over time, even just small ones, you are on the right track!

Key Take Aways For Nomads

 ✅ Have patience – success doesn’t come overnight

 ✅ Have a long-term perspective when entering the nomadic lifestyle

 ✅ Find a work/life balance that enables you to keep creating

 ✅ Build a stable income from multiple revenue streams