I have stumbled across the cool presentation of Pieter Levels about the future of work with his estimate that there will be 1 billion digital nomads 20 years from now. The predictions from the presentation can get quite real, I dare say, especially if we look at the world of early adopters we live in now: the gatekeepers no longer exist. They cannot prevent you from earning what you think you should if your skills are outstanding, if you can provide remarkable value globally and if you know how to connect with your target market.
You can create an MVP, share it with your peer group and the Product Hunt auditorium can vote pro or contra that almost immediately. You may start a business from a reliable laptop anywhere in the world on less than USD 100.
You may not want to take a bank loan and embrace the mortgage for the next 20 years like our parents did, but instead you want to invest your disposable income into a nomadic lifestyle in the more affordable destinations where you get to save some money AND hold the coconut cocktail in one hand. If you are tolerant to risk, incredibly focused and avoid stagnation, in the 21st century you can have your cake and eat it indeed.
But what are five trends that will shape the world of digital nomads over the next 20 years if we need to sum them up in a nutshell?
1) Fast cheap internet
Just one of the initiatives to increase the internet adoption is Mark Zuckerberg's Internet.org legacy project, where instead of having 4.9 billion people without the internet 10.000 drones will be moved around the globe to create the hot spots wherever they are needed.
2) Fast cheap air travel
Not only did low-cost carriers disrupt the airplane market, but the speed of travelling increases as the innovation takes place in every single component of the airplane. New planes will travel at the speed of sound, allowing us to reach the desired destination faster than ever.
3) Lots of freelancers
Almost 9 billion people will live on Earth in 2035 and out of 6 billion working people at least 40% will be freelancers. Let's say that 1 in 3 freelancers gets crazy about travelling and working which brings us to the calculation of 1 billion digital nomads.
4) No marriages
In 2035, less than 40% of the people around us will be married claims Pew Research Center making it possible for more people to travel longer and remain independent in their lifestyle.
5) No ownership
For Millennials that grew up with distractions it becomes less alluring to own the house and it is less real if they are single. Instead, the trend for young people who have no illusions but take the bull by the horns is to create several income streams from multiple jobs.
They try to develop security as they would live in less expensive locations and thrive on having savings and the lifestyle of nice meals and ocean panorama.
And when it comes to experiencing this life day in and day out fully, what gets to be the most important tools?
Certainly it is a laptop and it is on the cloud with all the apps and documents you store that get in sync wherever you are.
No matter what your age is, you do not want to penny pinch on laptop quality. It is one of those relationships that you want to nurture so much that it gets long-term at least for 2-4 years.
And this image sums up well laptop essentials you must have as a digital nomad.
What are all criteria you should pay attention to when you choose a laptop?
1) How long will its battery last?
2) How do you like its design?
3) What is its memory capacity?
4) Does it have all the functionality and support for all the programs you need?
5) How long is its international warranty valid?
6) What safety features you can use to protect your computer?
7) What laptop bags and chargers you should use?
8) How would you integrate the external disks for backups?
9) What headsets, cameras and cell phones you will make compatible with your laptop?
and of course
10) What to do when plugs and sockets are different than the ones in your homeland?
In next articles I would be compiling the best tools on your laptop, but for now on I wanted that we focus on the external world around us and our gadgets, the world that shifts with every blink of our eyes and every breath we take.
If you are still in doubt whether you should change locations to do you current job, ask yourself these two fundamental questions:
1) Does this type of job enable me to work remotely in the first place? (You know it is coding, writing, design, VA type of job)
2) Can I actually condition myself to do some decent work in lovely nature because being digital nomad means that I travel and work, not only travel?
Do you feel determined to move to a next chapter in your life, but you are uncertain how to start? To book a coaching session with Milena Milicevic, reach her out at LinkedIn.
Photo credits: Digital Nomad's Guide, Medium and Gizmodo.