What is a digital nomad, and how do you become one?

Have you ever dreamed about travelling the world while making money from a fabulous Airbnb in Bali, a sunny beach in Mexico or a cosy café in Madeira?

There’s a name for people living this lifestyle: So-called “digital nomads” work remotely while travelling, combining their career with the freedom to live (almost) anywhere in the world. Digital nomads only need their laptops and an internet connection to earn a living from cafés, coworking spaces, or beachfront apartments. This lifestyle has become increasingly popular over the last decade, as technological advances and more remote-friendly jobs have made it possible to work from different places. Exploring the world while making money: The advantages of living and working as digital nomads are obvious, which leads to more and more people adopting this lifestyle.

But as great as it sounds – becoming a digital nomad isn’t just about booking a flight and hoping for the best. It takes planning, the right job and skill set, and smart tools to stay productive and organised while working remotely.

This guide will help you make the digital nomad lifestyle a reality. We’ll cover all the essential steps – from finding remote-friendly jobs and building a career as a digital nomad based on your skills to staying organised and managing your job on the move with the help of Adobe Express.

Skills and jobs for remote work.

While not every job is suitable for the digital nomad lifestyle, some skills and careers can easily be done remotely from any place in the world. Whether you’re working as a freelancer or remotely for a company – a wide range of roles can be done from anywhere as long as you have the right skills and a solid internet connection. Here are some of the most popular and practical jobs for digital nomads, plus our tips to get you started:

Become a digital nomad as an influencer or content creator:

Influencers and content creators build audiences on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn. They often make money by partnering with brands to promote products or share their experiences. This job can often be done from anywhere in the world. If you’re skilled in content creation (photo, video, and copywriting), audience engagement, and storytelling, this career could be for you.

Tip: If you want to become an influencer, choose a niche you're genuinely passionate about and focus on building trust before chasing brand deals. Consistency and authenticity are key to being successful as an influencer.

Becoming a digital nomad with translation or transcription work:

Translation work is a natural fit if you’re fluent in more than one language. Transcription (converting audio or video into text) is also widely needed, especially in legal, medical, and media fields. Both jobs are ideal for digital nomads, but apart from language fluency (often on a native speaking level), they require accuracy, typing speed, perfect grammar, and attention to detail.

Tip: Specialising in an industry (such as legal or tech) can help increase your rates.

Work as a digital nomad with content writing/copywriting:

If you have a way with words, writing is one of the most accessible remote jobs. This can include blog posts, newsletters, social media content, and website copy. To be successful, you need a strong writing ability, knowledge of SEO basics, and experience in the field.

Tip: There are a lot of writers out there – so marketing is key. Build a portfolio or your own website to attract clients and get more jobs.

Become a digital nomad as a graphic designer:

Designers are in high demand for everything from social media assets and presentations to branding and product packaging. If you’re a skilled designer, your career is perfectly suited for you to become a digital nomad – usually, all you need is your laptop, tablet, and graphic design apps.

Tip: To attract clients, create a clean, mobile-optimised portfolio using Adobe Express or Behance. And: Finding a niche (e.g., specialising in designing social media assets, presentations, or logos for brands) can help you stand out in a competitive market.

Doing web development as a digital nomad:

Developers are among the highest-paid remote workers. You can specialise (e.g., in front-end, back-end, or full-stack development) to find your niche. However, to be successful, you’ll need good web development skills and experience.

Tip: Tech moves fast. Start with freelance platforms to gain experience and keep learning. Remote-first companies are often looking for developers with flexible availability.

Become a digital nomad with virtual assistance:

Virtual assistants (short: VA) support businesses with admin tasks, customer service, inbox management, bookings, and more. If your skills are in organisation, communication, time management, and tools like Trello, this might be the right job.

Tip: Offer niche services (e.g., social media scheduling, customer support, or podcast admin) to command higher rates.

Becoming a digital nomad as a social media manager:

In 2025, every business wants an online presence – many outsource this to freelancers who know how to grow and engage an audience. If you are experienced with content creation and management on different social media platforms, analytics, and working with creative tools like Adobe Express, you could do this job as a digital nomad.

Tip: Build your own online and social media presence to showcase your skills and experience, and thus attract clients.

Become a digital nomad by working in online teaching or tutoring:

You have profound knowledge and experience in a specific subject, and your strengths are patience and clear communication? Perfect – you could work as an online teacher or tutor. Offering lessons in languages, coding, music, or academic subjects is a flexible, rewarding way to work remotely.

Tip: Join platforms for online teaching and tutoring to get started. If you already have experience, you could create and promote your own course content via social media.

Becoming a digital nomad by making money with video editing:

Video editing is in high demand due to the explosion of video content across YouTube, TikTok, and other online platforms. If you know how to use tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and are experienced in storytelling, editing, and transitions, you could become a digital nomad with this skill set.

Tip: Marketing yourself is essential. To showcase your video editing skills and attract clients and customers, create a video portfolio. You can also use social media to promote your services, especially TikTok and YouTube.

Work as a digital nomad in customer support:

Many companies hire remote workers to handle customer queries, technical issues, and other kinds of customer support. This could be your way to make money while travelling – if you have excellent communication skills, a lot of patience, basic product knowledge, and experience with customer support tools.

Tip: This job is a great way to start as a digital nomad and is usually suitable for those seeking a career change. Just make sure your time zone fits the company’s support hours.

Become a digital nomad by selling digital products:

Selling digital products is a scalable, low-maintenance way to earn income online – making it perfect for digital nomads. Once created, products like templates, eBooks, guides, courses, or printables can be sold repeatedly without managing inventory or shipping.

Tip: Focus on solving a specific problem for a specific audience – whether it’s a budgeting spreadsheet, social media template, or travel planner. Use Adobe Express to create digital products and platforms like Etsy to sell them. And don’t slack on marketing: showcase your products via social media or your own website.

Become a digital nomad by doing online coaching or consulting:

If you have expertise in a specific field, such as fitness, nutrition, business, mindset, writing, etc., you can work with clients remotely via calls and resources. To do this successfully, you need thorough knowledge in your field and good communication skills.

Tip: Use tools like Zoom for easy scheduling and sessions, and Adobe Express to design lead magnets or coaching materials.

You might feel ready to pack your suitcase now – but please make sure you approach becoming a digital nomad realistically. To succeed as a digital nomad, you need experience and a solid education or excellent skills. In other words, build a solid foundation before you buy that plane ticket. Once you’ve laid the foundations for a successful career in the UK, you’re ready to take off as a digital nomad.

Planning your nomadic lifestyle.

How does one become a digital nomad? It takes more than just booking a flight and packing your laptop. The key is to build a sustainable setup that allows you to work while exploring the world.

Start by securing a reliable source of income. This might be a remote job, freelance work, running an online business, or offering services like writing, design, tutoring, or consulting. Focus on building a solid workflow and client base before you take your work on the road.

Once your income is steady, choose your destination. Look for places with strong internet infrastructure, affordable living costs, and communities that welcome digital nomads. Also, make sure always to check visa rules and legal requirements before you go.

Practical preparation is also important. Set up digital banking and cloud storage, get travel insurance that covers work abroad, and invest in gear that supports mobility – like a lightweight laptop, power bank(s), and noise-cancelling headphones.

Finally, find a routine. Nomad life can feel like a holiday, but maintaining a daily structure is crucial to staying productive and avoiding burnout. Create boundaries between work and downtime, join local coworking spaces or communities, and stay connected with others in your field.

With the right planning, being a digital nomad is a fulfilling and flexible way to live, travel, and work on your own terms.

Staying organised as a digital nomad with Adobe Express.

Living and working on the move offers freedom, but you need a lot of planning and organisation to make it work. Adobe Express can help you stay on top of your work, present your business or services professionally, and save time – all on one easy-to-use platform. Here’s how Adobe Express can support your digital nomad lifestyle:

• Create professional documents: Adobe Express offers easy-to-edit templates from CVs to invoices, that help you produce professional-looking branded materials without needing design skills.
• Build your online presence: Whether you’re a writer, coach, or online seller, promoting yourself and your services or products is key when you want to attract new customers. Adobe Express makes it easy to plan and create content. You can even use the content scheduler to plan your posts.
• Save time with templates: Are you working with repeat tasks or multiple clients? Set up brand kits. You can reuse and adapt templates, assets and other materials quickly and easily, depending on what you need, and thus spend less time formatting and more time focusing on your actual work.
• Stay organised: Design custom to-do lists, calendars, or travel itineraries to stay on top of your tasks, even across time zones. It’s a simple, visual way to structure your day, especially when your location changes.
• Access everything – from anywhere: Adobe Express works in the cloud, so your designs and documents are accessible wherever you are – whether you’re working from your laptop in a coworking space or making quick edits on your phone at the airport.

Try Adobe Express today

This is how Adobe Express can help you.

Building a successful life as a digital nomad takes more than a laptop and a plane ticket – it’s about presenting yourself professionally, staying organised on the go, and making your work visible wherever you are. The good news: This doesn’t have to be a challenge. Adobe Express helps you bring structure into your remote life. Easy-to-use tools help you create everything you need – from client-ready documents to eye-catching marketing materials, all customisable to fit your style. Start creating with Adobe Express today and take your work anywhere.