The 30 second test to find out if you’re a digital nomad at heart
getty
Your office job feels wrong. Deep down you suspect there’s more to life than commuting to the same building, sitting at the same desk, and staring at the same four walls. Working for someone else’s dream is stopping you from chasing yours, but you don’t know how to escape. Even if you mostly work from home, it’s still the same house. Surely there’s more to life.
In 2013 I read the 4-Hour Workweek and started traveling for one month every quarter while running my business. By 2021 I was a full-time digital nomad. I’ve lived in 35 different cities in the last ten years and each one feels like home.
Most people never take the leap into location independence because they’re scared of failure. But a quick test will reveal if you’re made for the nomad lifestyle.
Score yourself across five sections to find out if it’s time to pack your bags and join the thirty-five million digital nomads living life on their terms right now. Three points are up for grabs in each one. Let’s go.
See if you’re built for a life of digital freedom: take this test
Measure your adaptability
You need serious flexibility to thrive as a digital nomad. Score one point if you love eating at new restaurants, setting up home in different places, and working from spots you’ve never been. Score another if you get excited about change, not scared of it.
Add a point if you bounce back fast when plans change. Someone cancels at the last minute? Flight gets delayed? You stay cool and find plan B. Your ability to adapt matters more than your destination.
Rate your productivity mindset
Working while traveling needs next-level focus. Give yourself one point if you love creating systems and routines, or if email folders and systemised travel documents are your jam. Add another if you stick to them without someone looking over your shoulder. Accountability is in short supply when you’re travelling the world and discipline is required in your beachside apartment.
Score an extra point if you work best alone. The most successful nomads know how to motivate themselves. No boss needed. They create their perfect day then make it happen, over and over.
Test your minimalist potential
Living with less opens doors to more adventures. Score one point if you can fit your life into a couple of suitcases. Add another if you never miss the stuff you leave behind. True digital nomads need hardly anything to be content. Plus, you can always pick things up in your new city.
Get a bonus point if buying memories and paying for experiences beats buying new possessions. Or if you prefer a room with zero clutter. Great digital nomads know happiness comes from seeing new places, not owning new products they don’t really need.
Review your readiness to work anywhere
Just a laptop and WiFi connection unlocks millions of possible offices. Score one point if the thought of this excites you. You see potential workspaces wherever you go. A hotel lobby, a coffee shop, a random restaurant. Add another if you’ve tested different setups and know what helps you focus best.
Add a point if bad WiFi or tech issues never throw you off track. Digital nomads need backup plans for their backup plans. The best ones stay productive through any problem, with mobile hotspots and offline options already in check.
Check your connection style
Strong relationships can handle any distance. Score a point if you keep in touch with friends across multiple time zones, or your preferred communication method is async. Add another if you make connections easily in new places. If you say hi first without thinking.
Take one more point if you build genuine friendships fast. Digital nomads create their tribe wherever they land. The best ones stay close to old friends while making new ones.
Add up your freedom score
Now total your points. Zero to five means office life probably suits you better. You might need more structure, not enjoy change, or be too high maintenance to make this a success. Six to ten suggests you could handle some travel but need a home base.
Eleven to fifteen? You’re ready to do it. Every digital nomad started exactly where you are now. They chose freedom over familiarity and never looked back.
Make the decision: should you become a digital nomad?
Take the test, check your score, then make your move. See if the digital nomad lifestyle matches your personality. By 2030 there will be sixty million digital nomads. Will you be one of them? The location independent life opens up when you’re ready to grab it. Don’t wait for permission. Pack your bags and create the life you actually want to live.
