The coronavirus pandemic was undoubtedly one of the worst global humanitarian disasters of our lifetime – and one that will only barely be outshone by the severity of the climate crisis. But from the spectre of the pandemic and its incalculable impacts on families worldwide, necessity bore invention. Burgeoning technologies were fast-tracked out of sheer demand, with indelible consequences for the shape of life and work in the present and future.

One of the most prevalent forms of this invention was the rise of remote work, as businesses were forced to adopt from-home working arrangements that ultimately proved the feasibility of devolving responsibilities from the office environment. As a result, a previously rare form of freelance enterprise became an aspirational possibility for a large portion of the global workforce: digital nomadism. But what is it, and how could it be achieved by campervan?

The Rise and Rise of Digital Nomadism

Digital nomadism describes the act of working remotely, in the true spirit of the term – that is, working while on the move, from literally anywhere in the world. Digital nomads are either freelancers taking remote gigs and working from the comfort of their travel, or contracted workers with contracts that enable them to work from wherever they please. The practice has existed for some time, but has picked up considerably in popularity since the widespread acceptance of remote working agreements by businesses.

Campervans as Mobile Offices

Digital nomadism affords workers the freedom to work in whichever way suits them best, whether hopping from country to country and hotel to hotel, or simply pitching up in a campervan at the start of each work day. There are many that have kitted out their campervans has homes-from-home, replete with office environments that allow them to work anywhere with an internet connection.

Of course, there are legal and logistical considerations to make in order to make campervan working work. For one, the campervan itself needs to be a road-legal vehicle, complete with campervan insurance and other associated documents. For another, it needs enough modern conveniences to allow you to work without interference or delay – namely, ample electrical supply and ample Wi-Fi signal boosting.

Maintaining Work-Life Balance

Digital nomads are uniquely able to manage their work-life balance, with the ‘life’ part of the equation defined largely by the travel they undertake between shifts, projects or assignments. As soon as lunch starts or the working day finishes, the world is there to be explored – and by road, too.

Tax and Legality

Exploring the world and working at the same time is not a simple endeavour, though – and especially not when it comes to managing money and legality by country. There are some countries that do not take altogether kindly to non-residents earning without paying local tax. However, there are visas that enable workers to travel within certain countries without incurring the wrath of their revenue department.