3 Downsides of Nomad Life
Plus a 4th that depends on the location
After a full year of life as digital nomads, it hasn’t all been fun explorations and great food. There are three distinct downsides that come to mind and they may surprise you and a fourth that is only a downside depending on your location.
Sinuses and Allergies Being constantly on the move, you’re exposed to a variety of climates, seasons, and environments. Unfortunately, this can result in sinus pressure, headaches and sneezing, especially during the first few days of settling in a new location. It can be challenging to avoid these issues, as factors such as new plants in bloom or older homes can trigger them.
Consistently, I experience pressure headaches and sneezing in a new location. As someone who did not have a history of allergies, it was particularly frustrating. Now that is been a consistent thing, I power through until those first few days/week pass.
License, Vehicle Registration, and Emissions Testing: Depending on the state requirements of your vehicle, keeping these up-to-date can be a real hassle, albeit a requirement. While some of these can be remedied online, sometimes registration and emission testing need to be done in person. This can be a challenging task when you're across the country. There is no easy solution to this issue, so be mindful of the dates and state requirements.
Jury Duty: Nomad life is not a court-recognized reason to be excused from a jury duty summons so the civic responsibility stands. Fortunately, when I was summoned, I was able to request my service be postponed to a specific month and was able to coordinate being back home for required amount of time.
Bonus 4th downside (on occasion):
Hair and skin changes: This is only a partial downside, because sometimes the climate and water impact on my skin and nails would be wonderful. (Thank you Florida for the luscious locks and tan skin) Other locations can be harsh (Looking at you Maryland) leaving my skin dry and my hair coarse.
None of these downsides would prevent us from embarking on this lifestyle had we known in advance, but knowing them in advance would have saved some headaches by allowing us to minimize the impact and better prepare for the possibilities.
