Digital nomadism: freelance lifestyle and climbing

“You’re living the dream!” I hear that quite a lot. At first I was eager to explain that no dream comes without a price tag. Now I just smile and agree but although I don’t have much to complain about, the reality is a little more complicated.

I often hear that somebody wishes for a lifestyle similar to mine but because of [insert appropriate excuse] it’s not possible. Usually the list starts with not enough money, a desk job, or children. The reality is that creating an alternative lifestyle is often very much possible.

I can only speak from my own experience, so here we go.

Let’s start with admitting that last year was the thinnest in my career. I was money-poor but time-rich – a result of both my own decision and an unexpected gap between contracts. Incidentally, that was the year when I managed to spend ten weeks in Switzerland (people tend to think I’m minted when I say that!) and tick my first 7C boulder, which required hours and hours of training. None of this would have happened if I worked full-time.

Although there is the odd occasion when I pull a sixty-hour week, most of the time I cherish lazy mornings with my boyfriend, long walks with my dog and, of course, all the time spent climbing or training. I wouldn’t change this lifestyle for any other. It’s not perfect, but it’s close.

What is it that you do?

I get that question a lot. People who feel stuck in 9-5 often don’t realise the multitude of readily available career paths. All hail the internet. Of course, digital nomadism is not for everybody but it is one way to facilitate more climbing and travelling.

When asked about my work, I usually say that I’m an online marketer and a writer, but if you really wanted to know what I do, the list would be much longer.

Brand strategy and posting on social media. Ghostwriting for a major Singaporean corporate figure and micro editing product descriptions for an obscure Ukrainian SME. Website building and putting two hundred people in climbing harnesses.

My engagements are as diverse as they are numerous, and the differences in fees are also huge. The most important thing is, I don’t limit myself to one thing. I’m equally eager to act as an expert and as a beginner – and this means it never gets boring! It does often get stressful – but what job doesn’t?

[2010, working in a coffee shop in Tokyo. In Japan, I also worked in a hostel and in a horse stable.] 

How I got here

I hold a BA in Cultural Studies (believe it or not, Japanology) and an MA in Anthropology of Media, and I learned loads from both. This is not to say that getting a degree is what you need to build a freelance career, but in my case it certainly helped.

During uni, I started working part-time at a PR agency in London. Being offered a permanent position coincided with my graduation. At this point I knew that life in London wasn’t for me. The Peak District was calling, so I asked if I could continue to work remotely instead.

They said yes, and so I became a digital nomad: where there’s internet, there’s work. (Sounds glam but imagine the *panic* when my connection fails!)

After that, I tried office life only once more when I moved to Chamonix to work in EpicTV’s marketing department. I learned a few things. Firstly, whatever the industry, a sale is a sale. (And these days even writers have to be saleswomen.) Secondly, the outdoor industry is much cooler than any other. Thirdly, 9-5 really, really doesn’t work for me.

Setting priorities

I was always more motivated by personal goals than by working for others. Since my goals happen to be centered around climbing and art (the latter I’m not doing so great with but it’s a process, and I’m cool with that), I had to make time for both. More time than I’d have after coming back home after eight, ten hours in the office.

So for me, it wasn’t really a choice. Tied to somebody else’s desk (because if you work for others, even your desk isn’t truly yours), I was simply going mad. I had to find a different way and so I did.

For years my possessions were scattered between three countries. Even now, my books are waiting to be collected from a friend’s attic in Sheffield. Sometimes I have so much work on that I get to see the dawn before I collapse into bed. And the work isn’t done anyway because as a freelancer you’re never, ever done. At other times, luckily less and less often, I wonder if I will make my rent.

But I do get to climb, train and travel. A lot. And it is only possible because I set my priorities straight. I gave some things up to gain others.

On this topic, minimalism is another important aspect of creating a life centered around climbing. Owning less, spending less and learning to thrive off less. I’ll write another post about it soon, so stay tuned and let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to know about my experience of going freelance.