Living and working on the move: individual-level insights into digital nomadism

Olivia Staub

Journal of Global Mobility, 2026, vol. 14, issue 2, 254-286

Abstract: PurposeIn the context of the global shift toward remote and mobile work, digital nomadism has emerged as a lifestyle-oriented mode of working that increasingly attracts scholarly attention. While existing research has expanded in recent years, systematic insights into how this lifestyle affects individuals remain limited. This study aims to examine the extent to which digital nomadism influences individuals.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted on publications available in Web of Science and Scopus databases. Relevant peer-reviewed journal articles were identified using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selected literature was analyzed and structured along four main categories to synthesize individual-level impacts of the digital nomad lifestyle.FindingsThe findings indicate that digital nomadism entails positive and negative individual-level effects. Positive aspects include increased perceived autonomy, flexibility and opportunities for self-realization, while challenges arise in relation to meta-work, social connectedness and the management of work-life boundaries.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by offering a systematic synthesis of individual-level effects of digital nomadism. By consolidating fragmented research findings into a structured synthesis, this study advances a more holistic understanding of how the emerging work and lifestyle arrangement shapes individual experiences.

Keywords: Digital nomadism; Digital nomads; Lifestyle mobility; Individual perspective; Systematic literature review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:jgmpps:jgm-12-2025-0140

DOI: 10.1108/JGM-12-2025-0140

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