Reframing digital nomadism: from a ‘lifestyle’ to a ‘form-of-life’

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally challenged digital nomadism, as lockdown restrictions appeared to undermine its very foundations—holistic freedom and physical travel. Yet, digital nomads continued pursuing their self-actualisation projects. Using the pandemic as a case, this exploratory study examines how they sustained their lifestyle during disruption by focusing on three dimensions: mobility, digital technologies, and identity. Based on a mixed-methods design including a digital survey, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation in both online and offline communities, the findings reveal that digital nomads upheld their identities through adaptation, persistence, and reconfiguration. This suggests that the notion of ‘lifestyle’, which is inherently transitory and contingent, can no longer capture the full scope of digital nomadism. We argue that it should instead be understood as a ‘form-of-life’: a more fundamental mode of conduct that is rooted in historical context, shaped by informal norms, and capable of adapting over time. This reconceptualisation offers a renewed lens for understanding how digital nomadism persists and transforms under disruptive conditions through adaptive coping strategies.