Work-life balance and social relationships in the lives of digital nomads

This thesis deals with work-life balance and social relationships of digital nomads, i.e., workers who perform their profession independently of location. The aim of the research was to understand how digital nomads achieve a balance between work and personal life, what strategies they use to maintain social ties, and how these factors affect the long-term sustainability of the nomadic lifestyle. The empirical part of the research is based on a qualitative study conducted through semi-structured interviews with eight digital nomads from various professional backgrounds, who were located in Southeast Asia (particularly Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam) at the time of the research, while also having experience in other destinations. Data collection took place between November and December 2025. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that work-life balance is not a stable state but a dynamic process requiring conscious planning, structuring of the working day, use of routines, and creation of boundaries between work and leisure time. In the area of social relationships, it has been shown that digital nomads maintain close relationships mainly through digital communication, while relationships formed during travel are often short-term and changeable in nature. Research confirms the ambivalent nature of digital nomadism: a high degree of autonomy and freedom on the one hand, and increased demands associated with uncertainty, isolation, and the difficulty of long-term planning on the other.