It’s the dream, right? Working whilst you travel. A lot of people see this as their main goal in life, but it’s not all swings and roundabouts. There are ways to work whilst you travel and there are certainly ways in which you shouldn’t work. The reason I say it like this is that it’s so easy to get caught up in the holiday vibe, you forget why you’re even there. There is some obvious advice you can follow like “actually do work” but I’ve decided to write about my top tips for working whilst you travel.
If you’re not comfortable spending 8 hours a day in front of your laptop whilst you’re in a new country then just take a vacation. Take a full 2 weeks off from work and don’t even bring your laptop with you. You’ll enjoy the country much much more this way.
I’m personally a fan of working and travelling as I actually enjoy sitting at my laptop, no matter the weather, or the country I’m in. But this isn’t the same for everyone.
Nevertheless, if you decide that this journey is for you then here are my top tips for working whilst you travel.
Schedule
Stay on your schedule! I could not say this enough times, but make sure you wake up at the same time, go to sleep at the same time and work at the same time. At least during the weekdays.
We’re all different and the fact you might like working from a coworking space or cafe doesn’t matter. It’s about keeping the same routine. I personally like to work from home. I set up a really nice office space (whatever country I’m in) and keep that as my base.
You can plan your day correctly and during the evenings you can have fun. Its basic stuff that’s always worked for me. If you work better with a 4 hours break in the middle of your day then do it. Remote work is all about finding the most productive way of doing things, and it benefits everyone.
Time Off
We’ve all fallen into the trap of working 24/7, and I personally am victim to this. But if you’re working and travelling at the same time then it’s important to switch off. Whether it’s during the weekends or in the evening, this time will allow you to unwind and enjoy the place you’re in.
Without this time you will get frustrated and want to just head out whenever and wherever. Which is not good for productivity.
Time Zones
This almost seems silly but working in a different time zone can be a real problem. I used to work with clients that were based in Australia, whilst I was based in the UK. This was an issue because I’d wake up in the middle of the night and check my work notifications.
I’d highly recommend notifying anyone that you work with, and tell them that you are away and what time zone you are in.
There’s nothing more annoying than a client calling you in the middle of the night once you’ve done a whole days work for them, trust me.
The trick here is to be open. Let people know you’re on the road, but let them know that you’re carrying out the same work as you would back at home. “It’s not a holiday” is a good one.
Don’t get caught up in the moment
This goes without saying really, but do not get caught up in the moment of travelling. You have to keep your head level and on the task in hand. You have to realise that working and travelling at the same time doesn’t mean constant party time.
It means designated work time and then free time. Exactly how you would you back at home.
Whichever way of working whilst on the road you choose, be sure to keep these things in check. It’s very easy to slip into working however you want.
Check out my article on the best tools you can use a remote freelancer and incorporate it in with this travel advice and you’ll be on to a winner.
