4 Best Tips For Working While Traveling
Traveling while working can seem like an attractive and tempting thing to do. While you’re out and about seeking new destinations, you’re still earning money. Of course, there are bills to pay and you also have to fund all those travels. Unless you’re the heir to a multi-billion business, then working is inevitable. But this also doesn’t mean spending all your life working that you no longer get to do the things you love to do such as traveling.
With the right tactics, you can have the best of both worlds. You don’t have to keep yourself glued to your office just to get some work done. If you heard about digital nomads, that could be you, too.
If your goal for this year is to travel more while still doing your job successfully, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll have the most useful pieces of advice to be able to do such.
1. Book Your Hotel Wisely
For seasoned travelers, booking a hotel wisely may not be a difficult thing to do. You’ve got booking sites or apps, you have accumulated points, and many other advantages. However, remember that this time, you have to be more selective. It’s no longer just about finding the best deals on hotel accommodation. You also have to find a hotel with the services and amenities you need to work.
For example, you found the best deal for a hotel to your destination. But before booking that, ask first about the availability of a good Internet connection. Is it stable enough for your work needs? Or do you need to spend extra to buy your own Wi-Fi or data plan?
Ask about the availability of a business center, too. You may need a scanner, for instance, so you can ask for assistance on how to fax from email, or simply download an online fax service and do it through your phone which is also an easy option. If the hotel doesn’t have one, is it in the city center where you can walk to a shop with that service?
Those are big things you have to account for, so you can work a few hours without being too stressed during your holiday.
2. Set Focus Blocks
If you’re going to be in a different time zone, it’s also a good idea for you to set focus blocks. This means blocking out certain hours during the day, so you can focus on certain tasks before meeting your team, for example.
Remember that you’re also travelling. So, setting that schedule can ensure you get all the work needed while still enjoying your vacation. For example, you’ll dedicate your early mornings to going through your emails, responding to them, and crunching numbers. In the afternoon, you can spend exploring the place you’re in. Come nighttime, that’s when you can set meetings with your team, if such is called for.
3. Research Your Destination
Researching your destination ensures you’re able to make the most out of the sights to see in your destination while still not missing out on work. Now’s not the time for you to simply wing it and see how your day goes. Balancing travel and work can be tricky if you don’t set a plan and schedule in mind.
Do a lot of research. That way, you can plan your days as to which places you like to see and visit, what restaurants you like to try out, when you should go shopping, and whatnot. If you don’t research, you may panic on the last few days of your vacation, realizing that you haven’t seen much. Now, that’s a waste of airfare, when you factor that in, too.
4. Get The Gear Ready
Because you’ll be working while on your holiday, this also means you have to be willing to spare some bag space for all your working gear. For starters, there’s your laptop and charger. Other gear you may have to bring include:
Hard drive, which is needed if you’re going to be working with media and heavy files;
Extra headphones, just in case you accidentally drop yours while relaxing, sipping wine, and listening to music in the pool.
This list isn’t exhaustive. While you pack, it’s still important to factor in the job you’ll be doing. The gear you’ll bring is highly dependent on the work you have to do.
Final Thoughts
With the advent of technology, remote jobs are very common. In fact, they’re proliferating all over the Internet. Gone are the days when working a physical 8 am to 5 pm job in the office was the only way to get some work done. You can finally see the world, as you may have always dreamed of doing. Take that first step now to working while traveling with the tips above to guide you. When you get the hang of it, you now ask yourself why you’ve never considered that kind of life before.
