Over a period of ten months or more, I have traveled alone and worked full-time, visiting over 15 countries. It has been an incredibly enjoyable and fulfilling experience, and during my work breaks in the past year, I have engaged in activities such as scuba diving in Belize, receiving polo lessons in Buenos Aires, attending music festivals in Hungary, and much more.
Although it may not be easy, mastering the skill of working full-time while traveling is something that can be accomplished with time.
There are already several great articles out there that explain how to travel while working, for those who are interested in the specific details.
Based on my experience, it is much easier and more cost-effective than you may believe to maintain a full-time work schedule while traveling. The available infrastructure for this purpose is also growing rapidly.
Solving the following problem, especially when traveling alone, is much more challenging: Can you maintain the quality of your work while fully enjoying your travels?
Striking The Right Balance
Is it possible for you to handle travel arrangements, maintain a full-time job, prioritize your physical and mental well-being, and still allocate adequate time for sightseeing, discovering enjoyable activities, and socializing with unfamiliar individuals?
It is important to find the right balance when you are alone in a foreign country and typically do not speak the language, as you will not have much support. Your routine should be sustainable in the long term, as failing to be cautious can lead to a rapid decline in your situation.
As I’ve been traveling, I’ve gotten a lot of questions from friends and colleagues about the psychology of this lifestyle, including everything from how to avoid loneliness to how to maximize productivity.
Not suitable for everyone, this lifestyle can be extremely enjoyable and highly effective, as long as you find a personalized approach that suits you. During my travels, I have observed some crucial habits, mindsets, and techniques that are essential for anyone contemplating a work and travel lifestyle, regardless of their job or interests.
Set Aside Time Every Day For Learning
When working at a startup, there is a constant race against time to complete the numerous tasks that need to be done. One can spend all their waking hours crossing off items from their to-do list. With an extensive workload, it becomes challenging to prioritize investing time in anything unrelated or indirectly linked to the task at hand.
Taking the time every day with the explicit intention of enhancing your skills and acquiring new knowledge has numerous significant and beneficial effects.
- You become much better at your job. Whether it’s taking a data science course, reading case studies on hyper-growth companies, or learning SEO best practices, investing in developing a strong cross-functional skillset will invariably make you more effective at your job in the long run. Every time I read or watch something just because I want to learn about it, I always come away with a bundle of new ideas, even if that thing was only tangentially related to my job.
- You’ll be happier. If you’re like me and enjoy picking up new skills and being productive, you’ll be a more outgoing, adventurous, and happy person when you’re learning new things. I usually feel pretty great after spending a few hours reading in a cafe or getting a machine learning crash course by the beach. But after binge-watching movies? Not so much.
- It’s easier to meet people with shared interests. The more diverse interests you have, the more likely you are to have something in common with a stranger. More importantly, when you’re interested in learning something (especially if it’s related to tech or startups), you can almost always find groups on Meetup.com or elsewhere that are full of people who organize events centered around the topic. This is a great way to meet and learn from people who share your interests.
Jobs We Recommend
YACHT CREW
To be suited for this opportunity, it is necessary to have fundamental sailing knowledge, although certain positions may only require a strong desire to learn and a positive demeanor. One can explore Find a Crew or Crew Seekers websites or inquire at a nearby yacht club. Recognizable starting points are Darwin, Phuket, San Diego, and Panama. We offered our assistance as yacht crew for evening cruises at the yacht club in Brisbane and discovered the club and captains to be welcoming and receptive to our aid.
FREELANCE TRAVEL WRITING
The profession of traditional freelance travel writing is challenging. It involves intense competition and offers a generally low and inconsistent income. Even with excellent connections, it is unlikely to earn a substantial salary in the initial year or two. Even highly skilled writers can face difficulties when working in the field of travel writing.
If you are interested in finding freelance writing jobs, including freelance travel writing, FlexJobs is considered one of the top places to begin your search.
FlexJobs screens employers on your behalf. In addition to a modest, fixed monthly fee, FlexJobs ensures the authenticity of all job opportunities, resulting in a significant reduction in spam to sort through.
TRAVEL BLOGGING
If you’re entrepreneurial, you have the opportunity to create your own travel blog. The process of building your blog requires a significant amount of effort. Even if your blog gains popularity, having strong business instincts and distinguishing yourself from others is necessary in order to generate income. We estimate that it will take approximately a year of dedicated blogging before you can begin earning a substantial income, specifically around $1,000 per month.
To fully appreciate the blend of work and travel, it is important to prioritize your safety. This is the ideal situation where a trustworthy VPN service can be beneficial in safeguarding your online activities and accessing geo-restricted content.
VOLUNTEER
Although volunteer positions typically do not offer monetary compensation, some may include (usually modest) lodging or meals, or both. Conservation Volunteers offers simple accommodation in exchange for assistance on conservation initiatives, but they do not provide meals. It is important to exercise caution with this approach, as many volunteering opportunities within the tourism sector may require a substantial financial contribution.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
This is a type of job that involves traveling as a part of the profession. The amount of money flight attendants earn can differ depending on the airline, and those who are new to the job may not have many options for their shifts or the places they can travel to. Nonetheless, you can still take advantage of some amazing flights while receiving payment. Airline staff frequently receive significant discounts on airfare for themselves and their loved ones. Certain airlines even offer the opportunity to extend these discounts to specific friends.
Whenever we travel, we consistently obtain travel insurance.
TECHNICAL WRITER OR EDITOR
Technical writing and editing can be a profitable job option for those who have strong technical or scientific knowledge and excellent writing skills. Technical writers create various types of documents such as website content, software manuals, and detailed computer hardware specifications. I have personally worked as a technical writer for ten years, both in remote positions and in traditional office settings. If you are interested in pursuing this career while traveling, I recommend obtaining a certificate in technical writing and gaining experience with a few clients before embarking on your journey. Entry-level pay for native English-speaking technical writers in North America is typically around $25 per hour, but experienced professionals can earn $60 or more per hour.
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