Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job to travel the world? As someone who's done it, I'm here to say that you don't necessarily need to quit your job to feed your wanderlust. You may have read stories about people who have sold their belongings and left their city life behind to travel, and you're thinking you must do the same. The truth is that you can build your career and see the world at the same time. Here's how you can travel with a full-time job, because work-life balance is crucial in this day and age.
When was the last time you time off for yourself? It can be easy to get caught up in work demands, but time off is the key to your overall well-being. After all, you've spent many hours working to earn time off. Why wouldn't you use it?
When I worked in an office setting, I was sure to take advantage of my earned vacation days. My co-workers often questioned how I could travel so much, but the truth is that I had the same amount of time off that they did. When it comes to maximizing your time off, you've gotta get strategic about it, and I'm here to help.
01Always Plan Your Trip Around A Weekend
In order to maximize your time off, you should always consider planning a trip around a weekend. When you do this, you basically extend your time off by two extra days. Instead of planning a trip Monday through Wednesday, you'll have two extra days to travel if you choose to travel Thursday through Monday. Traveling over the weekend allows you to use less vacation days and essentially make the most of the time off that you've worked hard to earn.
02Change The Way You Think About Travel
You don't have to jet-set halfway across the world or spend two weeks away to travel. There's also no need to quit your job in order to see the world. A three-day vacation or road trip might be a lot more fulfilling than you'd think.
It also helps to begin seeing travel as a priority instead of a treat that happens every couple of years. You can prioritize travel by creating a yearly travel budget for yourself and taking full advantage of your vacation days. When you change the way you think about travel, you give yourself more time and space to see the world.
03Keep Track Of Your Vacation Days
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to keep track of the vacation days you've earned. Work-life balance is extremely important and shouldn't be overlooked. It may seem like taking a vacation will set you back at work, but you'll return feeling more inspired and refreshed than ever before. You'll thank yourself for prioritizing time off and travel.
04Take Advantage Of Holidays
Much like weekends, holidays essentially give you an extra day to explore. You'd be surprised how big of a difference one day can make. If you plan your travels around the holidays and weekends, you'll give yourself additional days of vacation time. You may be worried about holiday crowds, but you can easily avoid the crowds by starting your day early or visiting lesser-known destinations.
05Work Remotely, If Possible
It's 2018, so many companies are allowing flexible work arrangements to offer a greater work-life balance to employees. If you have the ability to work from home, you can easily work from anywhere in the world. You can spend your free days and evening sightseeing. You might even be able to establish yourself as a digital nomad and live like a local in another country. All you'll need is a solid WiFi connection, your laptop, and a will to explore.
06Wake Up Early
Vacation may be a time to relax, but it's also important to use your time wisely. If you want to see as much as possible, consider rising early. You'll nearly double the daylight time you have to explore if you rise at 7 a.m. as opposed to rolling out of bed at 12 p.m.
07Request A Sabbatical
If you've been loyal to your company for a long amount of time, you might consider looking into a sabbatical. Some companies allow you to take time off for an extended period of time to travel.
