For many people, traveling the world while earning a living is the ultimate dream. Being able to wake up in a tropical paradise, getting some work done, and hopping on a plane to the next beautiful location seems like the perfect life, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes to make this system work. Travel planning can be a whole job by itself, so before you try to work while traveling full time, here’s what you should know.
Hire Remote Employees
Many small business owners can barely find enough hours in the day to complete all of their daily business operations, which doesn’t sound ideal if you’re trying to hit the beach for a few hours each morning. As soon as you’re able, and preferably before you start your travels, see where you can outsource all those annoying little tasks that clutter your day. You can hire employees or contractors who are experts in their given areas, meaning you won’t have to worry about devising entire marketing campaigns or dealing with simple customer emails. If you’re planning on putting together a small team, make sure you have a good CIEM solution to safely manage all of your accounts.
Automation Is Your Friend
When you’re traveling, it’s easy for all sorts of tasks to eat into your day. It’s time to automate as many of those tasks as possible. There are plenty of programs that allow you to post to social media on a schedule, send out emails to new subscribers, communicate with suppliers, and more. No matter what your business is, you’re guaranteed to find something that can be automated to save you time and stress.
Hack Your Productivity
If you’re going to be traveling to different countries in different time zones, it’s important for you to understand how and when you work best. Some people enjoy working during standard daytime hours, but others work at night. Some enjoy sleeping in and starting work in the afternoon. Regardless of when you choose to work, a schedule can help you stay consistent. You’ll also need to decide how you’ll work in different time zones. Do you want to work at the same time as everyone in New York even when you’re in Italy? What are the benefits of being awake when your clients are? Will they want to speak on the phone, or will they accept emails at unusual hours?
Plan Ahead
In some parts of the world, it is incredibly easy to show up at the airport, buy a plane ticket to where you want to go, and find a place to stay immediately upon arrival. In other parts, visas can take weeks or months, planes fill up, and places to stay book up weeks in advance. Many of those visas don’t allow you to work, and you could face serious consequences if caught. Planning ahead can help you organize and submit documents, book any reservations, and nail down a schedule so that your travel plans don’t disrupt your work schedule.
Don’t Get Distracted
When you’re surrounded by beautiful destinations and rich cultures, it becomes very easy to put off a few seemingly unimportant work responsibilities. Pushing back a deadline here and there may not seem like a big deal, especially since you’re pursuing this lifestyle for the ability to relax! However, if you don’t stick to a schedule that allows you to manage your work responsibilities in a timely manner, you could lose out on clients and customers that fund your adventures. Some people aren’t able to juggle traveling and work at the same time, so you need to be realistic with your limits and work with them to be successful despite distractions.
Running a business while traveling may seem ideal, but there’s actually a lot of work involved before you get to hang out at the beach or explore ancient temples. By understanding yourself and your business needs, you can plan a rich and fulfilling existence with the balance of life and work.
