Balancing Work and Travel

I’m sure everyone’s been there. After a particularly bad day at work, you’ve imagined yourself rushing home, haphazardly packing a small suitcase of clothes and essentials before dashing off to the airport and booking the first flight out. It would be exciting! Oh the possibilities… the adventures which await!

Then of course, most often than not..reality sneaks its way into the back of your brain and you realize while it IS possible, it’s not really a smart idea.

I think the best way to avoid this type of situation, is to find a balance between working and traveling. There’s no doubt about it. Travel is freaking awesome! It gives you a boost of confidence, makes you appreciate that there’s so much more to life than what we see on a daily basis. Hundreds of different foods to sample, thousands of songs we haven’t heard yet.. but if we only had the the chance, we would be dancing the night away.

Honestly, I have these thoughts all the time. More so, because I live on a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea. I can literally drive around my country in less than 2 hours. This creates the travel equivalent of ‘cabin fever’ and it doesn’t take much for me to feel anxious to jet off to a foreign destination. So, what are my options here?

I could take more weekend trips. At my job, when we get ‘called out’ on our day off, or we’re rostered to work on public holidays… we can either opt for payment in cash or two days off. Surprise surprise! I always take the days! So, with a bit of planning, I could easily take a small vacation for 3-4 days.

These mini holidays could fill the void while I plan for a Big Trip. Although one could argue that I would be wasting funds on mini adventures, rather than adding to my Big Trip savings… I believe in small rewards. For travel addicts, it is much easier to think ‘2 months to go before my weekend in Miami’ than ’10 months to go before I can get the heck out of Dodge!’

Research also helps to scratch the travel itch. I can easily submerge myself in hundreds of travel blogs. This provides me with the opportunity to visit far flung destinations from the comfort of my bed. Many bloggers have the magic touch which enables me to feel as though I am right there with them on the 20 hour bus rides or sipping cocktails on a deserted beach in the South Pacific.

At any cost, there has to be a balance. I’m not saying it’s easy. What I can guarantee however, is the fact that it’s worth the while! When something is a major priority in your life, you can and will do what is necessary to make it a reality. If you have any other ideas as to how I can live a life of frequent travel while maintaining a full-time job… I’d love to hear them! Safe travels to all!