Many of us have recently found ourselves no longer confined to working out of our offices. Companies are realizing that it is more cost-effective to choose this route, and many have plans on keeping their remote work systems functioning even after pandemic restrictions are eased. But why should we stay at home for remote jobs? These are a few ways to stay productive while working remotely on your travels.
Makeshift Workspace
Whether you work for a large corporation or are a social media celebrity that achieved their fame using SocialGreg, you need to have a dedicated workspace. At home, you might be able to increase your productivity by having an office, but that is not feasible when you are traveling. So, try to always get a hotel room with a small desk at the very least. In that way, you can follow a rule that the desk should only be used as your work area.
Don’t eat at that desk, and don’t consume any forms of entertainment there either. Make a habit to even avoid video calling your friends and family from there. It will be easier to get into a “working” mindset when you’re at a desk, instead of procrastinating. In other words, set up a boundary within your hotel.
Set a Schedule
I hear you. Traveling is about relaxing and not meant to be planned to the very last detail. While that is entirely true, you are technically traveling during your work hours, and not the other way around. Setting a schedule of work hours and holiday hours will help. If you have the freedom to set your work schedule, you will find this easy to do. For example, if you are at a beachside resort, try your best to set your work schedule for after sunset. Keep in mind that if you are traveling to a different time zone, the schedule will be easier to set up. When working for a company you may need to stick to their local time for meeting and deadlines.
Avoid Too Many Activities
You may be traveling, but try not to participate in too many extracurricular activities. Traveling while remotely working is best suited for relaxing in your travels, where you will still have enough energy and focus to do your job well. If you are up all night at bars and spend all day on day tours, you probably won’t have any energy for working at all. Aim for a good night’s sleep to keep yourself fresh and ready for work at all times.
If you overwork yourself while vacationing, you will find that you are neither able to work productively, nor to enjoy your travels. Remember that the point of traveling while working remotely is to change your life experience without stopping your career from advancing. Many countries are welcoming to people who do remote work, even going as far as creating specific remote work visas.
Be Honest With Yourself
To be able to balance your work/play time this way, you need to be crucially honest with yourself. If you think you have had enough drinks for the night, you should admit to that and turn in. Do not try to deceive your body by attempting to do more than it can handle. Also, you find many issues with your productivity, don’t kid yourself. Maybe you need a more structured environment to work in, and there’s no shame in that. You can always go back to working from your home office and forgetting about traveling while working a remote job. Otherwise, you may find that you have compromised both your job and your fun time.
