Each week we talk about important travel topics to help you decide when, where, and how to explore the world in style. The “Workcation” is 2021’s biggest travel trend thanks to flexible work schedules and remote work. In this week’s episode we share all our tips and tricks on how to work while traveling. Learn how to make time for meetings and exploring on the go. 

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Transcript:

JQ: Many of us have been working remotely for over a year now, and even though offices are starting to open back up, remote work is certainly here to stay. So what are the best ways to stay productive at work while traveling?

Juliana: This is travel babies. We’re just two sisters trying to travel the world in style, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. Each week we talk about important travel topics to help you decide when, where and how to explore the world in style. I’m Juliana from Travel with Juliana, a professional travel blogger from Boston.

JQ: And I’m JQ from Jqlouise.com. And I’m also a professional travel writer, blogger and influencer, also from Boston. Combined, we have over 200000 followers across our social media platforms and we love sharing our travel tips and tricks with you all before we get started. Don’t forget to subscribe and give us a review. If you enjoy your podcast, it really helps us a lot.

How to Work While Traveling

Juliana: OK, so let’s start with planning a vacation or, you know, a semi work trip. So, you know, all of it starts from just the planning stage of when you’re going to go, where you’re going to go, how long you’ll be there, when will you work and you know where you’ll stay.

JQ: Exactly. So I think, you know, these work questions have been such a popular thing these days. A lot of hotels are actually, you know, promoting it. So, so many hotels have long stay offers, workstation offers, and even some of them will set up a work from home space for you, either in your hotel room or in a specific hotel room in the hotel. So like Juliana said, the first thing to do is your research. So really figure out, you know, where should you stay? What’s the best situation for you to be in, you know, in your destination. Keep reading for more on how to work while traveling.

Juliana: Yeah, I think, you know, if once you figure out where you want to go, definitely do your research on, like, different types of hotels or long term stays, because that’s really going to make a difference for how you get work done when you’re actually there, because especially if you’re going for a long time, you want to already have a plan for how your work setup is going to be, when you’re going to work, when you’re going to take time off, you know, maybe you can have a more flexible schedule where you only work in the mornings or only in the evenings, something like that, but definitely have a clear idea of what you want it to be like before you go.

JQ: Exactly. And I think the other big thing to start thinking about when you’re planning one of these trips is your own expectations, because if you’re planning on you know, you don’t want to use vacation days, you figure, OK, I can just work from anywhere. You know, my company is being flexible with even what time zone the team is. And, you know, know that you will be expected to actually get work done. Because the trick with these vacations is that if as long as you’re keeping up with your work, you can still enjoy the destination, but it can’t be 100 percent vacation.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly. I think that’s sort of the mistake a lot of people make is like when they go to they think, OK, I’m going to do work from here for a month or two months. They think it’s just going to be somehow their work might be easier and more flexible, but so making sure you get all your work done is just staying as productive as possible and really using all the time that you do have, like in commuting or things like that to really get work done rather than just thinking, OK, this is going to be like a long vacation. Keep reading for more on how to work while traveling.

JQ: Exactly. And I think, you know, that’s the trick. It’s like you have to be efficient with your time, because if you want to have extra time to go explore, you know, the new city you’re in, the new country you’re in, you really need to work extra hard during your work hours. I mean, I think, you know, this is what Juliana and I do when we’re traveling, because honestly, as travel bloggers and travel writers, you know, we’re never really on a vacation. I mean, we’re always meeting deadlines, taking photos, editing, writing, even on these amazing trips that we go on. So the point is you really have to plan to be as productive as possible during the working hours of the day and whatever those hours are. I mean, the great thing is nowadays, if you’re traveling and working, you can be working on a completely different time zone than your home office. So you just have to be willing to put in that legwork to just get your work done. That way, you do have extra time in the day to go explore.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly, and I think, you know, for us, that’s definitely worth it of like really putting in the extra time, like maybe waking up. I like to wake up as early as I can and just start working right away so that before lunchtime, you know, no matter where I am at home on a vacation or somewhere else, I can just get as much work as I possibly can done in the morning. And so that I don’t have to feel like stressed out throughout the day being like, oh, this still needs to get done. So I think it’s definitely worth putting in the extra time and effort to, you know, create time for yourself to do to explore new things.

JQ: Exactly. And if you are planning your time effectively, you really need to think about every aspect of your trip, because on a normal vacation, if you’re changing hotels halfway through, normally that’s not a big deal because you don’t have any deadlines that day that you need to be in a stable location for. But if you’re planning on switching hotels one time or multiple times during your work commission, you really need to plan your schedule around that because, you know, if you check out of a hotel at 11 a.m., your next hotel might not be able to give you your room until three or four p.m. So there could be a big gap on one of those days where you’re switching hotels, where you’re not going to have a quiet place to take calls, a, you know, stable Wi-Fi connection, you know, whatever it may be. So plan around that because that can be a big disrupter on a vacation if you’re switching Hotels are changing locations because that is most likely during the workday. So try to do that on a weekend or get a late checkout and then early check in at your next hotel so that you have the minimal amount of time kind of in transit between where you’re staying. Keep reading for more on how to work while traveling.

How to Be Use Down Time for Work

Juliana: Yeah, exactly. And then that kind of, you know, leads us into the next point of, like, actually traveling to the destination. So, you know, like we said before, using all the time that you do have like commuting, you know, a lot of airlines have good Wi-Fi these days on trains. You know, any time that you can just spare basically to do a little bit of work or maybe I like to like preload tabs that I know I need for work. If I if my Internet is better from just writing something, a lot of stuff can still get done actually, like without Internet access, which is still something useful. And then, you know, try and plan the travel days where you don’t really have a lot of meetings or things you need to, like, be online for those can be the travel days. So maybe like leave on a weekend and then by the time you actually get to the destination, you’re it’s during the week and then you’re already set up to, you know, work successfully, that sort of thing.

JQ: Exactly. Yeah. Use your downtime. I mean, I love working on planes or trains. I think I’m the most productive because you have the fewest distractions. So really plan to use that downtime to just get stuff done. And like for me, that’s a great time for me to write because I have no distractions. I can just sit down, focus, get an article done, and then I can cross it off my list and move on to the next one. I really love that because the great thing about working while you’re traveling is that you don’t have all those normal distractions that you have at home, like, oh, I should go do the dishwasher. Oh, I should do some laundry or oh, I want to watch this TV show, like you’re not going to have any of that. So for some people, that’s a good thing. For some people, that’s a bad thing. Right. So once you do this a few times, you’ll really get used to it. But, you know, I think it’s just a different mindset of being efficient with your time because, you know, you’re doing this trip for a reason. So, like, you could just be working from home otherwise. Right. So if you have the opportunity to take a vacation, just be prepared rather than watching a movie on the plane. You know, that’s where you can really catch up on work and get ahead. Keep reading for more on how to work while traveling.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly. I think that’s a good point to remember. It’s like if you’re just going to be working the entire trip, then why are you even taking the trip? Right. So you have to try and use as much available time as you have to get work done so that you can you can spend, you know, different parts of the day or evenings and weekends really exploring the new place that you’re in, especially if it is new. I think that’s something I would really like consider taking actual, like full days off if you can, or, you know, use take like a long weekend. You really use the weekends as much as possible, that sort of thing, because, yeah, if you’re just, you know, going to be working the whole time, then what’s the point of actually traveling.

JQ: Yeah. I mean, take long weekends. I mean because long weekends are awesome because if you’re already in the destination, there’s no travel time. So even if you have to work a full eight or nine hours a day, Monday through Thursday, if you could take Fridays off, like, for example, if you’re, you know, going somewhere for a month, you know, plan to take every Friday off, like, you know, plan that into your work schedule that, OK, I’m only going to be working Monday through Thursday. This whole month I’m going to use for vacation days and it’s just going to be on Friday. That way. I have a long weekend to go explore, like. Maybe if you’re staying in a big city, you can use that those weekend trips to go to, you know, close by destinations and just kind of do a quick getaway each weekend. And then during the week, you use the evenings to explore the city that you’re in. You know, you go to new restaurants, you walk around, you kind of just live like a local during the week, and then you go on little getaways and the weekend.

Juliana: Yes, exactly, and I think a quick little sidetracked to that, too, is I think the best place to do those sorts of trips is Europe, because everything is so close and, you know, you can live like a local like during the week, like Jacqueline said. And then on the weekend, you can just take a quick train literally to like a different country. And so that’s I feel like just the best place to do that sort of thing. Like take these long weekends, you know, for a month.

JQ: Exactly. And what this really reminds me of, it’s almost like study abroad for adults. I mean, this is literally what my schedule was when I was on study abroad in college. And it’s funny because now I hear about so many adults who are you know, they have big careers at big companies. And now because of covid, you know, they’ve been able to create these new work habits and vacation habits that, you know, we’ve never had before. So really take that mindset like you’re on a study abroad, like you’re there to work and to learn. So I think, you know, use this time to explore a new place, really take advantage of it. But like Juliana said, think about the logistics. You know, you want to stay in a major city that way, even if you are stuck working most of the time, you know, you’re in a major city. There’s lots to do. And you can kind of live like a local where, you know, you work during the day, but you go to nice dinners at night, you explore, you know, museums are close by. There’s plenty to walk to during the week. But then on the weekends, you’re in a major transportation hub. So you can just hop on a train or a quick plane ride or just drive, you know, to a number of different amazing places.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly, I think staying in a big city is a great tip because usually also around big cities, there’s a lot to do. Like in the suburbs are like right around a major city, especially in Europe. There’s so much it’s drivable or, you know, you can take a quick train. So that’s a great tip, I think. OK, and then one other thing, too, is to just mention, like the different length trips.

Short vs long?

Juliana: I think that’s a big a big difference, because if you’re going to stay in one place for like a month or longer, then you definitely need to have like a routine for yourself, like when you’re going to get work done. You know, while I work in the mornings, in the evenings, what will the weekends look like? But then if you’re just going for like a week or maybe two weeks, it’s probably a little bit more flexible because you want you might want to take more days off, you know, consecutively, whereas if it’s longer, you probably want to spread it out so that it’s not like you’ll be gone from work for a pretty extended amount of time. So I think, you know, definitely plan what it’s going to look like. I think, obviously, you know, your work schedule, you know, when you’re going to be busier or more free. So definitely plan around that.

JQ: Yeah, that’s a great tip because I think, you know, taking a two week vacation is a big difference than a two month work. I mean, to be honest, I know a lot of people have been doing this one week or two weeks where, you know, they’re I mean, over the winter, a lot of people did that in Miami from the northeast. Right. So, you know, I think that is kind of a no brainer right now. I mean, you know, covid is still going on. I mean, it’s definitely slowing down. And I think in the fall, most offices will be more or less back to normal. So if you’ve been waiting to do something like this, I think now’s the time. Like this summer is, you know, a perfect time to really do something different like this. And a one week or two week vacation is perfect because like Juliana said, it’s so quick. Honestly, if you know, if you have a good relationship with your boss and with your office, you know, I think there’s definitely a way that most people can make this work. You know, if you’re if you’re already working from home, I mean, working from a hotel for a week is not that much different. So, you know, I think, you know, thinking about the time frame is a huge thing, because if you’re not that confident that this could work for a month, then don’t do it. You know, do it for two weeks. And then maybe if it goes fine, then you can do a month, you know, later this summer. But there are definitely two very different types of trips. Right. So because if you’re there for two weeks, you know, you have a lot more flexibility, it’s super quick. You could take off, you know, two days a week. That way you have two, four day weekends. But if you’re there for a month, you know, maybe you just do one day a week off.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly. And that’s a great point. You obviously with people working from home, you know, for over a year now, and that’s basically what you’re used to, you know, why not work somewhere else if you if you really don’t have to be in your office? And obviously people are slowly starting to go back and maybe a lot of offices, I’m sure, are going to be doing some sort of hybrid form of in office and remote work. But, you know, remote work. I think we really learned a lot over the past year and a half because it works. You know, it really we proved like it can work. Obviously, there are a lot of downsides of not working with people in person, you know, but there’s definitely a lot of pros to working remotely just having this flexibility. I think, you know, a lot of offices are also just, you know, saying like, is it too much flexibility? Because then we’re just always on our computers. So, you know, definitely I think if you’re working from a new place, you’ll have even more of a reason to go explore. So that’s a great thing to do. So, yeah, I just it’s like JQ  said, if you have a good relationship with your company and your manager, then, you know, why not take a couple of weeks or a month in a new place? Keep reading for more on how to work while traveling.

JQ: Exactly. And I think it is a really good mental health break to just kind of change your scenery as well. So, I mean, our first recommendation is to use your vacation days, Number one, because I think all of us deserve a real vacation after this crazy year we’ve been through and their studies have shown, you know, people have used basically none of their vacation days because we’ve all just been home. So, you know, I think the first thing is if you have vacation days available, definitely use those first and go on a real trip so that you can fully reset and unplug. But if you don’t have vacation days or, you know, you need to be sparing with them, you know, a workstation is a great way. Just to refresh yourself, you know, a change of scenery, change of pace, a new routine can be really good because for me, at least one of the hardest things that this year has been, you know, getting stuck in this weird routine of staying home and, you know, getting out there exploring is so good for us. It really refreshes your mind. It just gives you a new perspective. So, you know, if a workcation is a way for you to do that, then I highly recommend it.

Juliana: Yeah, I think that’s a great point about the vacation days, because it’s true. Like number of people have used a ton of vacation days over the past year. And it’s literally just because, you know, the mindset of like, why would I use a vacation day if I’m just going to be at home or in my own neighborhood, like, what’s the point? And I totally get that. I think it has been harder to kind of disconnect from work.

Even when I do take, like, vacation days, I’m still like, oh, I wonder what’s going on. Or like if there’s anything I’m missing. And that’s purely just because we’re we’ve been at home, like, pretty much, you know, there’s a lot of like different articles of like, do you work from home or do you live at work? So I think it is definitely like a great mental health break to change your scenery and just have a new because if you’re in a different place, you have this new, like, stimulation of like, oh, I want to go see something new that I that I couldn’t see at home. So, yeah, it’s a great mental health break. Keep reading for more on how to work while traveling.

JQ: I totally agree. And I think, you know, you’ll be surprised when you come back from these trips. You do have a new perspective on just kind of your home routine as well. I mean, for me and Juliana, we’ve been lucky enough to have traveled a few times recently. And I just know that, oh, it feels so good, you know, like I love going on the trip. But then when you come home, you feel so refreshed you’re excited to be home. You know, it’s exciting, again, to be in your own space, to appreciate your own bed, your own routine, you know, your own home, you know. So I think, you know, it really works both ways that when you go out there to travel, you enjoy the traveling, but you also appreciate home that much more.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly, that’s a great point, too, because, you know, traveling can really just sort of spice up your own routine because you’re like, oh, I want to I miss doing this when I was in a certain destination. So maybe I can do I can bring some of that stuff back with me home of, like, the routine that I had or the way I eat or the way I, you know, exercise. Any of that stuff can be great, too, like literally just doing it in a different place. You really realize what you like about it or what you don’t like, and then you can take that back home with you.

JQ: So as you may have heard last week, we’re starting a new segment every week where at the end of each episode we talk about our favorite travel tip of the week. So for this week, our travel tip is that when you’re traveling, try to take advantage of commuting and travel time to get some uninterrupted time to work.

Juliana: Yeah, I think that’s a great tip. You know, definitely take advantage of all the time, the free time that you do have.

JQ: Yeah. Taking advantage of downtime is the perfect chance to really get some work done. You know, no phone calls, no text, no slack messages. I mean, honestly, I love it when I don’t have Wi-Fi on planes because that I really have no distractions. I can just sit down, get my article done, and then when I land, I feel super accomplished.

Juliana: Yeah, exactly. Thank you for tuning into the Travel Babies podcast. We really appreciate your support. And if you enjoy your podcast, don’t forget to subscribe and give us a review. It really helps us a lot. We hope you enjoyed hearing about our tips on how to work when you travel. Tune in next week for our top five favorite items to bring on any trips. Thanks JQ

JQ:  Thanks, Juliana.

We hope you enjoyed this episode on how to work while traveling.