Do you want to know how to travel more with a full time job?
Let’s be honest, working full time isn’t fun. Not when you’d rather be wandering the streets of Prague or Thailand island hopping. It’s hard to stay motivated when you know there’s a whole world out there waiting for your arrival.
But then again, you need money in order to travel and that requires working full time. It’s a vicious circle right?
Most people would love to travel more, but think that they can’t because they have a full time job. They assume that they need to quit their job in order to travel the world. But this isn’t always the case.
Finding a way to travel more with a full time job is possible if you know what you’re doing. It’s all about being creative and thinking outside the box. If you can create some wiggle room in your schedule, then traveling becomes easier.
By making a few adjustments in your schedule and lifestyle, you’ll be able to fit more trips into your year.
So if you’re ready to know how to travel more with a full time job, then keep reading.
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How to Travel More With a Full Time Job
- #1 Request to work remotely
- #2 Take unpaid leave
- #3 Fly out at night
- #4 Choose the right destination
- #5 Take advantage of public holidays
- #6 Take weekend trips
- #7 Use back to back weekends
- #8 Ask for a flexible working hours
- #9 Create itineraries
- #10 Pack light
- #11 Book guided tours
- #12 Plan, plan, plan
- #13 Travel alone
- How to travel more with a full time job: The Bottom Line
#1 Request to work remotely
I think we can all agree that if there was one good thing to come out of the pandemic, it was the working flexibility for office workers.
A lot of people who thought they could never work from home are now doing it full time. Many companies have also realised that their employees can get just as much done, if not more at home, than in the office.
If you have a laptop, internet connection, and can log into your work computer from another location, then why not? Fly to your destination, work during the day (you could even start and finish earlier than usual) and explore in the evenings and weekends.
#2 Take unpaid leave
Not a solution that everyone can afford to take, but if you have the opportunity then think about it.
Unexpected things happen in life all the time, and taking unpaid leave for a couple of weeks or even months might be more beneficial for you than you might think. You can use that time to travel and explore different parts of the world that you wouldn’t otherwise get to visit.
If you can, why not ask for a full sabbatical. Taking an extended period of time away from work can do wonders for your mind, body and soul. You’ll come back feeling refreshed and motivated.
And when you come back, your job will still be there waiting for you.
#3 Fly out at night
Don’t waste your precious travel days by flying during the day!
If you fly at night, you’ll get to your destination in time to start exploring by the morning. Leave work a couple of hours early that day – start earlier, work through your lunch if necessary.
On your way back, do the same. Take the night flight, get some sleep on the plane and head straight to work when you land if you have to.
Sure, it not the most comfortable to sleep on a plane but needs must! And with a super comfy blanket, travel pillow and leg swing (seriously, the best invention ever) you’ll be able to get a bit of shut eye before you arrive at your destination.
To be honest, before I tried this, I never thought I’d be able to. But somehow I always make it through the day and just go to sleep as soon as I finish work!
#4 Choose the right destination
Not every destination is suitable for a long weekend. For example, if you want to travel from Europe and Asia, that’s not going to be possible in just one weekend!
So when choosing your next trip, think about how far away it is.
If you decide on a close by city break (or even beach holiday), then you’ll be able to spend the majority of your trip exploring. If you choose a destination which is further away, you might find that half of your time off is spent getting there and back.
Read also: How to Decide Where to Travel to on Your Next Big Adventure
#5 Take advantage of public holidays
Public holidays can be a great way to get some extra travel in. I travel pretty much every single public holiday we get here.
If the public holiday is a couple of days in the middle of week, I plan ahead and take the rest of the week off to get an extended period of time to travel. For example, if the public holiday is Tuesday and Wednesday, I’ll book the Monday off. That way, including the weekend, there’ll be 5 days of travel available, while only taking 1 day off.
You could even go one step further by booking Monday, Thursday and Friday off. With the weekends on either side, you end up with 9 days of travel, while only taking 3 days out of your annual leave.
The trick is to book these days early as your colleagues are all going to want to do the same thing too!
#6 Take weekend trips
If you don’t have enough annual leave left, then why not take weekend trips?
If you live in Europe, there are so many great places there that can be reached by train or bus or just a short flight.
And it’s not just Europe. Here in the Middle East there are so many places that can be reached within a couple of hours’ flight. And in the US, you can travel to another state in just a few hours too.
Whether you’re travelling by train or plane, head to your destination on Friday evening so you wake up there ready to go. You’ll have two full days of sightseeing before you head back home late Sunday evening.
Not a single day of annual leave used!
#7 Use back to back weekends
When you’re planning longer trips, be sure to include the weekends at either side to get the most out of your trip. The difference can be an extra two days of travel that you could otherwise miss out on.
For example, if you take 5 days’ leave from Thursday to Wednesday, you get the weekend in the middle and you can travel for 7 days. However, if you take the same number of days’ leave from Monday to Friday, you can utilise the weekends on either side, meaning that you’ll have 9 days of travel available.
It’s a no brainer, right?
#8 Ask for a flexible working hours
If you’re really keen to travel more, but don’t have enough annual leave left, then why not ask your boss for a flexible working hours?
By working start and finish times that suit you better, it could mean the difference between being able to squeeze in an extra trip.
For example, rather than taking a half day’s annual leave on a Friday just so you can get to the airport on time, why not work an extra hour each day that week to make up the time?
Rather than flying back from a destination on Sunday, fly back Monday morning and ask for the same flexibility.
#9 Create itineraries
To get the most out of your short trips, create an itinerary of everywhere you want to visit. There’s nothing worse than getting to a destination and not being prepared for the activities you want to do.
Create a detailed itinerary of everything on your bucket list and how long it takes to get from one place to another. This will help you to better plan your time and make the most out of every trip.
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#10 Pack light
Packing light is key when it comes to travelling with a full time job. Not only does it mean that you have less to carry, but it also means that you can move around faster.
The last thing you want is to be carrying around a huge suitcase or rucksack when you’re trying to get from one place to another.
It also means that as soon as you’re off the plane, you can leave the airport and don’t have to wait ages for checked baggage.
It also helps if you prebook a seat to the front of the plane – you’ll be out of the airport before others are even off the plane!
#11 Book guided tours
While it’s great to explore new places on your own at your own pace, sometimes it’s easier to have someone else do all the hard work for you.
This is where guided tours come in handy. They usually pick you up from your hotel, you get to see a number of different attractions in a short space of time and you’ll be dropped back to your hotel afterwards.
It means that you don’t have to worry about anything – just show up and enjoy the day. This is especially beneficial if you’ve planned a last minute trip.
My go to for guided tours are GetYourGuide.
#12 Plan, plan, plan
In January 2020, I planned out the majority of my annual leave for the year (keeping a few extra days just in case), took advantage of the January flight sales and booked 8 international trips.
Ok, so 2020 didn’t end up going as planned as we all know, even though I did get two of those trips before the world shut. But by planning ahead, booking leave in advance so you get to extend public holidays and availing of cheaper flights you have a much better chance of being able to travel more that year.
Last minute trips can sometimes go belly-up so plan ahead to fit more travel in.
#13 Travel alone
One of the best ways to travel more with a full time job is to travel alone. Not only do you get to go at your own pace, but there’s no pressure – if you want to spend the day by the pool, then that’s what you do. Or if you want to explore the city, it’s up to you.
Read also: Solo Travel: The Benefits Of Travelling Alone
Too often, when we don’t have a travel buddy, we hold out and don’t take that trip. But what are you waiting for? You don’t need to wait for others to be available to travel. You can go whenever you want.
The best way to see the world is by yourself and even with a full time job, it can be done.
Read also: What To Expect When Flying Alone For The First Time
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How to travel more with a full time job: The Bottom Line
While it may seem impossible to travel as much as you’d like when you have a full time job, by using some of the tips mentioned in this post, you’ll be able to fit more trips into your year.
Did you ever wonder how to travel more with a full time job? Has this post helped you to see that it’s possible? If so, let me know in the comments below.