One of the incentives you’re supposed to enjoy when you run an online business is the freedom to take time off when you need it. This can sometimes be difficult, so we want to provide some tips and strategies for you on how to balance work while on vacation.
If you want to enjoy your vacation but also stay on top of your online business, read the following strategies for working while traveling to find out how.
Strategies for Working While Traveling
1. Good Internet Connection
When you travel, the number one thing you need is a good internet connection. Of course, in today's world, everything we do relies on the internet, so this isn't much of a problem.
Therefore, whatever hotel, motel, or resort you go to, make sure that it has a decent internet connection.
This is especially true if you’re traveling to popular destinations such as Paris, where the internet connection may be slower than expected. To get the best deal, consider renting a luxury apartment from Paris luxury rentals as these apartments offer fast and reliable internet connections so you can work without interruption. This way, you don’t need to worry about slow or unreliable internet connections.
You don't need a super-fast internet connection for gamers, just something that will allow you to easily video chat with team members and send emails.
You may wish to review what roaming options you have on your phone plan because having non-WIFI internet access can be essential when you're not around a hotels WIFI range. Be careful to check the limits and costs of the international roaming plans you have available to you as some are very expensive or charge high overage fees.
2. A Good Workspace
If you're traveling and still need to work, look for accommodations with a good workspace. Simply put, if you have to listen to your kids arguing, it's going to be nearly impossible to get anything done. So, for instance, if you're doing a B&B kind of thing, try to look for a house that has a spare room that you can work in.
If you are staying in a hotel or motel, look for an office area, a conference room, or a dedicated lobby area where you can work from. You need a space where you can concentrate on your work, even if that's only for one hour a day.
3. Remember Your Gear
Many people find that they don’t have the gear or equipment they need once they reach their destination. This isn’t because they don't have it; they forgot to bring it with them.
We won’t list all the different things you might want to bring with you, because there are many. However, before you leave, make a list of anything that you’ll need for work. This could include a freshly charged laptop, various chargers, cables, headphones, and even an extra backup drive. Make sure to provide your laptop additional protection with a Faraday laptop case to ward off dust and scratches and for robust digital security measures. Save the list and update it each time you travel.
4. Use Travel Time Wisely
You could watch the inflight entertainment, that B-class movie you’ve probably already seen. That said, why not spend those 10 hours on the airplane getting work done? Simply put, you should use your travel time wisely.
Time spent waiting in the airport or on the plane can be used for work. Every hour of work that you get done while you're on your way to your destination is an hour of free time that you will have to spend doing more enjoyable things when you arrive.
5. Maintain a Good Remote Work Routine and Diet
The next thing is that you need to maintain a routine. Simply put, humans are creatures of habit and routine. Now, your vacation or travel work routine will not be the same as your routine when at home, so adjustments will be made.
That said, if you're taking a one or two week vacation, your body is going to get used to a new routine within a couple of days, so you might as well get to it. Whether you realize it or not, our bodies don't like when things change, and we have a much harder time accomplishing tasks when we don't follow a routine. It doesn't have to be a strict schedule, but something basic that keeps you on course.
One of the key things is monitoring your diet whilst traveling. Airplane food is one thing but your destination food offerings maybe very different to what you're used to eating, so take it easy in the first few days and let your body acclimatize to the new food offerings. If you're transiting through Singapore on your travels and are looking for that perfect restaurant or menu to suit your diet, then SGMenu has a great resource of all Singapore has to offer.
6. Work Before Play
It's going to be hard to go get work done after you spend the day at the pool or the beach.
Nobody wants to have a relaxing day on the beach just to go back to the hotel room to slave away. Eat breakfast, get your work done, and hopefully, you're free to do whatever you want well before lunchtime.
7. Regular Video Meetings and Team Chats
What's interesting to note about working on vacation at this time is the fact that people, for the most part, are already working from home. The coronavirus pandemic has closed many workplaces and has relegated many people working from their home offices.
You are likely to already be having team chats and video meetings using programs such as Zoom. However, to run an online business, you need to communicate with the other members of your business.
You might want to try scheduling team chats at certain times of the day, keeping your routine in mind. You might be traveling or on vacation, but you still need to be aware of what is going on in your business.
8. Always Have a Backup Plan
You should always have backup plans. For instance, if the internet in your hotel goes out, you might want to see if there is an internet cafe nearby. If your laptop breaks down, you might want to transfer your business to your smartphone. We are not about to list every possibility you might have to deal with, but you should have a backup plan if something goes wrong.
9. Let Your Team Take Up Some of the Slack
Whether you're going on vacation for two weeks or will be away on business for several days, let other team members take up a bit of the slack. Of course, we don't mean that your teammates should do all the work that you should be doing, but hey, let's face it; you're going to pick up some of their slack when they go on holiday, so they may as well pick up some of yours when you need it.
10. Work Time vs Family Time
Remember that you are on holiday and so its important to not let work time creep into your family holiday time. Set up times for work and leave your phone in your room when it's family time. When the two times blur, is when arguments can occur!
FAQ
How Do You Prepare for a Vacation While Keeping Work In Mind?
You should make a list of the projects you have on the go, check your work calendar, clean up before you leave home, delegate the tasks you won’t be able to handle, and give yourself a buffer day.
How Do You Prepare for Work After a Vacation?
To prepare yourself for your return, make a list of things you need to do on your return, and include some transition time. Try to maintain a positive attitude and recognize that you will eventually have to get back to work no matter what.
How Do I Recover From a Vacation?
It may sound odd to say, but it can be hard to get back to work after a vacation. One of the most important things you can do is to give yourself a couple of transition days. Going right back into a 100% full work schedule the day after your return will probably not be overly productive.
Recommendations for Communicating with Your Team while on Vacation
Skype
Skype has been around since 2003 and is still one of the most widely used online communication apps worldwide. There are many reasons people love Skype, the simplicity and affordability being just some of them.
Zoom
Zoom is a trend-setter in the video conferencing world. There’s hardly any other communication tool that can compete with this beast in terms of video calls. If your online business mainly depends on those, don’t look any further.
Google Workspace
Google Workspace is an online collaboration tools suite that works particularly well for online businesses. With dozens of Google integrations, you can track every aspect of your workflow in an organized manner.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a powerful online communication tool that best suits Microsoft 365 users. If you’re already used to working with other Microsoft apps, Teams will fit in perfectly. Not only does it offer seamless integrations with other Office 365 products, but it comes with tons of other features too
Slack
Over the past few years, Slack has become the industry’s top-performing communication tool. It’s a comprehensive solution suitable for all communication types: conducting interviews, kickstarting new projects, reviewing contracts, exchanging ideas, decision making, and much more.
ZoHo Meeting
If you were wondering whether any online communication tool can compete with Zoom, it’s ZoHo Meeting. This online meeting platform is packed with interactive collaboration tools, 24/7 support (not often seen in competitors) and comes with a very detailed pricing plan.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that working on vacation, whether for an online business or otherwise, is sometimes a must. That said, with the strategies for working while traveling that we have provided, you should be able to get a good bit of work done in between all of the vacation fun.
