Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons
It is in human nature to explore the world around us. If anything, staying trapped in your office from 9-5, five days a week, for weeks a month, and 12 months a year is unnatural. It goes against our inbuilt wonderer’s spirit. No wonder workers trapped in their cubicles keep on dreaming about walking barefoot by the sea shore, scaling up the mountains, experiencing foreign cultures and cuisines, visiting the best Adelaide Hills winery, and catching the thrill of sky diving.
For a lot of people, travel and work do not come as part of a package deal. You either get traveling out of your system before you begin your career, or you take opportunities to travel once you’re able to save up money. But life often gets in the way, and sometimes those best-laid plans can feel very far away.
But could there be an alternative way of doing things? In today’s world, anything is possible, and there are a lot of ways you can combine work and travel to help you enjoy the best of both worlds.
Want to know more about how you can travel while still keeping your career? Here are some of the things you can do to enjoy travel while working.
Get a transfer
One of the easiest ways to work and travel is to get a transfer with your existing company. There are some companies that will let you travel the world while working that provide some excellent opportunities. But if your existing employer has offices located overseas, you may be able to secure a transfer – even if it’s only temporary.
Even being based in one country gives you opportunities to travel further. In Europe, for example, it’s easy to travel to different countries thanks to a well-connected railway system and cheap flights. Places like Australia, meanwhile, have so much to offer that you could take advantage of and explore in-depth while working there.
You might need to consider the implications of a long-term transfer more carefully, especially if you have a partner or a family to consider. But if a move overseas is something you want to do, your existing employer is a good place to start. They can only say no after all!
Embrace the freelance life
If you want control over your own schedule and to work from wherever you want, then it’s time to embrace the freelance life. There are a lot of great freelance jobs out there that are perfect for doing from wherever you want, including:
- Social media management
- Copywriting
- Graphic Design
- Translator/Transcriber
- Language tutor
- Virtual assistant
There are a lot of people who work as digital nomads as a way to earn a living while being able to travel. If you’re able to manage your time well and can find a healthy work/life balance, you could easily enjoy the best of both worlds.
If you’re not already working as a freelancer, it’s worth researching how to start a freelance business to help you see what’s involved and whether or not it’s the right move for you.
Don’t forget that even as a freelancer, you’ll need to consider taxes, expenses, invoicing, and other financial elements that you’ll need to stay on top of. Oh yes, you can’t just simply walk into another country without the proper documentation and permissions. Though, as a freelancer, the issue of continuing to earn an income will not be a problem. To avoid getting yourself on the wrong side of the law, you’re better off applying for visas for remote workers and go on about your tour of the country of your choice, while you are working.
Start a business that lets you travel
Another way to have control over where you are and what you do is to start a business that lets you travel. This is ideal for helping you travel to multiple locations and to ensure you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Some ideas for businesses that will let you travel include:
A franchise
A franchise could be a great way for you to travel the world, especially if you choose to take your business to multiple companies. There are some fantastic restaurant franchises, for example, that you can seek to launch in new countries and ensure a diverse portfolio for yourself.
Working with a hotel franchise company can also be a good way to travel around, benefiting from having accommodation covered whenever you travel too! Hotels can be a great business, and it’s worth exploring different hotels in different countries to see how they operate as part of your market research.
Personal training
The global pandemic has seen a huge rise in virtual personal training. There are a lot of online personal trainers and fitness companies providing their services, and this could be something you could do too with the right experience and a solid marketing strategy.
Personal training can also be a form of passive income if you have on-demand classes and fitness plans online for people to access. You could travel while creating content, or meet with clients across the world. If you enjoy keeping fit and living a healthy lifestyle, then this could be the perfect career choice for you.
Photography
Do you have a talent for photography? Why not travel the world and take photographs while doing it? There are a lot of ways to sell your photos online, or you could take on assignments in different countries. A wedding photographer willing to travel can also get to experience a lot of wonderful locations shooting happy couples all over the world!
Tour guiding
Being a tour guide is another wonderful way to travel the world while working, and you’ll get to meet all kinds of people while doing it, too. You could run tours in different countries or stick to a city or region for a period of time according to your preference. Tour guiding can be a very enjoyable profession, especially if you’re a people person or have a deep interest in history.
Events and wedding planning
Could working in events be your ticket to travel the world? Working for a company that runs global events can take you to all kinds of exciting places, as can being a wedding planner. You’ll need to do a lot of research to get to know different locations – giving you the perfect excuse to travel.
Become a travel influencer
Do you have what it takes to become a travel influencer? Some of the best-known travel influencers are constantly traveling the globe, finding the best locations and places to visit to help others plan their trips. You’ll need to work on growing your online presence, but if successful, you could work on some amazing partnerships with travel and leisure companies that will enable you to enjoy all kinds of wonderful travel experiences.
Get a job in the travel industry
While the travel industry has experienced some upheaval thanks to the pandemic, a resurgence is taking place now that borders are beginning to reopen. There are a lot of incredible opportunities out there, including working for an airline, a hotel chain, and many others. If you want to see the world and experience multiple benefits, then this could be the ideal way to get started.
Try short-term work while traveling
Taking on short-term work while traveling can be another simple way to earn money while traveling. If you’re enjoying an extended trip, you might want to consider securing a working visa that will help you be able to secure work while on the move. Working while traveling can be an excellent way to meet people, which can stop you from feeling lonely when you’re away from home for a long time.
Travel provides a lot of incredible experiences, but it’s not always easy to travel when you have bills to pay or a career to maintain. Fortunately, the world has evolved to make work and travel possible, helping you enjoy a bright future while being able to soak up some amazing experiences. If your job is holding you back from traveling, then perhaps it’s time to explore one of the options above and find a career path that lets you enjoy the best of both worlds.