While I’d prefer a job that revolves around constant travel or personal pursuits, my current reality requires a 9 to 5 routine to finance both my lifestyle and travel escapades, a situation familiar to many! Although the bulk of my week is dedicated to work and many personal things to do, it doesn’t mean I can’t satisfy my wanderlust to the fullest while balancing professional commitments.
However, I will say that being based in Canada presents some unique challenges too. Unlike European countries where neighboring nations are just a short flight or drive away, in Canada, a 24-hour drive might still keep you within the same province. Even along the bustling Highway 401, a 3-hour drive can still leave you in the same city with the amount of traffic we have. Additionally, domestic travel costs within Canada can surpass the expense of flying to our neighboring country in the United States. Despite geographical challenges, it’s entirely feasible to maintain a robust travel schedule while holding down a full-time job, as elaborated in the points below!
Traveling more with a full-time job requires strategic planning, maximizing available time off, commitment to your travel passion, and sometimes even surviving on a little sleep. Here are some ideas as well as unique approaches to help you travel more:
1 – Prioritize Traveling
Although my main goal and priority is to actually save money and hopefully retire early, my next goal is to see more of the world, and cross off my travel bucket list. That means after I build up my monthly savings, I ensure that I have enough for bills and my travel expenses (which I also create a yearly budget for). Aside from saving and investing, and the expected sinking funds, everything else I do involve prioritizing travel in my financial planning to ensure it’s a consistent part of my life. Although I occasionally purchase beauty products (skincare and makeup are a must for me!) and random things that I want, I strive for an adventurous and fulfilling life through travel. And there are many times when I compare purchases like a $200 meal, a $500 sweater, or a $700 scarf to “that could’ve been a flight”! Almost everything I buy can be compared to a flight, so yes, the passion (or even obsession as you can call it) is real!
2 – Plan Ahead To Get The Best Prices, Options, And Availability And Plan Efficiently
Aside from getting approval at work, you can travel more with a full-time job by planning early so you can capitalize on the savings by booking your flight or hotels early and not last minute. This also gives you more freedom for flexibility in terms of where you want to go, where you want to stay, the dates you want, and for how long. The more you save, the more you can travel!
Also, if you plan your trips during slower work seasons or even pay a little more to use more efficient travel routes to minimize transit time, you’ll be able to get the most out of your time off.
Here are 8 Reasons Why You Should Book Your Trips Earlier.
3 – Get A Remote Job If You Can
Ever since the pandemic, remote jobs have become much more standard nowadays (although many companies are starting to require in-person now) and it’s also a basic requirement for some people otherwise they wouldn’t even take the job. If possible, negotiate with your employer for occasional remote work if it isn’t standard. Even 1 or 2 days working from home can help you travel more with a full-time job as a remote job allows you to work from anywhere which makes it really convenient to travel even if there are time zone differences.
4 – Negotiate Before Starting A New Job
The best thing about starting a new job is that you have room to negotiate what you want while requesting vacation days ahead of time. All you have to do is tell them that you already have these vacation days booked in advance of knowing about the new job. I’ve done this at every single one of my jobs in the past 10+ years and I’ve never once got turned down. Negotiating terms and conditions for a new job is often more straightforward than attempting to negotiate changes at your current job. In the context of a new position, there is a heightened willingness to accommodate your preferences, making it a smoother process for both parties involved. This means, you also have the capability to negotiate for an extra week of vacation days!
5 – Take Unpaid Leave If You Can Or Really Need To
Another way to help you travel more with a full-time job is to take unpaid leave once you run out of your paid time off and vacation days. Depending on which company you’re at, you may have 2 to 3 weeks’ worth of vacations and for me, that’s barely just enough for me to take all the vacations I want. So if you can manage it and are okay with it, you can also have the option to ask for some unpaid time off as well if you want to squeeze an extra trip or two into the year.
6 – Negotiate Flexible Hours Or Take Advantage Of Flexible Policies
Although many companies these days do offer flexible hours or even 4-day work weeks, some still do not have this perk. If you don’t and are starting a new job, this might be pretty easy to negotiate into your work contract with flexible hours. If it’s a current job, it’s still something that is worth asking about if you know your company is flexible and you can work out a schedule that works better for you while you’re traveling such as earlier mornings to start the day so that you can also end the day early. For me, I skip my lunch so that I can leave an hour early in the day or sometimes I’ll work earlier in the day so that I can catch a flight in the evening. Flexible work hours also help with creating longer weekends and flexible policies may even allow you to take unpaid leave or sabbaticals so that you can travel for longer periods. Remember, get to know your company’s leave policies – that’s literally the first thing I do when I start a new job so I can know exactly how to take advantage of my time off.
7 – Travel During Statutory Holidays
One of the main things I do before the new year starts is to figure out when my province’s statutory holidays are so that I can plan my vacations around that time and get an extra day off without having to request it off with my vacation days so that I can really maximize my annual leave. I also make sure to request it ahead of anyone else on my team so that I can get approved first (although I’ve had no issue with that unless I was at a company that prioritizes seniority). These statutory holidays also make for a great long-weekend trip.
8 – Maximize Business Trips
An easy way to travel more with a full-time job is to go on business trips or work conferences if you can. This way, you can combine work trips with personal travel while (mostly) on the company’s dime. You can extend your business trips by a few days for leisure exploration or explore a new place that you haven’t visited yet. And if your business trips or conference lands on the weekend, you can take a lieu day elsewhere – I normally use those lieu days to extend the business trip to explore a little more so I don’t need to dig into my vacation days.
There was one year at work where I went on 3 business trips to different States and I extended my trips and put in a minimum amount of money for hotel, food, and other activities to enjoy my time there. The fact that work will pay for your return trip as well as transportation costs and food helps you save money while traveling more too.
Here’s some tips on How To Work And Travel At The Same Time.
9 – Take Advantage Of Personal Days If You Get Them
In Canada, some companies will give you an allotted number of sick days and personal days and some will just give you personal days for when you are sick, have an emergency, need a mental health day, or any other “personal” reason. I almost never use these personal days as sick days and instead use them to extend my trips or use them to make a longer weekend for a short trip.
The Human Resources department will often let you know that you can’t attach personal days to your vacation days so you need to do this strategically. What I do is request my personal day off (on a Monday usually) way in advance which gets approved immediately, then a few weeks or months later, I will request my vacation days prior to that Monday I requested off which extends my trip and allows me to take advantage of the extra long weekend. Hey, it’s a personal day and I planned this ahead of time – maybe it’s not for the purpose of vacation but they don’t need to know that!
10 – Don’t Forget About Weekend Getaways And Day Trips
Traveling doesn’t mean you always need to get on a plane and go to a different country. It can also mean rejuvenating weekend getaways or day trips that could be a few hours’ drive away. During the summer, I often embark on these excursions, having discovered hidden gems within a 5-hour radius of my location already, so I need to start venturing out even further. Whether it’s a quaint town, a scenic hiking spot, or a picturesque beach, these short escapes offer a refreshing change of scenery without the need for extensive planning or faraway travel plans. It also provides a more manageable and accessible way to travel while maintaining a full-time job.
Here are 22 Vital Lessons Learned On My Summer Road Trips to help you get started.
11 – Get The Earliest Flight Out And The Latest Flight Back
To make the most of my vacation days and international journeys, I prefer boarding the earliest flight in the morning (typically the first or second flight of the day) and returning on the latest available flight back home. This strategy ensures I maximize exploration time at my destination, allowing for full-day experiences without compromising on valuable vacation days. I will admit that this is tiring with the small amount of sleep you may be getting, but since you are only doing this once in a while anyway, it’s definitely worth doing!
12 – Explore Nearby Destinations
One of the best ways to travel more with a full-time job is to discover hidden gems in your own country or neighboring countries. Start small, exploring nearby destinations, and gradually expand your horizons. These nearby and short trips are very easy to seamlessly incorporate into your schedule which means you can also do more of them, so it’s a great way to start without taking extensive time off. Opting for destinations with shorter flight times for spontaneous weekend escapades allows you to indulge your passion for travel without the need for extensive time off. This approach not only satisfies your wanderlust while being employed full-time, but it also turns every free moment into an opportunity for adventure.
13 – Volunteer Abroad
Some companies like mine offer a designated number of volunteer days annually. This unique benefit allows you to take time off to engage in volunteer work, even if it involves international opportunities. By leveraging these volunteer days, you contribute your services to meaningful causes, al while minimizing the consumption of your traditional vacation days. Volunteering abroad is a fulfilling way to explore new destinations, immerse yourself in different cultures, and make a positive impact on communities in need.
Many organizations such as International Volunteer HQ, Volunteer World, Worldpackers, or Go Overseas can help you get started on your volunteer experience abroad and they also offer short-term projects that fit into a standard work schedule. Here, you can combine your passion for travel with volunteering opportunities.
14 – Work And Travel Abroad Programs
In Canada, the International Experience Canada program opens the door to exciting work and travel opportunities for Canadian citizens. This unique initiative establishes partnerships between Canada and various listed countries, enabling participants to blend work and travel. The program typically offers durations of up to 3 or 5 years, but specific age limits, often ranging from 30 to 35 years, and other requirements vary based on the participating country. This provides a fantastic chance to broaden your horizons, gain professional experience, and enjoy an extended stay in diverse international locations.
Look into what your own country offers – you may be surprised!
15 – Learn Time Management
One of the most important things about trying to travel more with full-time employment is that you really need to master your time management skills to efficiently and effectively balance professional commitments and travel aspirations. By perfecting time management, you can unlock the key to maximizing your travel opportunities without compromising work responsibilities. Setting clear priorities and identifying the most critical items on your to-do list while efficiently allocating time for travel planning and the act of traveling itself takes practice and mindfulness. A well-organized schedule ensures that both professional and personal pursuits can work together which minimizes stress and allows you to fully immerse yourself in the travel experiences you desire.
In essence, learning time management becomes a tool that empowers you to navigate the complexities of a full-time job while nurturing your passion for travel and exploring.
16 – Become A Travel Blogger Or Influencer
I will say that becoming a travel blogger or influencer is not easy – it takes a lot of hard work, time, and dedication. But, it is possible as you’ve seen that many people can balance both their creative content on social media while working with a full-time job and eventually transitioning to full-time travel. Or, some people actually like to do both and keep their 9 to 5 job. As your platform grows, collaborations and sponsorships can provide opportunities for more travel so that you can do what you love and get paid for it at the same time!
I will say that I’m having a really hard time with a 9 to 5 while trying to run a travel blog and social media simultaneously. I’m continuously working on it balancing work, life, and travel and tough decisions will need to be made!
17 – Work For A Global Company
Elevate your chances of frequent travel by aligning your career with a multinational or global company that has offices worldwide. Opting to work for an organization with a global footprint opens the doors to a plethora of travel opportunities, extending beyond your usual vacation days. Global companies often host events, conferences, and training programs that require employee participation from various offices around the world. Engaging in projects that demand cross-border collaboration can also present chances for international travel. By becoming part of a dynamic work environment like this, you position yourself to easily integrate professional commitments with your passion for exploration.
These types of companies provide a unique platform that can work to your advantage where you can combine traveling with a full-time job where you can also advance your career or professional growth.
18 – Teach Abroad
A really great way to travel more with a full-time job is to teach abroad. This avenue allows you to travel while maintaining a full-time job. I know many people who immediately graduated from university and chose to teach English abroad for a year so they could travel, and just ended up continuing down this path for years to come. Many programs offer short-term contracts that allow you to immerse yourself in a new culture while earning a living. And once your contract is up, you can decide to continue or go down a different path. What’s enticing about this type of opportunity is the flexibility it can provide. But this is a great way to dip your toes in the water to decide if this is what you like and be able to both make money and explore a new country at the same time.
Whether you decide to make it a prolonged adventure or a stepping stone to other pursuits, teaching abroad can be a transformative experience that combines professional growth while discovering new places and even lifestyles.
19 – Work On A Cruise Ship
I’ve been on 11 cruises so far and it really is a fun, exciting, relaxing, and indulgent experience – especially because you’re always on the go and in different countries every day with unlimited food. Besides being a passenger, you can opt to work on a cruise ship as it offers the chance to travel while earning a living. You can choose from administrative work to sales and customer service, housekeeping and serving, entertainment, and much more. It takes a lot of people to run a cruise ship successfully (you can watch the documentary on Amazon Prime – The Secret Life of the Cruise) and it is a lot of work while having to share a small cabin with a few people. But if you can do it and want to try it for the experience, it is a great way to travel more with a full-time job. These jobs are usually contracted for a certain length of time and you won’t be able to travel back home until it’s over. So be sure to do your research and really consider if this is something you can do as hearing it from cruise workers themselves, it isn’t easy, especially in the dining services roles!
Here are also The Pros And Cons Of Cruise Vacations.
20 – Become A Travel Advisor/Agent
A popular way to travel more and getting exclusive discounts and deals while working is to become a travel advisor or travel agent. This allows you to stay intricately connected with the travel industry, allowing you to live and breathe everything travel-related while getting paid. I’m sure half the time you’ll also be looking for the best deals you can get so you can plan your own vacation! This role isn’t just a job, it’s an experience that allows you to transform your love for travel into a thriving career. So whether you’re crafting dream vacations for others or scouting out the next best deal, being a travel advisor/agent is a rewarding way to infuse your professional life with the excitement of endless travel opportunities.
21 – Become A Freelance Worker
Besides becoming a travel blogger, another aspect of my professional life is that I’m working on freelancing – slowly, but surely. As you may have read here and there or watched on my Instagram content, I would like to stop working for others in the corporate world and do something of my own so that I can take back my time, be in control of what I can or can’t do, and essentially have more freedom with my life. If possible, transition to remote freelance work in your field and become your own boss! This can provide flexibility in choosing your work environment, including travel destinations. This is one of the best ways to travel more and control your own hours so that you don’t even need to work full-time if you don’t want to!
22 – House Swapping
If you’re comfortable with it and if you’re seeking budget-friendly travel solutions without compromising on experience, consider house-swapping with others who live in places you want to visit. This approach can significantly reduce accommodation costs as well as open doors to a more local travel experience. House swapping becomes even more appealing if you have the flexibility to work remotely.
Although not every house-swapping experience will turn out like the cinematic charm of The Holiday, it is a practical way to help you lower the cost of travel experiences. So if your goal is to amass savings and investments from your 9 to 5 while maximizing travel opportunities, house swapping presents a unique and excellent opportunity to strike that perfect balance. Imagine having an entirely private space at your disposal, offering the ideal environment and an extended workplace for focused work during the day or night with a flexible travel experience. You can look more into house swapping at Home Exchange.
23 – Pet Sit For Free Stay
Another option to travel more with a full-time job is to pet sit for free stays. This also involves the ability to have flexible work hours or even remote work, and similar to house swapping, is a way to help you save money but still be able to travel and visit destinations that you want to spend more time at. Many people aren’t only working so that they can travel, but so that they can pay for other day-to-day expenses, build wealth, and contribute to a house purchase, their investments, or retirement savings. So having these types of options to lessen the amount spent on travel costs for a pretty minimal amount of work while working remotely is something to be considered.
You can look on Trusted Housesitters for more pet sitting for free stay opportunities.
Remember, finding a balance that works for you is key. And having a full-time job along with many other things you need to do in life can make it hard to fit everything you want to do into your schedule. Tailor these ideas to your preferences, job flexibility, and personal circumstances to make the most of your travel opportunities. The key is to integrate travel seamlessly into your lifestyle, finding creative ways to explore the world while fulfilling work responsibilities.
To get started on working towards traveling more with a full-time job, download my free Pre-Trip Planner And Checklist!