I recently read a FB question about how people with jobs have enough time to visit all 193 countries. But I think the real heart of the question is one I hear frequently; how do you find time to travel??
While my finances definitely are not unconstrained, time is a bigger concern for me. Like many of my readers, I work a full-time job and don’t have nearly as much time off as I would like. Here are some of my tips and tricks to maximize my time off and travel.
Before going any further I of course want to acknowledge that I am extremely blessed and these “hacks” come from a place of privilege. The very idea that I have a well-paying job that allows me any paid time off and enough discretionary money for travel is a luxury. On the flip side of the coin, I am from the United States where as a culture we do not value time off or travel as much as our European counterparts.
All that said, here is how I make the most of my vacation time.
10 day week: I am a master of the “10 day week”. For those that work a Monday- Friday job, we have a weekend on either end and if you combine your trip with a holiday you suddenly have a 10 day week – this means you use 5 days of paid time off (PTO) for a 10 day trip!
5 day weekend: Likewise, for shorter trips, I love the “5 day weekend”. If you travel over the weekend that has a Monday or Friday holiday, you can get 5 days away while only taking 2 days of PTO.
Embrace the Red-Eye: I know red-eye flights are painful. But they can help maximize your travel time. It is not uncommon for me bring my luggage to work, work a full day, and go directly to the airport. Similarly, I have also toured all day, jumped on a plane, landed at 5 am and headed straight to work. This really gives me two extra days! (Pro tip: this also helps with jet lag).
I don’t sleep well on planes, but on a flight I can usually get a couple 30-minute naps which is enough to power through my first day. If you think you will be low on sleep, make sure your first day is active, and preferably outside. This will help keep you awake and engaged.
Similar to the red eye, if traveling somewhere like Europe with a great train network, consider an overnight train.
Early Morning / late evening flights: For domestic flights when a red-eye may not be available, take the first or last flight of the day. This will maximize your time at your location. However, to also avoid travel delays, I recommend the first flight of the day.
Combine Holidays: This will vary based on where you are from, but as an example, if from the U.S. then the end of June/early July, mid-Nov or the end of Dec each have two holidays within a couple of weeks. Looking at Nov, if I travel from Veteran’s Day until the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I get 16 days off but only have to use 9 days of PTO. As an additional bonus, work is usually very slow the week of Thanksgiving so I don’t miss a lot of meetings or big events at work. If I take off June-teenth until the 4th of July I get 20 days off using only 10 PTOs.
Travel Between Jobs and Positions: I have worked for the same company for over two decades. But I often change jobs or positions. This is a great time to take a longer block of time off. In fact, this is about the only time I can take off more than two weeks at a time.
Negotiate with your Boss or Co-workers: Does a co-worker also need some time off, can you cover for them and they cover for you? Does your boss need someone to take on a project or to work overtime? Does everyone else want the summer or the holidays off? In all of these situations, you can “help out” your boss or your co-workers, and in exchange ask for a larger block of time off at once. Summer is always a busy time at my work and those with young kids want time off during the Christmas holidays. I rarely take vacation during this time and instead travel in the fall and negotiate larger blocks of time instead of just a few days at once.
Minimize / Eliminate PTO for other reasons: I rarely (maybe never) take PTO to do anything other than travel. Depending on your job consider:
Making appointments on holidays or weekends
Making up time used at a doctor’s appointment (or waiting on the cable guy) by working extra hours during other days of the week
Make appointments first or last thing during the day so you don’t lose extra time out of the office with transit both ways or delays.
If you have to use PTO, consider setting aside 1-2 days a year and making all your appointments at one time. This doesn’t work for emergencies but there is no reason why you can’t have your dental check up in the morning and your annual physical in the afternoon.
Planning: To maximize time at your destination and make the most of your limited time, do advance planning. The hours add up quickly – have a hotel reserved and know how you are going to get from the airport to your destination. Have an outline of what you want to do and see. If there is a museum you want to go to, then knowing if it is open on Sunday (or Monday) will help ensure you can see it. If you are somewhere for a month, you can be more spontaneous. But if you only have 3 days somewhere you need to know where you are going and what is open when. You can still set aside some time to be flexible and roam.
Carry On Bag: Similar to the above, if you carry-on your bag, you will save time at the airport checking in and waiting on your bag. You also eliminate the chance you will have to file a baggage claim. Again the hours add up. A carry-on bag can also save you time by increasing your transportation options. In many cities, traveling light means you can save hours by taking public transportation instead of sitting in traffic. A carry-on bag can easily save you 4-6 hours which is an extra half a day in the place you’ve traveled to see.
Travel in the Off Season: While traveling off season won’t get you more time off, it will allow you to use your limited time more wisely. There will be less lines, less crowds, more opportunity to be flexible….
Combine Locations: Save the long-distance trips for when you have a longer block of time off, and if possible combine locations. Last year, I went to Gabon, and while it was the primary destination, it neighbors Cameroon and I added 3 days for an extra stop while I was in West Africa.
Accept a Shorter Trip: You will never have enough time to see it all, and for some destinations, just accept a short trip and know that you might have to go back. There is a direct (and affordable) flight from DC to Guatemala. My first trip there was a 5-day weekend. I was limited in what I could see and just understood that I might have to return. That is ok. I can easily find another 5-day weekend in the next year or two and as a bonus I know have a feel for the country and a better idea of what I want to do. Really, I can only think of “pros” from two 5-day trips instead of a 10-day trip all at once. The only “cost” for shorter trips is plane fare and flight time.
Bottom line – the real answer is you have to make it a priority.
Life Kinetic Travel Research 