“I like to travel, but I have to work in order to have money to travel,” says Derek, “If I work too much, I wouldn’t have time to travel.”
Derek’s dilemma is actually quite common. Striking a balance is easier said than done. However, instead of focusing on work/life balance, we would be well-advised to focus on work/life integration. As I see it, work and international travel are definitely compatible.
- Why is rest a productive activity?
For many years, I only did two things: 1) work; 2) personal development. It was a particular stage of my life – I was young, curious and growth-driven.
Sometimes when I came back from work, I would sit in front of the computer and write an article for a blog, i.e., more work! But because I was already tired after working all day, I sat at my desk for hours in order to finish writing one article – I was doing research on various websites slowly as I was exhausted. Because writing one article took so long, I went to bed very late at night, which wasn’t good for my sleep. Consequently, I felt even more tired the next day (and then I did it again after work at night).
One night while I was doing some research on a website where I saw something about a really interesting book. Out of curiosity, I borrowed its eBook version from the library’s app. The book has nothing to do with personal development – it’s actually someone’s memoir about their experience with a celebrity. It’s extremely well-written and engaging, so I read every word in the book. In fact, I read certain chapters more than once and even copied two chapters in a notebook so that I can read them again and again in the future.
The library’s app indicates that I spent more than 25 hours in total reading the eBook (I finished reading this book in about 2 or 3 weeks). Although that sounds like so many hours, it turns out that that period of time was the most productive time in my life: I finished writing all the articles for that month early (one week earlier than the due date). This never happened before. I was wondering… “I spent such a long time reading something for fun, but why did I become more productive?”
Then I suddenly had an epiphany: The more fun I have, the more productive I become. When I have more fun, I feel more energetic and happier. Because I’m happier and more energetic, I become more productive. I wouldn’t need to spend several hours writing one article; I only need 1 hour maximum for 1 article. Inspiration comes faster.
I also realized that weekends & holidays exist for a reason.
- What is work/life integration?
Now I don’t need a day job anymore because I’ve become a freelance writer, a digital nomad: I travel the world, and I travel with my laptop.
International travel has become an important part of my lifestyle. I can work from anywhere in the world. What’s more, at this stage in my life, I don’t need to write articles that I am not interested in anymore because now I can choose which topics I want to write about & I can choose my clients as well. Therefore, work energizes me (it’s not draining or exhausting anymore).
This is work/life integration: I’m passionate about my work and I do it because I love it; meanwhile, I’ve incorporated the most fun thing into my life – international travel. I’m lucky enough to be an online writer and I’m location-independent, thereby achieving work/life integration.
Quote: “Work and travel can be compatible when you are able to work and live from anywhere you want/you are not tied to a specific physical location. Please don’t beat yourself up if you still think about work/life balance because not everyone can be a digital nomad – we have to be realistic. If you are ready for your next trip, feel free to come to Simply Travel for a consult!”
