Why I DIDN’T Quit My Job to Travel
You all know the story: cubicle-dweller dreams of travel, saves up money, and eventually waves adios to desk job and embarks upon a global adventure.
It's a pretty standard story among long-term travelers — and especially amongst travel bloggers.
Go to many of the “big” travel blogs out there, and you'll probably find a post titled something along the lines of “I Quit My Job to Travel the World.” With so many travel bloggers being digital nomads and working as they hop from country to country, I feel like readers sometimes assume that this is the only way to do it; that the only way to travel the world is to quit your job, sell your stuff, and buy a laptop to take your show on the road.
Well guess what? You definitely don't have to quit your job in order to travel the world.
I've written before about the fact that you CAN, in fact, have your cake and eat it, too. You CAN fit travel into a more “normal” lifestyle — one that includes a job and a fixed address.
And so I'm here to tell you about why I DIDN'T quit my job to travel the world.
To be fair, I HAVE quit jobs before. I quit a waitressing job after college in order to take a “big kid job” at a newspaper in 2009. And I quit that newspaper job in 2011 in order to go back to school once I decided to get my master's degree. After I finished graduate school in 2013, I chose not to look for a new job right away. Instead, I decided to try my hand at blogging and freelancing full-time — so I could travel more, of course.
This might *sound* like quitting a job to travel the world — but in reality it was taking on a completely different form of employment.
Right after grad school, I took off on what was supposed to be a 7-month trip around the world. I was going to lay on beaches in Greece and play with elephants in Thailand and eat ALL the pasta in Italy. I was going to visit markets and soak up history and meet all sorts of cool people.
I decided my blog was at a point where it could support me financially (as long as I picked up some freelance work along the way, too), and only saved up a small amount before flying to Europe.
You probably think this sounds awesome. And, in many ways, it WAS awesome. Traveling is the single best thing I've ever done in my life, and it's changed me in so many ways.
But, before you idealize it too much, let me tell you that this sort of lifestyle is HARD, guys. Like, really hard. Yes, I got to see some amazing places. And yes, it was nice being my own boss and making my own hours. But, in the end, I just couldn't hack it.
Flashback. It was the summer of 2013, a couple of months into my epic around-the-world trip. I was in a hostel bar in Florence at 1 p.m. on a Friday, ripping my hair out as I fought to connect to the hostel's woefully weak wifi signal. It only worked in the afternoons (when nobody else was trying to use it), and so naturally getting any work done meant skipping out on other things like art museums and walking tours.
I cried myself to sleep one night because I was so stressed out about meeting my deadlines when I couldn't find a decent wifi signal — it almost ruined my week in Florence.
Flash forward a few weeks to me on a bus in Poland, close to tears once again because I was down to less than $100 in my bank account as I waited for nearly $2,000 in freelance invoices to be paid — of course they were ALL late.
Living this way was beyond stressful, and by the time I hit the 3-month mark of my trip, I realized that this sort of lifestyle wasn't really for me. I couldn't deal with hustling so much for work, and never knowing when I would get paid (and having to chase down money I was owed) gave me my first gray hairs.
I decided to go home early — mostly because I was broke, but also so I could spend some time re-evaluating things. For so long, I thought that the whole “I quit my job to travel the world” thing would become my story, too. But, as it turns out, my story was about to take on a slightly different plot.
I knew I didn't want to stop traveling, and I knew I didn't want to give up the freedom that goes along with being location-independent (i.e. not bound to an office). But I also knew that being permanently nomadic, jumping from city to city and freelance gig to freelance gig, wasn't going to work for me.
Yet, I knew I couldn't stop traveling, either. I've been bitten by the travel bug, and, as Michael Palin once said, “I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”
Giving up travel was not an option — so what was left to do?
Eventually, I decided to take a few months off from traveling and focus on finding work that I could do remotely but that would guarantee me a steady paycheck each month.
And that's exactly what I did. I GOT a job instead of quitting one.
Taking time to search for work that would still allow me a lot of flexibility paid off — I'm now working part-time for an awesome social media startup. The pay (coupled with the other freelance work I'm doing and the occasional blog ad or brand partnership) is enough for me to feel secure, and the fact that I work remotely means I can put in my hours from anywhere in the world.
GETTING a job instead of QUITTING one was actually the best thing to happen to me.
It means I have more balance; more stability. I don't have to rely on advertising on my site quite as much anymore to ensure that I can pay my rent (or my new health insurance bills — yuck). I can plan bigger and cooler trips. And I can be more selective about which companies I do and don't work with.
For me, it's the ideal situation. In 2015, I'll be visiting at least 2 new countries, and will be going back to about 4 more that I've visited and loved in the past. I know I won't have any of those crying-in-my-room-because-I'm-so-broke moments any more, which will mean I can tell even better stories than before.
I'm not saying you have to table your dream of ditching the cubicle to travel the world — feel free to keep that inspirational calendar on the wall and to keep squirreling away money in that piggy bank. I'm just saying that the travel lifestyle you've been dreaming of might not actually exist.
Instead of quitting your job and selling all your stuff to travel when you don't even know if you'll LIKE that lifestyle, find out how to pack more travel into the lifestyle you already have.
There are plenty of ways to travel a lot that don't necessarily require you to completely quit your job. The 9-5 doesn't HAVE to suck.
Here are 5 ways you can keep your job AND spend more of your time traveling:
- Maximize your paid vacation time — In the U.S., I know that our paid vacation time sucks. Companies aren't actually required to give you ANY, so most people are pretty happy to get 2 weeks of paid vacation per year. If this is all you get, try to maximize it by planning travel around other paid holidays and weekends. If you're able to work holidays and “bank” extra days off, do it and extend your travel time even more.
- Ask if you can do your job remotely — In a day and age where smartphones and wifi are the norm, many jobs can now be done from home — or remotely. Even if you've worked in an office all your life, that doesn't mean that your job HAS to be done from an office. If you have a good relationship with your boss, consider having a chat to see if your job might be able to be done remotely. You would still have to work, but this would give you a lot more flexibility when it comes to travel.
- Ask if you can work remotely for a few weeks out of the year — If working remotely permanently isn't an option, see if you can negotiate a few weeks per year. You could then pair this with your paid vacation time to go on longer trips abroad.
- Look for a job that requires you to travel — If you're not tied to your current job, consider looking for a new one that would require you to travel for work. A business trip on a Thursday or Friday could easily extend into a long weekend in a new city — and you could probably rack up a decent amount of frequent flyer miles, too.
- Consider if you have skills/knowledge you could leverage into a freelance position — Lastly, take stock of your skills. Do you have any specialized ones that you could take advantage of? Maybe start a part-time business on the side and, if it does well, do what I did and go freelance! Now, don't get me wrong — being a freelancer can be more work than a normal 9-5 job. But getting to be your own boss and travel whenever you want certainly makes up for the extra hours.
And, at the end of the day, just remember that you don't HAVE to quit your job in order to see the world. I didn't, and it's working out pretty well for me!
So what do you think? Have you ever considered quitting your job in order to travel?
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
I just quit my job – celebrated one month yesterday. I wrote that post titled “I Quit My Job to Travel the Word,” but in reality that’s not why I quit.
Here’s the thing about getting your job to agree to you working remotely: it closes A LOT of doors.
I moved to Italy because I had no choice, well I supposed I could have divorced my husband. But really. I had to go with him where his career took him and I feel very lucky that my employer agreed to a trial of my working remotely. I did it for six years, but with that I also closed the doors to any promotions or advancements. Because while some jobs can be done remotely, not many upper level management jobs can.
I began to feel bored, unchallenged and like I was no longer gaining new skills. But I could take my skills and go in to business for myself. I had been working on that business on the side for the past three years and felt comfortable finally quitting to give it a go full time.
So while travel is a major perk, I will still be living in a home base and working full time. No backpack and nomadic wandering for this girl!
Such a good point, Jennifer! You’re right about the challenges of working a “normal” job remotely – in many cases it just won’t work in the long term. And remote work isn’t for everyone, either, especially if you’re the type of person who thrives in a social environment – you don’t get much of that working from home!
Congrats on launching your business, though! I wish you much success and plenty of travels. 🙂
urgh, I remember very well how stressed you were when you came to Poland and I’m really glad I could help you in a way back then. That’s also when I realized what I had expected before – quitting the job to travel the world is not the only right option, it might work for some people but not for everyone. I’m exactly like you – I like my stability and balance and I don’t plan to quit the job anytime soon. You and me and a bunch of other people are the best example you can do both, working and traveling, and it’s really not as difficult as it seems!
Yes I remember I had to borrow money from you just to buy a bus pass! Definitely not my finest moment. Lol. But yes… different lifestyles work for different people. And you’ve certainly made the work-travel balance work for you – you’re always having adventures!!
I was really happy to help so don’t worry about that 🙂 and that was the situation no one would like to be in.
[…] some people, I am sure it is. But it’s not for everyone. My friend Amanda recently wrote about how much it stressed her out to try to freelance full-time as she traveled. So instead, she […]
Great post to reflect on. I cannot afford to just travel so having a job is really necessary for me. The best thing is that I work as a teacher and this means having some breaks throughout the year. With these breaks, this is where I travel inside the country and outside. I get to work which I really love, get to save which I really need, and get to travel which is a gift I give to myself.
Good all around!
I used to joke that I would just be a student forever. I actually really LIKED university, and the long holiday and summer breaks were perfect for traveling!
Great article Amanda, and definitely something you see so much, but what about the other side of things as you describe? The past few years I’ve traveled for about 9 months at a time, and returned to wait tables to save again. That method for starters definitely worked for me, but the more and more I ventured out and returned, the less I could deal with the “ease” of waiting tables for fast money. This year it really took its toll and I was just realizing that since it was easy for me to return and make fast cash, I was trying harder on the blog or video editing or finding work remotely. I was lazy in my creative pursuits because of this, so this year on my next trip I am quitting the job (that makes me unhappy) and trying harder to turn my creative endeavors into a job as well. i did land a gig with a media company here doing graphic design and I now know I can do it if I try, but I have to prioritize the job I want that will enable me to also travel over a fast and convenient job.
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Ryan! Such a good point! I definitely wouldn’t recommend taking on “easy” work that you hate just to make some money. In your case, it definitely sounds like honing in on work that you really love will be the best path for you!
Hey Amanda, this blog is just AWESOME! I think i’ve practically read nearly every single one of your posts this evening! I’m curious as to what theme you are using for your website? I have been trying to find the perfect one for months and I love yours!
Regards and love from the UK,
Jess
Haha that’s a lot of reading! Hope you enjoyed it. 🙂
I’m using a premium theme called Simple Mag. I actually just switched over a few weeks ago, and am LOVING it so far!
This was a really good read. I’m like most people who stress about not being able to travel if I get a “real” job but its nice to know there are good options out there and I can still travel even if I have an adult job.
There are definitely options! Getting a “real” job certainly doesn’t mean that you have to turn in your traveling shoes.
This is such a good post, Amanda. I’m with you on this mission to show people it’s possible to travel even when it doesn’t seem possible!
Thank you! It’s a good mission to be on, if you ask me. 🙂
‘Maximize your paid vacation time’
I can’t personally stress your first recommendation enough. I work an ‘unusual’ schedule and (in conjunction with ‘other’ holidays’) it affords me the ability to take a ton of time off when I bunch it all together. I can’t recommend your suggestion enough.
Great article and great inside!
And I think that’s probably possible for a lot of people! My boyfriend gets a few “flex” holidays along with normal holidays and 12 days of paid vacation – if you combine them smartly, he can eke out nearly 4 weeks of paid time off!
This post is an inspiration who wish to travel. There’s no need to sacrifice a lot in order to fulfill your dream of traveling. Just go one place at a time, or find a job that requires a lot of traveling – may it be local or international. Thanks for sharing your post and inspiring others to continue holding on to their dream of traveling.
Thank you so much for reading! I definitely do my best to inspire people!
I’m sure I speak for everyone here in stating we would like to have you back at your desk in Findlay, Ohio.
Paris can wait, can’t it?
Great blog work, by the way…
Aww, glad to hear I’m missed! Thanks for reading, Eric! 🙂
Good advice – especially the first one. Bend the ‘system’ to suit you as much as you possibly can to get in more trips!!
I’m lucky in that at my job whilst I only get 23 holidays a year (quite low for public sector in England!), I can also have up to 2 flexi days per 4 weeks so long as I’ve got those hours in the bank, which is easy peasy. So I’m a bit of a master of using flexi days to my advantage, even if I say so myself. If it falls right over a new flexi period I can squeeze in a 11 day holiday using just 3 holidays, 4 flexidays and 2 weekends! My work is only about 25 minutes from Manchester airport so where possible I will work and fly or fly and work on the same day, so to not have to waste a day’s holiday/flexi. (Although this can mess up once in a while such as last Feb when it took 47 hours to fly home from Australia rather than 23! Oops!)
Most people at work think I’m a bit crazy for doing this but I don’t see the point in having an extra day off to ‘prepare for holidays’ whatever that means, when I can just go to airport after work.
I don’t think I could give up a job to travel for a prolonged period of time – I do actually like coming home too. Besides I need to work full time to pay for all my trips!
Sounds like you’ve definitely found out how to make the most of your time off! Good on you!!
I love this! I recently wrote the dreaded “I quit my job to travel” post but it was mostly because I hated life in an office and not because I hated my actual job, if that makes sense. I think working remotely is the best of both worlds. You have job security but don’t have to be tied to a desk and 10 days of vacation! I’m going to freelance and travel really slowly for a while and then settle somewhere as an expat again because I’ve realized that’s my favorite way to “travel” but I agree, it’s important to show people they can travel no matter what!
I can picture myself being an expat and working remotely someday. I think that would be ideal! I don’t think I’m cut out for office work any more, but I can’t imagine not working in some way.
Great post! It does seem like we always hear the message that “I quit my job to travel” and it made me feel like a fake for so long. I have a full-time job, a house, and a family, but love travel blogging and travel as much as I possibly can. Which is A LOT!
I’m fortunate to work in Training & Development, which allows me to travel on business a few times a year. I ALWAYS tack on an extra weekend or so to those trips. I mean, at that point, the airfare’s already covered, so expenses are pretty minimal. I look for creative ways to earn money for my writing and publish articles on occasion. That’s all just gravy. For me, the real pay-off is the travel.
I’ve got several plans in the works this year and can’t wait to get on the road in a couple weeks for my next trip.
Thanks for inspiring us, Amanda. You always do!
Aww no need to feel like a fake! MANY bloggers work full-time jobs and have families… I just think many of them gloss over it because, like you said, the “dream” is to quit your job to travel full-time. But it’s not realistic for everyone – and that’s totally okay!
Some jobs (ME! PICK ME!) will let you also take time off without being paid for it. I use up all my time every year and end up being docked for about a week during my Christmas vacation. I am beyond fine with losing one week’s pay to have more time off.
Yes, very true! I took a couple weeks of unpaid time off when I was working my newspaper job. Of course it means you need to save up a little cushion to balance things out, but it worked fine for me! I actually think our HR guy loved not having to pay me for a couple weeks. Haha.