Having a full time job doesn’t mean you cannot travel and write about it at the same time. Before I started to write the blog I read many other blogs of digital nomads who continue to inspire others to quit their job and travel the world. Who would not want that. I would admit that many a times it has inspired me to do the same however for various reasons I am not yet at that stage but I have learnt something that to travel the world and be a travel blogger you need not necessarily have a nomad life. You can have a job and travel too.

Actually balancing work and travels isn’t that difficult. Try adding blogging to that and that’s when things get tricky! I started this blog for organizing all my travels so far in one place and share my experiences with friends who wanted to catch up with my travel stories. Out of my near perfectionist nature I soon got caught in keeping it more interesting for the readers and in spite of it I can say that this blog was one of the best things that I’ve ever done, it is bringing so many amazing people to my life, so many opportunities, so many challenges and well, travels. It keeps me motivated for all the time, keeps me pushing forward and now I just can’t imagine not doing it.
So now, the next common question, how I manage to have a full time job that too of a hotelier, travel the world and write a travel blog. Yes it does not sound that simple but pretty much possible. In my case following two mottos have helped me
1-When you have a clearly set passion – for me it’s traveling
2- When you want something really badly and work hard for that, you achieve it!
So how do I find time to travel and to write. Let me share some tips that I follow

1. Plan! Plan! and Plan Ahead

Once a year go some place you have not been before- Dalai Lama

An ingrained habit of being organized and a well planned person, has been one of the biggest reason how I can juggle my most demanding passion and work. Weekends are the only times I have when I am on leave. If I’m heading away for the weekend then I head straight to the airport on Friday after work and return on the very last flight on the Sunday evening, maximising my time in the destination. I don’t bother with doing chores/preparations for the week ahead on a Sunday night, and I’m happy to arrive home after midnight on Sunday before heading to work on Monday morning, I can survive on 5-6 hours sleep. Actually travelling to a place takes time so it’s all about being efficient with time. My planning does not end with just travel as blogging comes next. Thanks to my Isha Kriya (Yoga) I don’t need more than 5-6 hours of sleep as the sleep I get after Isha Yoga is very restful and keeps the energy on to write the blogs post a long day at work. A good post can take 3-4 hours or sometimes two days if I have to be satisfied with the outcome though most of my write ups are straight from the heart. Once I complete my blogs I schedule them on various social media platforms a night before and can peacefully work without having to bother them to post on all social media pages. Technology works here and while I am busy concentrating at work during the day, the schedule automatically posts my blogs.

2. Get lost in your own city

No matter where you go, there you are

This may sound a bit like a fool’s consolation at first but wandering around your home city can be a good alternative if time is an issue. No matter how long you’ve lived in a place, there’s bound to be some hidden corners yet to be explored. A good way to gain a new perspective to the city you live is to go for staycations. Try living in another part of town to get new perspectives of the place. It might just surprise you. Thanks to my Job I have moved 5 cities in the last 9 years with the same company. This has given me ample new opportunities to immerse completely into new places and search for stories in the backyard because that is the place we often overlook. You do not always have to travel far to quench the traveler in you.

img_5301A beach in my backyard. Every time watching sunset here is a new experience

3. Going on a business trip? Extend it!

We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us

Most suitable to those who hold jobs that involve traveling, it’s an excellent way to get to a new place, especially since the plane ticket is already covered. If your business trip ends on a Friday, extending it by 2 additional days won’t hurt work-wise. Taking additional weekdays off after a business trip may also be a good idea, depending on how you discuss it with your employer. I explored California and Las Vegas as an extension to my business trip this year. You must have a sense of balancing both and not let the work get impacted by personal trip and the vice versa. 5-6 hours of sleep gives me ample time to choose from. While you are on a business trip, the workshops, meetings are usually followed by cocktail dinners which are imperative to attend and you are left with no time to explore the surroundings. Waking up at 0430 AM has always sounded alien to most of my travel colleagues but following that has given me 2 additional hours to explore the nature and serenity. Rather than hitting the gym go for an outdoor walk you will be amazed on the encounters you have with the nature, people and return with some wonderful stories for your blog.

img_2480Out for a morning walk on Beverly Hills-Los Angeles

4. Take A Longer Break

I am in love with the cities I have never been to and people I have never met
Now this is something every traveler would love to do. I have been thinking of cycling around Eastern Europe, Walk around the Himalayan Villages, Road tripping in the United States but my job commitments have not given me that comfort to do it yet and I know I need a longer break for that. I took the longest break last year for 40 days at a stretch and covered the deserts, historical monuments and beaches of Oman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, a silence retreat in Bali and road tripped many cities around Delhi. I made use of every day. I know sooner or later I will embark on a longer break to fulfill my passion. If all this isn’t enough and you want to dedicate a significant amount of time to travel, check if your Job offers a career break. Lots of employers value the benefits of employees taking an extended break and allow up to a year out of the office. I have not yet been that lucky with my job :-). If you fancy  some long term travelling, don’t underestimate the security and benefits of having a guaranteed job when you return. This is especially important if you love your job and company. Finding the right time to do it is imperative to maintain that balance
dsc_0083-1On my longest break for 40 days in Abu dhabi

5. Make Travel Your Priority

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

When you want something really badly, you need to work towards it. Yes you need to start it somewhere. As an annual family ritual I always travelled into Himalayas for 2-3 weeks during summer holidays with parents as my dad loved to travel and at that stage I did not have to worry about anything but as you start to get independent planning and making time for the travel depends on your interest and priorities. Whether you stay in the corporate world or consider going freelance, like most things in life it is not enough to want to travel, you have to turn action into words and choose to fuel your passion of globetrotting. Whether that means saving money or giving up a holiday to see the world, deciding to make travel your priority will start to frame how you spend your money and manage your time while balancing a full time job.

How do you travel with a full time job?