Whether you are a digital nomad constantly on the move or you’ve had to work while traveling for vacation, working while traveling is usually harder than you anticipate. You will have all these plans for how you’ll set time aside for work and plan out your day perfectly. 

In reality, it’s hard to balance work and travel. Not only does traveling tire you out, sightseeing and pleasure can get in the way of serious work. 

So here are some tips for being productive while still enjoying your travels. 

1. Be Realistic About How Much Work You Can Handle

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’ll accomplish a lot of work. The funny bit is that this happens over and over even after previous experiences have proved you wrong. 

For once, be realistic about what you can actually accomplish while traveling. Don't take on too much work or set lofty goals that you will inevitably fall short of. It will only demoralize you and could get you into trouble with your boss or clients. 

You are better off setting smaller goals and overshoot them. Over time, you will be able to accurately determine how much work you can actually get done.

2. Plan Your Work and Leisure Time

Once you figure out how much work you can handle, you can now properly plan your work and leisure time. 

Again, be realistic with this. Don’t plan to start work at 8am sharp if you know you often wake up at 10am. Set aside specific hours for work, making sure to incorporate breaks. 

Divide the rest of the time between leisure, travel and logistics, and rest. Don’t forget to plan down to the details. What work projects are you working on? Which specific fun activities do you have planned?

3. Stick to Your Routine

Planning is easy. I know that all too well. But the best plans are the ones that turn into a routine. So once you have scheduled your work time and leisure, try as much as possible to stick to that routine. This will make it so much easier to accomplish your work goals while maximizing fun. 

That said, some adaptability is useful. Things happen and you may need to change your routine for that day or a few days. Be ready to temporarily disrupt your routine or even change it to a new one. 

4. Find a Conducive Work Environment 

One of the challenges of working while traveling is finding a good space to work from. The idea of working on a beach sounds fun until you actually try it. 

Wherever you find yourself, one of the first things you need to do is find a conducive work space. This can be your hotel room, the hotel’s business center, your Airbnb, a local cafe, a library and so on. Make sure it’s a space that meets your work needs like an internet connection, some quiet if you need to make calls and a comfortable sitting area.  

5. Use Productivity Aids

Productivity apps and software can help you stay on top of your projects and goals while you are on the road. These include Trello, Notion, Todoist, Microsoft 365 and others.

Just make sure you don't replace actual planning with a productivity tool. 

6. Be Ruthless About Your Downtime 

The same way you are serious about your work time, be equally strict about your downtime. Do not let work eat into your fun time because once it does, you’ll find that leisure also begins to blend into your work time. 

Set hard schedules for when work ends. You can answer those emails later, finish that project tomorrow and make those calls another day. Unless you absolutely have to, stick to the routine you set. And if you find you constantly have to extend your work time, consider adjusting your routine. 

7. Cut Down on Unnecessary Chores 

To get the best out of your work and leisure time, try to reduce how much time you spend on chores. If you can pay someone to cook for you, do your laundry or handle other chores, it’s usually worth it. 

You can also reduce time spent on chores by eating out, staying in a hotel where they clean your room and packing as few clothes as possible to minimize laundry. Our HercLéon travel wear is particularly ideal for easy traveling. Our socks and shirts have antimicrobial treatment that lets you wear it for days without washing. 

8. Don’t Neglect Sleep   

Finally, do not neglect your sleep quality. Traveling is disruptive enough for sleep without you spending late nights out or sleeping in until midday. 

Sleeping well helps you with all the other things on this list including planning, sticking to a routine, productivity and leisure.