Work/travel life balance – My daily schedule

I have recently embarked on a new challenge, and in the initial stages it really did prove to be just that – a real challenge. However, despite all that I am a woman who likes to get things done, so I pushed myself to get into a routine.

What am I talking about?

I am currently freelance writing and travelling at the same time. Yes, this is a job, so I have to work otherwise I will end up desolate, penniless, and be on the first plane home with my tail between my legs.

For anyone else who has faced similar challenges, or maybe you’re considering doing the same thing, the first step is to prioritise what you need to do each day and work through it in order of importance.

Here is a sample timetable, or want of a better word, of how I have worked my writing tasks into my need to travel and also relax.

It’s not easy, believe me.

10-11am – Get up. Yes, I am lazy, but I am also on a long holiday so come on, a lie in is allowed.

11-1pm – Mooch, wake up, eat, and figure out whether it’s going to rain or be blistering hot.

1-3pm – Writing/work. I decided to factor in two hours per day to allow myself to keep on top of my writing tasks. This is fluid, and sometimes I need more time, sometimes I need less, but making sure I do little and often means I actually get something done on a daily basis, without allowing my work to pile up. For anyone else trying to figure out a schedule, little and often would be my way to go.

3- whenever – Fun!

See, having a set work time works for me because I can have fun and chill out, whilst also allowing myself the time to earn the money I need, and of course fulfil my creative needs. I am one of those irritating people in life that needs to offload often, so writing is my way to do just that.

Some days, I find it harder to work in a time for writing, such as when I have something else on. Recently I found myself without wifi for three days, and believe me, it was a working nightmare. I got around this by heading out to the nearest café, downloading my subjects for the day, and then writing offline, uploading them when I eventually got some internet access. Another problem I stumbled upon was trying to set myself up, such as finding an apartment and settling in, whilst juggling writing work. The only thing I could do was to keep in regular contact with my writing contacts, and inform them of any problems.

My schedule is fluid, as I mentioned, and it’s never set in stone, but I find I need to be disciplined and force myself to do at least something each day, otherwise I’d never do anything, and before you know it I’d be searching for the cheapest flight this side of Never Never Land.

Fitting travel around a work schedule isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it can be done, it just takes planning and discipline. It’s very easy to think ‘sod it, I’m going to the beach today, I’ll do it all tomorrow’, but in my experience tomorrow never comes, especially when you have something else to occupy your mind, such as your travel needs.