It’s Almost Time To Travel

Now that things seem to be returning to a sense of "normal," I'm curious how many people are planning on returning to the old way of doing things such as working 9-5 at an office, having two days off for the weekend, and returning to the grind the following Monday.

If there was anything positive from the pandemic, it is that it decentralized our daily activities. The disruption to schooling, business, social interactions, and shopping only accelerated what was slowly trending to a more decentralized way of life.

Many industries weigh the best path forward, primarily due to workers' gains of remote work and interest to stay somewhat at home when possible. In fact, many jobs will remain remote or become a hybrid mix of remote and in-person for the foreseeable future.

I look at that as it means that more remote equals more availability to travel!

Look, I get it, traveling doesn't have the same convenience it did, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't think about planning a trip!

And I know that not everyone can pick up and travel just because they get the "travel bug." That doesn't mean you can't try to create a life that allows you to have the freedom and opportunity to travel now and then.

If you have a skill like writing, graphic design, or photography, you can start to find freelance work that you can take with you and even incorporate into your travels. It can be challenging, and there are some tips I have to help you survive in good times, but especially how our business survived the pandemic.

How I Define The Pandemic Times

I broke down our ability to navigate the pandemic into three stages. Those three stages are survival mode, maintenance mode, and fatigue mode.

1. Survival Mode

During the first stage, which I call the "survival mode," we all acted with self-preservation as the focus. We over-purchased more bottles of hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and toilet paper than needed for one lifetime.

The driving factor was the fear and anxiety stemming from the uncertainty and lack of clarity about how long the pandemic would last, its impacts on our long-term lives, and how long we'd be in various stages of stay-at-home orders.

Our actions were driven by fear of the unknown and became a "hunker' down perspective.

2. Maintenance Mode

Not long after we adapted to the uncertainty, our attention shifted to maintaining and preserving what we had. In our business, eliminating any unnecessary expense, applying for any financial assistance programs offered, and hope for the best.

It was a shared experience for all small businesses to find ways to become flexible enough to survive and yet not too flexible that we lost the brand identity.

3. Fatigue Mode

Over time, fatigue set in. Living life online and on zoom became less about connecting and more about the routine.

People developed fatigue toward staying home, avoiding people in general, and reacting against medical experts' best intentions. People started acting as if the pandemic was an illusion, and it further extended the timeline for a return to normal.

In a nutshell, the key to overcoming these experiences was to ensure that our business had multiple revenue streams and wasn't limited to just one source.

While it may be best to have a few different ways you make your money, the goal is to find something that will allow you to have the flexibility to travel as you wish.

Perhaps you want a job that you can have at home that offers a lot of flexibility in scheduling. In that case, finding a career in firefighting, the restaurant industry, or even a nursing career are all great suggestions.

For a career in firefighting, there are some schooling requirements, similar to nursing. Although with nursing, you can find online ABSN programs that will accelerate the coursework, allow for remote learning, and give you a career path that is nothing but flexible.

These career paths offer a lot of flexibility in daily scheduling and, in most cases, are pandemic and inflation-proof.

Regardless of your career objectives, it is about time that we can all enjoy the benefits of traveling. Of course, travel will look different, but understanding that fact will only allow you to be better prepared for all the memories and happy times ahead.