Should I start my own business? Should I look for a job telecommuting? Should I freelance? Should I look for a job wherever I want to travel to?
There are an incredible number of ways to combine work and travel — but that makes choosing the right option that much harder. Not all of us do well telecommuting. Not all of us are interested in being entrepreneurs. It’s important to for each of us find our own fit when it comes to work.
Finding Structure
Most of us have a good idea of what kind of structure we need in order to get all of our work done every day. Personally, I do well relying on internal structure — deadlines and requirements that I create for myself. Adjusting to timelines that are imposed externally are harder for me to work with, which makes building my own business far more practical than finding a job, at least for me.
But one of my friends does much better when she works with some sort of external structure that gives her a basis for making plans, but still wanted to operate her own business. She does very well for herself as a virtual assistant, because her clients offer that external structure she prefers, while still giving her the opportunity to be create a business of her own.
Your own preferences for structure can guide you through the process of deciding how you want to work while you travel. It is worthwhile to look for an opportunity to do a trial run to check how you actually work while you’re traveling, to make sure that your expectations as far as how you work remain the same. Some people find having a job that remains the same while they change their location helps create a little more balance. Others find that they need even more flexibility than they expected once they are out on the road.
Be Open-Minded
Even if you’re pretty clear on what your career is going to look like in the next couple of years, it’s important to keep an open mind. Just because you take a telecommuting position today doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get an offer for an on-location job down the road. You may sell your business, find a new and more interesting venture, pick up extra freleancing projects or take a full-time job — there’s no way to tell what offers you’ll get in the long-term.
