Most folks aren’t just going to give up their current situations to travel the world – so I get it. For those of you who desire to see the world and do not think it is possible – don’t fret! Even when I was working a 9- Until, I made it a PRIORITY to see the world. Check out the five hacks to traveling the world having a 9-5!

1. Travel on Holidays & Long Weekends

Obviously, this is a no brainer. Utilizing your holidays coupled with vacation or PTO will allow you a solid week! When I was working, I would take a long weekend (say Labor Day for those in the States) and fly out on a Thursday afternoon and return on a Tuesday evening. That is a solid five days of being somewhere new and back to work on a Wednesday morning. The best part about this, you have only taken two vacation days!

The most challenging part of this is that it is a vacation for you and everyone else! So it tends to be crowded and expensive if you do not plan ahead!

It is also important not to squeeze in too much if you only have a week worth of travel and sightseeing. Exploring is not supposed to be a rushed experience, and you do not want to have to “take a vacation from a vacation!”

2. SLEEP

Speaking of exhaustion, you HAVE to learn ‘time’ and how the International Dateline works. If you are like me, I love in-flight entertainment. I can watch all the movies, listen to albums, and even play games with other passengers! But that would leave me completely exhausted once I arrived at my destination with a full day of exploring in front of me. Imagine missing an entire day while on a plane (it’s weird, trust me). With that, learn to quite your mind and get rest while traveling. While unconventional, I like to have a drink or pop a sleeping pill (#JudgeNot), or you could just wear an eyemask and listen to some soothing tunes. Either way, you swing it, make sure to get as much rest as possible so you can explore your destination and be rested enough to return to work!

3. Capitalize on Work Trips and Benefits

With my career in IT, I had the privilege of working from home pretty often. Honestly, I worked from home almost every Friday which was fantastic. If you have this option, consider using this as an advantage! Some coworkers and I decided we wanted to go to Montreal, so we left NYC on a Thursday evening. After having an excellent French breakfast of croissants and coffee, we were prepared to “work from home” on Friday in our rented loft in Old Montreal!

If you travel for work, extend out the trip for a day or two and explore that location!

4. Stay Local

Shamefully, I do a lot more international travel than domestic travel. That brings me to this point – stay local. There are so many amazing places to explore right in your backyard! And can make your travel inexpensive. Obviously, I would not spend my extended Labor Day weekend in Miami, but I will consider a place like Vail, Colorado. Typically known as a ski destination, in the warmer months, there is a ton to do and see like white water rafting, rock climbing, and hiking! Besides you will be going during the Low Season = cheaper!

5. Just GO!

Are you going to use all those sick days? Or are you stuck with “extra days” at the end of the year? May as well use them! Sometimes it’s better to apologize later rather than asking for permission first. Now – this may get some folks fired but this is how I tend to live my life.

In all seriousness, for the holidays have your family comes visit you if you do not live near each other. This is another way to save vacation days and money!

What are some of the ways you can travel while working a 9 -5?

Until then… journey on!