I try to travel with my kids as often as I can. Because my husband has limited vacation time, I often find myself off on an adventure with my children on my own.
I work as a freelance writer and online adjunct professor, with other jobs occasionally thrown into the mix. I love the flexibility of being self-employed, but it means that I don’t get any paid time off and never truly get a break from work, even while on vacation.
Over the years, I’ve found ways to keep up with work no matter where in the world I am, even when I’m with my children. Though many of the techniques I use to keep working while solo parenting away from home aren’t ideal, they have served me well.
I do as much prep work as possible before traveling
Although it’s impossible to anticipate every work demand that will arise while traveling, I try to do as much prep work as possible before leaving home.
For my teaching job, I make sure that I am caught up on grading and address any student concerns or training requirements before going away. I also prepare a few lessons before leaving, knowing I can tweak them as needed, as class develops much faster than developing lessons from scratch.
For my writing assignments, I try to outline pending assignments and reach out to sources to share their expertise well in advance, even if I don’t anticipate writing until later in my trip. That way, I am ready to start an article right away when I have the time, and especially if an unexpected window to work arises during the trip.
I often work before my kids wake up and after they go to sleep
Although it’s not ideal, while on vacation, I often work before my kids wake up and after they go to sleep. Sure, I would much rather get more sleep or read a book to decompress during this time. However, when I am traveling, I am usually with my kids 24/7, and the only time I have to myself is when they are asleep.
I can usually work in our hotel room while my kids sleep, but at times I have had to work from the hallway outside of our hotel door to make sure the clacking of my keyboard didn’t disturb them.
Sometimes I work while my kids play
There are times I need to sit on the sidelines while my kids have fun so I can get work done. This always hurts a little, and I have to remind myself how fortunate I am to have found a tremendous amount of flexibility that allows me to contribute financially to my family and travel as much as I do.
Sometimes my kids play Uno, eat breakfast, or build sandcastles while I type away on my computer nearby. Even though my kids often complain that I am working on vacation, they understand that if I didn’t work, we wouldn’t be able to go on so many of the trips they love.
I allow my kids to have screen time when I need to get work done
Just like at home, I sometimes break down and give my kids extra screen time while I work. This is never ideal, but it’s a solution many parents use when they are desperate for some time to get work done. It works just as well in a hotel as in our living room.
I take advantage of kids’ clubs and activities if they are available
Admittedly, I don’t often travel to places with kids’ clubs. However, when I do, I take full advantage of the option to have someone else entertain my kids while I work.
I have stayed at all-inclusives with included kids’ clubs and have also taken a cruise with one. I even took an expedition cruise to Iceland that had kids’ activities scheduled each day. When I know I will need a reliable, solid chunk of time to work uninterrupted each day, I always look for an option with some type of kids’ activities.
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