Is getting work done possible while traveling? Between the constant moves between cities and irregular schedule, how can you get anything done?
Yes you can and the “how” of it is pretty simple.
If you are someone who gets things done when you’re at home or at work, you will get things done when you travel.
However, if you find yourself having trouble completing projects when everything is setup perfectly, then travel DEFINITELY does not increase your chances of success with getting work done.
So how do you get yourself to a point where you can do hard, good work while traveling?
Start working to finish projects while you’re still at rest and not traveling.
Make a habit of finishing the things you start before you start traveling.
Quit exploring every possible option.
Outline the exact next step you need to take.
Change your goal from success to completion.
Learn from your completed projects and improve upon them for your next project.
Bre Pettis, the CEO of Makerbot (a seriously cool company you need to check out), said it best in his “Cult of Done Manifesto”:
- There are three states of being. Not knowing, action and completion.
- Accept that everything is a draft. It helps to get it done.
- There is no editing stage.
- Pretending you know what you’re doing is almost the same as knowing what you are doing, so just accept that you know what you’re doing even if you don’t and do it.
- Banish procrastination. If you wait more than a week to get an idea done, abandon it.
- The point of being done is not to finish but to get other things done.
- Once you’re done you can throw it away.
- Laugh at perfection. It’s boring and keeps you from being done.
- People without dirty hands are wrong. Doing something makes you right.
- Failure counts as done. So do mistakes.
- Destruction is a variant of done.
- If you have an idea and publish it on the internet, that counts as a ghost of done.
- Done is the engine of more.
I am still striving to be better and this manifesto is a great guide on how to start accomplishing more.
If you want to know how to get work done while traveling… then I guess what I’m saying is start getting things done now.
Your Turn: How do you get work done when you travel? Please share your tips with us in the Comments section!
Quit his job to try actually following his dreams for once... and is currently loving it. He is working hard to to make this life-style permanent by writing about his adventures and brainstorming money making opportunities with his partner-in-crime, Meg.
Definitely struggle with this. My freelance workload is variable, but so is our travel schedule, and those don’t always match up well…!
Sometimes it lines up perfectly, but sometimes nothing fits! The worst is when pre-paid travel plans overlap with some freelance deadlines… travel doesn’t need any additional stress!
This list is definitely helpful though in trying to get your work done and out into the world for review.
What kind of freelance work do you do?
I love this list! I am making #7 and #11 my new mottos for my dissertation. Well done Tony!
I love #11 too! Takes the pressure off succeeding and just makes you focus on finishing.
I live with an “action item crusher” so I definitely need a list like this to keep up with her…
Pumped to see you two in October!
I bet you could get a lot of work done in Mexico…
Persistent and sneaky… I like your effort!
I doubt I would get ANY work done in Mexico… probably a ton of surfing though!
I think the biggest thing is like you mention. Can you get work done in general!!! If you cant then the odds surely arent in your favor while traveling. I like setting up a daily schedule of tasks to get completed and works of the schedule for the most part. I would do the same when traveling though some things my get moved around i am sure I could get a lot of work done. Learn when to so no. You cant do everything.
Saying no is crucial, Thomas. Great tip!
Saying no is often the best productivity tip one can offer. Especially to those of us that get excited by everything and want to do every idea… like me
Thanks for reading!
-Tony
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 1 trackback }