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HOW DO YOU COPE WITH WORK AND TRAVEL?

by SandyDuPlessis
8 replies
My husband is on contract in the UAE (Dubai) and before that in Saudi Arabia.

Needless to say, since 2002 with a home and family back in South Africa and living in in the Far East, I have found myself constantly traveling back and forth several times a year.

Some things just can't be dealt with over the phone, or via the internet.

My biggest problem though is taking my "office" with me. There are certain paperwork and files that I refer to constantly. Then of course I need specific adapter plugs for my laptop as well as, my back-up drive, headphones etc.

If I was just going home for a brief visit I am sure it would not be so much of a problem. But I am often away for anything from 6 weeks to 3 months.

On top of that almost every time I go through South African customs there is usually an argument because they are unhappy with my traveling office and keep trying to charge me duty, despite the fact that everything I have looks and is well-used.

Do you travel a lot or a little? How do you cope?
#cope #travel #work
  • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
    I travel very often, which is why I now a days run my whole business off my laptop (hooking it up to an large external monitor while at home).

    However, when I'm traveling, I can only manage to maintain my business as opposed to expand it, meaning that I can sustain the sites I got running without a problem, but I can't reach the work-mode focus to create new stuff.

    IM allows you to be geographically flexible, but nothing beats your every-day office to get actual work done.
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    • Profile picture of the author SandyDuPlessis
      Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

      I travel very often, which is why I now a days run my whole business off my laptop (hooking it up to an large external monitor while at home).

      However, when I'm traveling, I can only manage to maintain my business as opposed to expand it, meaning that I can sustain the sites I got running without a problem, but I can't reach the work-mode focus to create new stuff.

      IM allows you to be geographically flexible, but nothing beats your every-day office to get actual work done.

      I must admit that expanding the business as apposed to just maintaining it is a real struggle.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Johns
    I don't travel much any more, thankfully, but when i did it was a nightmare because of the amount of things you have to cart around with you plus the hassle of having to make sure you've got everything with you.

    The number of times I fired up my laptop in a hotel in a foreign country to realise I'd left the one file I needed on my home computer was frustrating.

    I do agree that you struggle to expand your businses when travelling. I know I much prefer my desktop setup to my laptop for working and seem to be much more efficient when on it.

    Cheers

    Jason
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    • Profile picture of the author SandyDuPlessis
      I couldn't agree with you more Jason.

      My favorite is leaving my headsets behind. I am developing quite a collection, even after having given several away to family and friends.
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      • Profile picture of the author Tashi Mortier
        I haven't been in the same situation as you, but here's what I would do:

        Sign up for DropBox (you get 2 gb of storage for free) and I hope you have a scanner. Go and scan all the paper documents that you still have and save them in your DropBox folder.

        I have all my important files in DropBox and so even if my backup fails me, the most essential stuff will still be there.

        Also this way you can sync all the files in your Box between all of your computers. So if you make it a habit to save everything important inside your DropBox, then you won't have the problem of missing files anymore. Even if you need more than 2 gb, $ 10 or $ 20 for 50 or 100 gb isn't that much and the comfort you gain should be worth the investment.

        This way you can see DropBox like your suitcase that always carries all your most important stuff. I don't need my paper documents anymore now, since I just scan everything right as I get it from the mail.
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        • Profile picture of the author sal64
          That's a great suggestion, Tashi.

          It will depend on your business type as well.

          I can now manage without paper files and only print things when required. All I need for my office is my laptop and a notepad and pen.

          I guess the major benefit for me is that I employ a VA to monitor most things and all of my employees are outsourced.

          There has never been a problem entering Australia with regards to my portable office, so maybe it's a Sth African issue?

          With the ever shrinking size and ever increasing memory capacity of external drives, I now pretty much take my entire back up with me so nothing is left behind. I also find those rubber keyboards a God send.
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          • Profile picture of the author SandyDuPlessis
            Sign up for DropBox (you get 2 gb of storage for free) and I hope you have a scanner. Go and scan all the paper documents that you still have and save them in your DropBox folder.

            I have all my important files in DropBox and so even if my backup fails me, the most essential stuff will still be there.
            @Tashi - Brilliant idea - thanks for that one I will look in to it. (and yes, I do have a scanner on both sides)

            I guess the major benefit for me is that I employ a VA to monitor most things and all of my employees are outsourced.
            @ Sal - Unfortunately I haven't reached the stage where I can afford a VA yet, but no doubt a bit more time will take care of that problem
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  • Profile picture of the author prasanth5
    Work and travel are two time consuming things that you have to manage with precision. Yes, it should be possible for the person with the right attitude towards them.
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