Hello from the Pacific Surfliner! I’m on my way to Los Angeles (Chatsworth Station) after an amazing turn around trip to San Diego. As much as I want to say it was planned that my topic would be about working remotely today, it was just random as I didn’t know until about a week ago that I was going to be traveling this weekend.
As an entrepreneur work never stops. You try to create boundaries like clocking in at 9 am and leaving at 5 pm every day. You try to have a work/life balance. But let’s be real, work never stops. People depend on you, you make the wheels turn. So when you stop your business stops. At least in the small business sector.
My mom and dad were both small business owners when I was growing up. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree right? 😊 When I was a kid I always used to get mad at my mom when she worked while we were on vacation. I would always say, “Vacations aren’t meant for working! If this is what it’s like having my own business then I want a regular job!” HAHA! I crack up every time I think about those yearly vacations. I said it every.single.time. She used to carry around this black leather planner. She had it with her every where she went. Now I understand why – it had her LIFE in it. But as a kid I grew to resent that planner. Every time I saw it while we were on vacation I knew that it meant she was planning on working while we were out of town.
Now that I’m a business woman I understand. Heck, there was one time I brought my iPad to Disneyland because I knew I needed to work. I know, sad right? But the truth is that you can’t truly cut yourself off. You need to be somewhat available. Your business is a part of you, and if you’re like me, then you put EVERYTHING you have in your business. Not just your money, but your time and energy. You are what makes your business special. You are what sets you apart from the competition.
The truth is, if you have to work then you have to work. It’s your reality as an entrepreneur. And some day, hopefully your business will be in a place where you can drop everything in an instant and everything will be fine. But for most of us, that’s not the case. But don’t worry, there’s good news!
Working remotely is the easiest it has ever been. Heck, I’m on a train going from San Diego to the San Fernando Valley as we speak and I’m working. How awesome is that?! It’s so easy to have a constant data connection, and with laptops and mobile devices it’s so easy to stay connected. Plus, most travel vehicles give you the chance to charge devices if needed. On top of that you can easily communicate with your time with apps like FaceTime, Skype, and Google Hangouts. You can easily create, update, and share documents with Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud. The apps I personally use to stay connected to my team is Apple Mail, Dropbox, Google Hangouts, Evernote, and Todoist.
Honestly, I think it’s just all about finding balance. Why travel for fun if all you’re going to do is work the whole time? My suggestion is to work in the morning or evening when you’re back in your hotel/vacation rental and you have some down time between excursions. Try and stay present while you’re out and about with family and friends so you can enjoy the sights, sounds, and the company. Make memories! And lastly, it’s all about preparation. Before you leave try to get as prepared as possible weeks or months in advance so everything is spelled out for you and your team. Create a schedule of things that need to get done while you’re away. Delegate as many things as you can so that you can keep your work at a minimum.
Cheers to more travel!
Xoxo,
