How to NOT Get Work Done While Traveling Abroad

One of the most common questions I get asked as a business owner is how I’m pulling off working abroad. I sometimes forget the extent of that learning curve.

There’s a danger to getting too good at flexible working, though: when you figure out how to work from practically anywhere, you may start working from practically everywhere. 

This was an insight that struck me like an overhead suitcase after giving several work-life balance seminars recently. Looking inward, I felt inspired to fight for my first true vacation as a business owner. 

I’m writing this blog post from my cellphone on a flight from France to the U.S. after a work-free week in Paris, Annecy, and Chamonix. (Okay, I fine-tuned some slide notes for my upcoming St. Louis ATD Learn Conference talk while staring out into the French Alps. You caught me. But, all things considered, this trip was a laptop-less success.) 

For any of my readers who are self-employed, you may understand the struggle of taking time off with no further explanation. But, hey, I’m stuck on an eight-hour flight, so let me break down some of the barriers a little bit further. I’ll even throw in what’s been helping me achieve better work-life balance in case these strategies are helpful to you, too. 

Not working in Versailles, France

Three Massive Barriers to Taking Time off Work While Self-employed (and What to Do About Them)

A) As a self-employed worker, you may have way too clear an understanding of time as money. 

I’d have to guess this one hits hardest for anyone who bills by an hourly rate. (I do for certain clients and contracts, depending on the business need.) A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation will reveal the opportunity cost of your vacation or other scheduled downtime without that sweet, sweet buffer of paid time off. From my own experience, this figure can lead to a mix of feelings, including (but not limited to) nausea, distress, and the sensation of chewing on a dry cotton ball. 

With an hourly rate in mind, you may start recognizing how costly a bad date really is. You may start questioning how much you actually enjoy your hobbies. You may even ask yourself, “Do I love my weekly visits with Meemaw that much?” (Totally kidding, I don’t even have a Meemaw!) You can see this is a slippery slope, though, right? While I suppose these little calculations can help you clarify your values in a strange sense, just know you’re probably on a fast-track to burnout. 

The best way I’ve found to counter this type of thinking is to remind myself that downtime is actually necessary for making my career a long-term fit. 

At the risk of sounding like a credit card company, having a dream job is priceless. So, if you love what you do, turn off the metaphorical and literal calculators when it comes to your scheduled time off. Think of it as a necessary business expense.

B) You’re operating like an army of one. 

Freelancers, knock it off. I mean it. 

Self-employment does not have to equate to isolation. In fact, I’d argue that completely independent freelance work is dangerous as hell if you're doing it full-time. It’s not just because your clients may become totally dependent on you, a single human and mere mortal. It’s also because study after study shows that loneliness is horrible for your health and well-being. 

I’m not saying you have to formally bring on employees. At a minimum, though, I’d recommend building out a stellar peer network for potential work-sharing. That way, when you want or need to take time off, you have incredible resources readily available to keep your business afloat. 

(Huge thanks to our instructional designer, Aubrey, who just made my own vacation possible!) 

This may go without saying, but you’ll need to set the expectation with your clients that you function as part of a team. Be transparent about your anticipated level of personal involvement, so they’re not caught off guard if and when you pull in help. Let your clients get to know your team. If you have a website, list your teammates with photos. Send your clients their resumes and some fun facts about them. And, if your peer/employee is client-facing, facilitate a warm handoff video call before you leave your “office” (in whatever form that takes).

Keep in mind, it might take some time for other freelancers to get acquainted with your business and contracts. So, consider sharing some of your work on a periodic basis, before you really need the help. (You may even be able to arrange a work swap with a self-employed friend, so there’s no money lost. Perhaps you can both learn something new!)

Finally, remember: it is a value-add to bring in diverse perspectives and talents to a project, not a sign of a personal limitation. So, approach it that way with your clients.

Not working in Chamonix, France

C) You’re terrified of setting boundaries with your clients. 

There can be a lot of reasons why boundary-setting is difficult. Particularly for new freelancers and business owners, “scarcity mindset“ often plays a significant role in giving too much. And it makes sense: if you believe you may not get another client soon, you’ll likely do whatever you can to exceed your current clients’ expectations. That might include working very long hours- a potential impediment to having any downtime. 

It's hard to write briefly on this topic because it deserves a lot of unpacking. What I can share for now is self-awareness is really critical here. Might you be experiencing a self-limiting belief? If the story you're telling yourself is that your clients will leave you if you take time off, is there perhaps some counter-evidence you could consider? 

I know first-hand that it can be scary to set boundaries when you're new to self-employment. I also can share that my clients were extremely understanding when I told them I needed a week off to recharge. I provided as much advanced notice as possible. I let them know, very clearly, what I could and couldn’t do for them while I was away. I sent a detailed project plan update before I left with a summary of how my team would keep everything moving in my absence. Fortunately, my clients were already familiar with my team’s work. So, if anything, they might have been a little too pleased I was stepping back for a week. (Great problem to have!) 

Long story short, if you’re in a position to do it, tell your clients that downtime is important to you… and then actually schedule it. 

Want to level up your self-care role-modeling even more? Set an out-of-office response with photos or fun tidbits about your plans while away, so everyone can see your values in action. (Shoutout to Donna Cutting from Red Carpet Learning for doing this so beautifully!) 

In my experience, most people enjoy little reminders that we’re all humans and not robots. It helps everyone feel freer to be themselves. 

Not working in Paris, France

As I spent yesterday’s train ride chatting in French with a retired mathematics teacher, I was reminded how important it is to make time for some work-free wildness in life. I listened in awe to Annie’s international travel stories from years and years of vacations. “I’ve been thinking of going to Japan sometime soon,” the widowed, 90-year-old told me with a soft smile and a wink.

So, let me just say this a little louder for the folks in the back: 

• Just because you can work from somewhere doesn’t mean you should.

• Downtime is healthy and responsible as a business owner or freelancer. 

• Fight for downtime like your life depends on it. In a sense, it actually does.