Even when someone does take a vacation, there are expectations of answering calls and emails. Kevin Leary from Shark Tank thinks you should always ruin your vacation. It is important to work yourself to the grave so a billionaire can make an extra thousand bucks. As if the company just can’t go on without you. You give 230 (plus) days a year to this company and when you go away you are still expected to work?

Whether it is the guy who brags about not taking off or someone who said, “I did it the right way, went to Europe when I retired.” The idea that travelling or vacation makes you less of an employee is B*llshit. Below I will discuss why you should take every second of your vacation.

Reasons Why You Should ALWAYS take Your PTO days

You will Be a Better Employee

Burn out is a real thing, go years in between any meaningful vacation and you will feel the burn. Stress takes its toll on your body; all work and no play will wear you down. A stressed employee isn’t a good employee, this is why professional athletes don’t work out hard before a game, they need to be rested.

Have enough stress and you will miss more work than that 10-day vacation. Just recently I heard of a man, in my old company, counting down to retirement who died in his sleep. Wonder if that urgent meeting was worth it? Stress can lead to sickness or worse, taking you out of the company forever. I believe an employee is more productive when breathing.

PTO is Part of Your Compensation

You wouldn’t let Joe Blowhard “must be nice you” into a salary cut. I assume all the snide comments in the world wouldn’t make you turn down a raise.

Yet, other forms of compensation such as PTO, people are willing to throw away after the slightest bit of pressure. When you don’t take your PTO, you are telling people that you are worth less as a person. When you check your email on vacation you are devaluing yourself as well. Your PTO days are part of your compensation, don’t throw it away any more than you would your paycheck.

There is Very Little Upside

How funny it is when the idiot workaholic, who chooses kissing up over his health and family sees his boss leave? Any goodwill he/she did receive from not taking your vacation will be forgotten. People leave companies and move jobs. The person you sacrificed your sanity for may not remember you in a year.

I really feel like 90% of what we do in the office doesn’t matter anyway. Meetings that go nowhere, projects that fizzle out…there is so much fluff. To cut into your own life for this fluff is foolish

Tomorrow Is not Promised

I love the people who “do it the right way” toil away at a job for 45 years and then take their vacation when they’ve retired. Just what I want to do, pull my socks up to my knees and take extra blood pressure medicine when traveling. I am sure I will be exploring until I die, but it is just easier now, when I am healthy.

Worse than this is the person who works their entire life then dies before retirement. Your company won’t be sponsoring your headstone…your family may get a Walmart card signed by the entire office. I have heard about people dying at their desks at work. I can think of no other horror. Ask anyone with little time left if they are glad they didn’t use the paid time off they earned; that useless meeting will be forgotten, spending time in a foreign land with your family making wonderful memories, won’t be…

The Best Way to Take PTO Days (without being a dick)

Still there are good ways and not so good ways to take off. There is a difference between the guy (or culture) who gets mad when anyone takes off and the person pissed that he has to constantly pick up your slack.

Give Advanced Notice

This should be easy, if you are travelling internationally you will be buying your tickets well in advance. It looks worse to randomly call in the day of a week long break then it does to make plans for months from now. Some people do the former because they are too cowardly to plan it in advance.

Letting people know early allows those useless meetings to be rescheduled or for someone to fill in for you. Put it on your calendar early, tell everyone and ignore the comments.

Timing is Everything

Everyone has their busy season, so plan your trips accordingly. If you work for a pool builder, don’t plan a vacation for the early summer. I work in finance; my deadlines are somewhat predictable. I don’t normally put my vacations down during our period end close, or during budget season. This just creates more work for someone else.

If you work in a field where you are so nonstop busy that there is no slow area, find a new job. If your company is that inept that it doesn’t allow employees a second to recharge, they aren’t worth your time, health or sanity.

That goes for a manager who doesn’t respect PTO as well. Anyone who expects you to be working while you are taking your PTO days isn’t worth working for. People get too complacent and depend too much on one company, there are thousands of other companies out there… its an employee’s marketplace.

Work Like A Champ

I respect the person a lot more who works hard every day and then takes time off then the slacker who takes time off. Make yourself difficult to replace, I am all for earning what you have.

At the same time, help your coworkers out. If they are leaving cover their slack, if they need help give it to them. Being a good employee might shut down those people who brag about working to their grave.

Conclusion

There you have it, my rant about Paid Time Off. Too many times lately I hear of that person with the twisted work ethic who expects others to follow suit. They DON’T care about you or even the company. All they care about is making themselves look better.

Take your PTO days, don’t answer the phone while using PTO, those are your days to relax. People will live without you for 7 -10 days once or twice a year. You and the company will be better off for it!

The post Use Your PTO Days! appeared first on Man in Flight.

International Travel Checklist: Documentation

1. Visa Requirements: First, before anything else check if you need a visa for your destination. Most European countries we have been to do not require a visa, but many places around the world require one. A passport and a visa are two different items, in some countries you need both. There are a million websites that can tell you if you need a visa, hell, I might add a list on this site. To save me the work just go to the attached CIBT WEBSITE, this will give you the information that you need. Luckily for me,  Croatia doesn’t require a visa, which saves me money and time.
2. Passport Requirements: It might seem obvious, but I have heard of people having issues with (or even forgetting) their passport. A lot can go wrong with your passport. First, if you don’t have one, give yourself plenty of time to get one. Another thing you need to take into consideration is when your passport expires. Certain countries will give you problems if your passport expires within 6 months. It seems the whole concept of an expiration date escapes them, but I digress.  A couple of tips regarding passports, make a copy and leave it with someone at home. Also, take a picture of it on your cell phone and email the picture to yourself (or use a cloud). Additionally, buy a good passport case. It can be helpful when organizing your documents and just looks nice (see below).  Lastly, one odd thing is some countries ask for an entire blank page on your passport. I guess they want to feel special, point is checking the requirements is key.
3. Vaccine Information: The last piece of documentation for your international travel checklist is anything related to necessary vaccinations. When I went to Panama there was a lot of discussion around getting certain vaccines as well having the proper documentation.  Turns out I didn’t need it, but why risk being turned around at customs.

                                      

International Travel Checklist: Research

I am going on the assumption that you have already picked your destination and hotel. For me, at this point I do all the needed research to both ease my mind and know how to prepare for the trip. There are a series of question I ask myself. I don’t just show up to a place unprepared, that would be against my OCD nature. Below are some of the major things I like to know.

1. What is the weather like in the month I am going? This is obvious, but sometimes it is over looked. For Croatia, the weather is a little like New York, highs in the low 70s at best, going down to 50s at night.  Hardly, swimming weather, but I don’t think that will stop me.
2. What are some customs I should know about? Things like tipping, eating times, how people dress, do they smoke at restaurants, even if you can drink on the street; getting a feel for the customs in the country you’re visiting will take some of the mystery away. It is good to find out what major hassles or scams you might expect and how to avoid them. In my previous article I discussed how to stay safe while travelling, it might be good to brush up on this piece. 
3. What are the must see attractions? When are the most crowded times? Imagine going to Rome and missing the Colosseum.  That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but there are plenty of things I would miss in other countries had I not done a quick google search. Lucky for you if I visited the country you’re interested in, my trip reports include everything you need to see (and some things you shouldn’t). You also need to take into consideration if you are going during the peak season or not.
4. What are the best places to eat/what is the local cuisine? No international travel check list would be complete without discussing food. I need at least 5 highly rated spots in my back pocket at all times. This is best so I don’t end up in a tourist trap. I also like to know what the country is known for, I would hate to miss the black squid ink risotto in Split. 

International Travel Checklist: Money

Hopefully, you know the currency of the location you are going before you go. Currency can be tricky so use the super computer in your pocket to tell you what is needed. Don’t just assume you know what is used. For example, not every country in Europe uses the Euro, Croatia uses the Kuna. There are also areas that use the U.S. dollar as easily as their own currency. Most importantly, if you aren’t careful you can get reamed in currency fees. A few simple things can help prevent this.

1. Get their local currency from the Bank: When possible, I usually get a couple of hundred of local currency from my bank. It is always good to have cash, just in case you have problems with your card. Also, I like to have some cash right when I get off the plane for tipping. The bank offers the best rate, but an ATM is also a good choice.
2. Set up Your Cards: Every card has a travel notice and it is important to set it up before you go. I stupidly forgot to in Panama and was on a two hour call with a terrible customer service agent.
3. Have A back up Card: I like to worry…thus, I always keep a backup credit card in the hotel safe in case of emergencies. I usually throw some cash and my ATM card there as well. You never know when some nice foreigner will find your wallet (attached to your body).
4. Look Carefully at ATMS: Two different ATMs, right next to each other can have different exchange rates. This can result in a substantial difference (think hundreds of dollars) to your funds. My advice is to look at your bank statement carefully after taking money out. Compare the fees of various machines until you find the best rate.

International Travel Checklist: Safety

I wrote an entire post on this topic on this link, so I will keep this short. You will always want to keep your money and life protected overseas. Items like wallet chains or special pants will help you avoid being robbed. My Travel shop (powered by Amazon) will give you some ideas.  It can be found here:  Travel Shop

International Travel Checklist: Shopping

You have your paperwork secured, all your vaccinations complete and you have done your research. Now it is time to do a little shopping. What you will need is trip specific, if you are going near water, you will need beach gear, etc..

There are certain things you should always have when travelling internationally.

Travel Chargers: These happen to be the number one thing left in hotel rooms, so buy a cheap one. You can buy some on Amazon for a relatively cheap price.

Electronic Plug converter: Some hotels will supply these if you ask, but it is best to have your own. This is especially true if you need to charge your phone at a layover, countries use a couple of different outlets so do a little research on your destination.

Kindle/iPad: If you don’t already have one they do come in handy. When I am on the plane for 8 hours it is good to have a couple of movies downloaded from Netflix. If you don’t want to carry around your $700 iPad, get an inexpensive Kindle just for the trip

Fanny Pack/Cargo Shorts/T-shirt with your local sports team: How else will the scammers know you’re a tourist if you don’t dress like one? It would be a shame to walk by a restaurant in Istanbul and NOT have someone try to drag you into their tourist trap! Pick up your fanny pack and look the part!

Other Things to Do

1. Transportation: Make sure you have a way to get to the airport, there are several advantages to a car service over a taxi. First, if you set it up through the hotel they will be able to find it. Unlike Greece where 300 feet from your hotel is “close enough” for taxis. Secondly, there is less of a chance you will get ripped off if you know the price beforehand.
2. Set up your International Data: The phone companies feel it is 1974, therefore we can’t talk overseas without a special plan. Verizon charges $10/day, this will allow you to take your local plan with you abroad.  It is better than the alternative, spending $1000 on data.
3. Freeze Your Mail: If you are going away for a long trip it is best to not advertise that you are leaving. Freeze the mail so you your mailbox isn’t overflowing.

Final Thoughts

AS promised, below is the easier version of my International travel checklist. The below list has all the things mentioned, rendering the reading of this post useless! Print this out or copy and paste it into Excel. Mark off the items as so you go can focus on having fun.

The post How to Plan for a Trip: Your International Travel Checklist appeared first on Man in Flight.

Ironically, I am writing this post from a hotel in another state, but this isn’t the travel I am talking about… Currently I am traveling for work, all the planes, hotels, and hassle, with none/very little of the fun and relaxation. What this post is about is taking a trip or vacation on my own terms. I don’t know about you, but for me long stretches of no travel gets me irritated. Me being who I am, I get bored rather easily, and living in Charlotte makes that a lot easier…I hate waiting to travel.

So here I found myself in somewhat of a travel rut, due a couple of life changes. I recognize my ruts may be different than other people’s ruts. There was a Myrtle Beach trip again recently, but, it has been more than three months since I have visited another continent. I know you are crying for me, but no need to start a GOFUNDME page for my travels just yet, I am finding ways to cope…

Even though you are concerned about my lack of travels, don’t worry about this blog. First, I have plenty of locations in my pocket to keep writing. Secondly, I will be waddling around another location soon enough…I have come to realize life gets in the way of travel at times. There were two major changes in my life that are hampering my wanderlust. To begin with, I am distracted by this new addition to our family. A new puppy is great, but he is really an Arsehole, and hates to be alone. I want to wait to leave him by himself, unless of course, I give into temptation and drop him off at the nearest kennel, for now, I will coddle him a little while longer.

Secondly, I have a new/exciting job that makes long trips seem a bit more difficult, hence the work trip I am currently on. There are a lot of great things about getting a new job, but a lack of PTO isn’t one of them. I have to be more strategic about my trips. Regardless of the reasons why you can’t travel, all are short lived and solvable.

Reasons Why You Can’t Travel

This site isn’t targeted to 20-year-old with a hacky sack and a Bernie Sanders sticker on his cardboard box, going from hostel to hostel in Indonesia (although they are more than welcome to visit). I write from the perspective of the person wanting to travel, but also living a normal life. I get it, obviously, there are many excuses reasons why you can’t travel.

1. Lack of Money – Probably the biggest reason people give me for lack of travel, is money. Everybody is in a different situation, but I think money is the easiest to solve. Still it may take saving a little longer to go on that dream vacation, which can be draining while waiting.
2. Job Obligations– This is where I am at, I need to actually make money to afford to go places. Sometimes making money eats away at your time. Like money, time is a valuable resource that travel consumes. People once called me a PTO wizard, I can stretch my days off like no one else. Of course it may mean going to the office with the bird flu, but I digress.
3. Family Obligations – Maybe the comrades at your kids’ school tell you when you can travel. Maybe you are taking care of an elderly parent, there are plenty of responsibilities that get into the way of traveling. Just know where to draw the line between obligations and a freeloading cousin who sleeps on your couch without doing the dishes.

Whatever the reason, if you are like me, staying in one place too long can be depressing. The important point is no situation is forever, there is no need to give up on travel. Don’t turn into one of those “I’ll travel someday or when I retire,” type of people. Life is too short not to visit other places, get your plan going now.  If seeing the world is a priority, then it is vital to have a focus going forward no matter the circumstances. While the wait between trips can be long, there are ways to alleviate this situation.

How to Survive Long Stretches of Not Traveling

It is funny how life changes, although I loved new things, I didn’t start travel until about 7 years ago. I used to not travel outside my neighborhood. In present day, if I am not traveling at least twice a year I start to get grouchy. Considering now, I don’t even have tickets/hotels room for my next destination I am a bit more than irritated. Having said this there are things I can do to pass the time.

1. Get My Mind Right– I need to remember that this is a short-term situation. I will be traveling again soon, that is who I am, and it’s in my blood. I need to keep perspective in order to keep from going crazy.
2. Take Care of Myself– I make no secret about the fact that I eat like a slob when I am away. If I continued that when I was home this blog wouldn’t exist. That is because my fingers would be so fat that I would hit three keys at a time, making it impossible to type. Breaks from travel helps me regain my health and fill the coffers a bit. This can be said about my savings as well. Contrary to popular belief I don’t have a goose that lays golden eggs. I actually save, quite a bit for my trips. Not traveling helps me replenish my money as well as clears my arteries.
3. Read/Learn About Travel – This will help you learn about other places and help guide you to where you want to go. I religiously watch travel shows and read guides in search of the next best place to visit. Below are some ideas:

                                                                              

1. Take Short Trips – If you can’t go to South America, go to the closet city within driving distance. If you can’t get a week off, take advantage of the weekend. Sometimes all you need is to break out of your routine. A quick drive and an Air B&B can provide this.
2. Be a Tourist in Your Town – Ok, my town happens to be Charlotte, no one wants to be a tourist in this town… but even Charlotte has some things to do in it. Most people don’t explore their own cites nearly enough. I tried this recently, visiting one of Charlotte’s best attractions, the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It reaffirmed how terrible the city is, but it got me out of the house. Hopefully you live in a better place and this piece of advice is relevant.
3. Plan Your Next Vacation – Even if you don’t have the money, plan your trip. If you have no time, plan your trip. Figure out where you want to go and make it happen. With a plan in place you have something to look forward to, which is half the battle. Taking the time to map out where you are going next and more importantly how, will solve a lot of problems. None of the things I discussed above can’t be solved once confronted.

Conclusion

Maybe I am writing this for myself as much as anyone, given the distance between trips. Life happens to the best of us, but I won’t let it stand in the way of seeing the world. My next destination:Croatia. In the meantime, I will continue to save and invest to ensure a future life of travel…

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