10 Reasons to work on the road instead of behind a desk

On April 13th, 2016
BootsnAll

Working online delivers privileges and freedoms that seem almost too good to believe. In fact, many days I pinch myself at how lucky I am to be able to make a living sharing my stories and advice from the road to fellow travelers and backpackers on my travel blog. Here are ten reasons why I would never trade working online to working in an office.

I can go where I want

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Without a doubt, my favorite perk of working online is the absolute freedom. Working online makes the world open up wide in unimaginable ways. Not many people can say that they roam around the world going from one country to another whenever I want. While this freedom comes with certain sacrifices, it is well worth it and for that reason alone, I hope to never return to an office.

I work when I want

Another attractive perk is that I have a great deal of flexibility in my schedule. Except for the occasional Skype meeting, I have no set hours. I have the choice of waking up at whatever time I want and working, however many hours I feel like that day.

Personally, I enjoy waking up early and jumping right in because it is when I am most productive. I often put in extra hours because I am passionate about my job.

I can help people

One of my favorite things to do is to help people with their travel needs. Often people email or post a question on my site. Often it turns into a Skype call to help them on their journey. I loving inspiring and answering their questions. It is an incredible feeling to realize that I can share my passion with people all over the world.

When I was working in an office, I never felt like I was really helping people. My heart was not in it; I was there for the paycheck. For that reason, I could never return to the life of working office hours solely for money.

Because I can chase my passion

I always have hundreds of ideas and projects in the works. One of the beautiful things about working online is that many of us have the freedom to work on whatever we want. If I get bored with something, I just hop to another task. I never get burnt out because I am always focused on what is capturing my attention at the moment.

I don’t deal with office politics

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One advantage about working online is that I never experience the crazy game of office politics to climb the ladder of success. Most days I am interacting with my peers, and it is always in supportive ways that help us all grow and improve.

Let’s me build my dream

One reason I am passionate about my work as a travel influencer is because it is something I built from out of my imagination. I started it, laid the foundation, and turned it into a business. At one time, A Backpackers Tale was simply a dream, however, today that dream is a reality. I love that I can help others fulfill their travel dreams while I fulfill mine. I have fought to achieve this dream, and I take enormous pride in the fact that I built it myself. After tasting the joy of building my own online business, I would struggle going back into an office, doing work for someone else, and helping to build their business. It is simply not an option.

It makes me challenge myself

Working online has come with its share of challenges. I never felt like I was growing or bettering myself working in an office. Now every day I have to learn new things, develop new ideas, and push myself to the limits. It has been hard work and continues to be; there is no time to just coast. Everyday brings a new challenge, a new adventure, and a new deadline but I love it.

Because it makes me creative

I never thought of myself as a creative person in an office, but now everything I do, from writing articles and posts to taking pictures and videos, push my creativity to new heights. To make a website and blog stand out against the noise, you have to learn to adapt to the most popular form of media while being creative and innovative with your content. My mind is constantly reeling with new ideas.

Because I need space

Working in a cubicle, I felt like a robot that got weaker and weaker as I waited for a water break every few hours. During that break, I would talk to the other robots about their robot work and waited for the day to come to an end. I didn’t feel alive. I need freedom and space. The space and freedom of working online have changed my entire life.

It gives me more time

I have always had a sense of urgency; that this life is short. I often felt time and energy were being drained from my life as I sat in a cubicle. I might just be built differently, but I want more out of life than a 5 x 5 space surrounded by three walls. I want to explore, see, and experience this wild world we live in.

We all have different passions as we travel through this life. Some are called to work in hospitals, schools, airports, and more but my office is the world, and each day promises a different view.

 

Stephen Schreck is a travel addict working on backpacking his way through the world one country at a time. You can follow his adventures at https://www.abackpackerstale.com/  or follow his travels on Facebook and Instagram.