In my opinion, there are far too many articles out there encouraging people to quit their jobs and set off on an endless round-the-world adventure. While that may be an enticing goal for some people, I know that this is not a realistic option for most. For those of us with a case of wanderlust who also want to keep the stability and financial comfort of a paying job, there’s an answer:
By creatively using your vacation days and holidays, you can still travel while holding down a job. If you’re on the fence about quitting your job to travel, don’t turn in your two-weeks notice just yet! Here are some of the benefits of

You Don’t Have To End Your Relationships
I’ve also heard much debate about people feeling like they have to choose between travel and their personal relationships. When you travel short term, you don’t have to make that decision. If you’re jetting off for a two-year adventure, odds are this will put a serious strain on your relationship. But taking a one or two week trip away from your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse can actually strengthen your relationship. As they say, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” I love my hubby, but traveling is not only good for my own health and personal growth, but it gives us the space to miss each other.

Have a Warm, Cozy Home-Base
Now, I love travel big time. But I’m also a total home-body. I love that feeling of coming home and slipping into my bed, which has the soft sheets I like, with the pillow that’s just right for me, and the mattress comfort level that I like. There’s nothing like the familiarity and routine of home, and traveling short term means I can still enjoy that familiarity. Not to mention, I have a great place to keep all the cool souvenirs I pick up on my travels.
You Can Have Pets
Much like getting to enjoy a home and your relationships, traveling short term means you can enjoy the wonders of pets! You’ll need to make proper arrangements for their care when you are away, but it is super rewarding to come home to their loving little faces. There’s just nothing compared to that feeling of when you come home to your dog and it’s just so happy to see you that it’s little tail wags uncontrollably and it yips and barks with joy that you’re home.

Start A Family

Avoid Travel Burnout
Many of the long-term traveling bloggers I follow have described this phenomenon they refer to as “travel burnout.” This is essentially when they have traveled so much they’ve exhausted themselves and the excitement of travel has faded. This is often due to repeatedly facing culture shock, and not having a daily routine. At this point, many people have to take a break to refresh themselves.
This doesn’t happen often when you travel short term. Because you get a dose of “at home time” in between your travels, each trip is a new and exciting adventure, rather than just moving on to a new place.

Keep Your Stuff
A big part of the long-term travel fantasy is that people sell all of their belongings, officially letting go of the lives they’ve built themselves. But when you travel short-term, you don’t have to go through the hassle of selling everything or having to find suitable storage. Sure, you can still part with some home items to help pad your travel fund a bit, but you don’t have to get rid of every little thing you’ve worked to buy for yourself.
Think of how proud you were to buy your first piece of real adult furniture. Do you really want to sell that bit of your history? Or what about important family heirlooms? I don’t trust storage facilities to keep my antiques safe!
Don’t Have to Say Goodbye to Things That Bring You Comfort
We all have things in our hometowns and countries that bring us comfort and give us that happy home feeling. When you travel short-term, you don’t have to say goodbye to these things. You don’t need to say you parting words to your favorite candy bars, to Taco Bell, or to flush toilets. At the end of your travels, you can still come home and have these comforts.
Long-term travelers have to convince their friends and family at home to send them comforts via mail. And then face the disappointment that the boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese they were mailed only taste like the dryer sheets that were also in the mail. Short-term travelers will never have to experience this kind of raw heartbreak.

Pack Lighter
When you don’t have to cram a backpack full of things you need on a long-term basis, you are able to pack much lighter. This can help save money by allowing you to travel carry-on only. Also, when you travel short term, you are less likely to need to pack for varying weather and climates. You won’t need all your winter gear for just a two week trip to South East Asia. But if you’re taking off long term, you have to bring everything everywhere!
READ » 13 Reasons Carry On Travel is the Bomb Diggity

Save Money On Travel Gear
Because you don’t have to pack for

Don’t Worry About Overstaying Your Travel Visa
For many long-term travelers, knowing all the visa rules and regulations is important. Travelers can be hit with some hefty fees or be banned from re-entering a country if they overstay their
Don’t Miss Out On Holidays or Family Milestones
I love that I can be home to watch my young nephew grow up and get to know him, while still getting time to travel the world,

If you’re not so keen on quitting your job, selling all your things, and embarking on a never-ending journey, then short term travel is for you! You can fit shorter trips into your schedule and keep all the things that bring you comfort. Being a short term traveler doesn’t make you any less of an adventurer, so own your job, family, and home life while also exploring the world!

HOVER OVER THE IMAGES BELOW TO ADD TO PINTEREST


Follow me on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on my adventures! Or check out my Instagram for pretty pictures!
29 Comments
You nailed it with this post! While I did quit my job, I work remotely from my apartment which I share with my boyfriend. I love having a home base and always having a place to come home to. Sometimes you just want to sit on your butt and watch Netflix from the comfort of your home, haha!
Seriously! Trying to watch Netflix in a hostel dorm is just SO not the same!!!
Pets, family and personal belongings is definitely what stops me from just up and going! I also love having a few short holidays each year because I find it helps to break the year up really nicely.
You’re right. The smaller trips do help break up the year and continually gives you something to look forward to!
I cannot agree with you more. Because I actually love my job! Moreover, I don’t even like travelling for long stretches. I did nearly a month in South America and that was way too long for me! I am a shorter trip girl all along and this travel-slow thing is just not more me! I dont have the privilege to do it neither do I care for it.
I can’t imagine traveling for a whole month. I would be exhausted!!
We are kind of in-between – not traveling full-time but living overseas (not our first country either). Not being able to have a pet is the hardest thing for me. I strongly suspect I’ll break down and settle when my oldest starts begging for a puppy.
It’s hard to say no when puppies are involved!!
I have done both – long term travel for 6 years then settled for shorter trips for 20 years. Now travelling again but slower long term travel. I miss a lot of the things you mention in this post and I probably didn’t realise how much until I sold everything and took off again!!
Great to hear your experience from both sides! They each have their positives and negatives.
This is all so true. My husband and I love to travel, but we also have full-time public servant careers that we are not willing to give up. We make it a point to take trips several times a year to satisfy our wanderlust, but we will still have our pensions to retire on in a few years! I love your tips!!
It must be comforting to know you’re still set for the future!
These are all very true. I’ve come to the conclusion that 2 weeks at a time is max for me. Any longer I’m likely to burn out.
Same! 2-3 weeks and then I’m ready to go home.
You really nailed it. I would say that being a teacher is the perfect job for a situation like this but as I am finding out, I still have too much work to do most weekends for even good day trips right now.
Yeah! At least you get summers off and can travel then!
Love this post. I don’t think I could give up my job security or the things that I love from home. I love travelling but I also love coming home haha
Sometimes security is the best feeling!
Thanks for sharing the other side and it’s benefits. While I would like to have a full time travel lifestyle in a few decades for now this is my style too. Have a home, family, roots, comfort, financial security… and travel.
It’s a great way to travel and still have all the comforts of home!
This is great if you’re in the right part of the world to easily travel. I’ve tried slow travelling, spending an extended period of time in a foreign country and using it as a home base. It helps to fight that exhaustion.
Making your home base in another part of the world is a good compromise!
I genuinely appreciate that you are keeping it real in terms of the non-drama of adding travel into life. Being a travel blogger too, I’m always thinking about us selling everything and hitting the road… and then I remember that we have a great life and home base. It’s nice to read somebody reassuring me that a settled life is great also.
Nothing wrong with enjoying a steady home life too! 🙂
So true, Taking your Girl Friend or wife to travel will strengthen your relationship. After all, Who doesn’t like to travel?? 😛
Traveling is a really great way to strengthen a relationship!
This is such a refreshing article to see. I’m so sick of (almost) every travel blogger telling everyone to quit their jobs to travel. It’s just not for everyone. Some people find it hard to understand that I actually like my job so wouldn’t want to give it up. Plus it pays well so I can travel in style when I feel like treating myself. And I agree, having a base is so much nicer. I love traveling but I also love coming home to my own bed
Love this post! I HAVE done the whole sell-everything-and-off-we-go and we worked abroad for a year and travelled for 18 months altogether… and then I did it all again this year (less stuff to get rid of this time thank God), just for 6 months! But it’s SO stressful, and I can’t wait to just settle down now and be able to buy homeware without feeling guilty, and get a DOG, and always be able to travel with carry-on… basically your whole post! Haha.
Sometimes you have to experience the rush of long term travel in order to really appreciate short term travel and a steady home life!