Is it possible to work while travelling?

Travel influencers weigh in

A while ago, I remember setting aside my laptop, staring into the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and letting out a sigh. It was because I was on holiday in the Maldives but had not so much as dipped my toes into the beautiful waters. That's when I realised that I needed to take control. Within a month, I had bid my corporate job adieu. I could not be tethered to a full-time job that dictated every moment of my waking hours, especially when I was on a holiday. But, there's an obvious catch - I needed the money to travel. 
The good thing is that, with today's technology, it is possible to earn a decent living while working remotely and travelling. It all boils down to how much time you are ready to commit, and your set of skills. My passion for travelling led me to create a travel microblog, which eventually opened doors for me to work as an influencer. While the perks are undeniable - being your own boss and choosing your own pace - the usual frustrations are just around the corner. Here are my top tips to be productive at work, while travelling or on holiday:
Work hard, play harder: My work ethic has always been to delve into the most urgent and difficult tasks first. Similarly, the client and my deliverables to them come first, even on holidays or travels. In my field, the line between professional duties and holidays can get blurry, and it is easy to get stressed about quality of delivery and deadlines, and not enjoy the experience. The best way to beat this is to allocate specific time slots for work, ideally in short chunks, and not let them get in the way of fun later.
Plan ahead: While working on my travelogues, it is not uncommon to have outrageous work hours - for example waking up at 4am to capture that perfect sunrise timelapse. Add in technical challenges (equipment malfunction, poor connectivity and bad weather), and there are plenty of reasons to be frustrated. The best solution is to plan ahead and have contingency plans. Sometimes, you simply learn with experience.
Enjoy yourself: Don't get too obsessed with your work. Learn to switch off when you need to and enjoy the downtime. Reward yourself for a job well done, and your mind will soon be conditioned. The secret is to do what you love and love what you do!
- Nawrin Ela Huq
Is a travel and lifestyle blogger. You can follow her on Instagram @nawrin.ela.huq or on YouTube at Awesum2sum

Living off the suitcase is something every travel blogger loves. After all, having a job that allows you to fulfill your wanderlust is highly desired by all. However, when you're a full-time blogger, you suddenly realise that working while travelling is the most challenging part of the process. And this gets worse if you have another full time job; creating content, posting on social media, interacting with followers and growing your page - all while also meeting deadlines for a job makes it impossible to simply disconnect when you're in a foreign country.
As a digital nomad, travelling means not only discovering new destinations and having experiences, but also sharing the moments with all your followers on social media, be it through Instastories or Snapchat. However, it's impossible to share your life with followers while embracing your own emotions and feelings and exploring a new place. And sometimes, creating instant content gets in the way of seizing the moment and documenting the journey just for you!
Some advice I usually give is to find a balance and to plan ahead. If you are a blogger, plan your posts, your content and even your outfits. As a travel blogger who writes about fashion and luxury lifestyle, I actually style my outfits to suit the destination - be it an island or a city. I keep a mood board planned, with a colour palette and styling prepared, just like a photoshoot.
Ensure that the destination you are travelling to has enough space for you to work and accessible Wi-Fi. Having a jam-packed schedule also makes it very difficult to find time to work so it's crucial you fit in a coffee break or some wait time at the airport to get work done.
Finally, if you're simultaneously doing a full-time job, you have to learn to allocate time or you will end up being burnt out and uninspired. If done correctly, travel can only inspire you to work harder and to grow in your career.
- Isabelle
Is a travel influencer who also writes about luxury lifestyle. You can follow her on Instagram @wanderertwin1