For most people travel is a break from the pressures of daily life, a way to de-stress and get away from it all. However when it comes to taking a significant break from work in order to travel, it’s commonly perceived as detrimental to your career aspirations. In my experience, I’ve found that travelling can be beneficial to your career, since you’re acquiring valuable skills that help you grow both professionally and as a person.
Here are just some of the ways that travel has positively impacted my career:
Open-mindedness – Travel allows you to see things done in a completely different way. Meeting new people, seeing new places and trying new experiences all work to modify your perspective – it changes how you look at things. Travelling opens you up to a whole world of new possibilities and ideas, encouraging you to start thinking outside the box.
Planning and decision-making – A trip requires a lot of research, planning and budgeting. You have to know what you want to do, what you want to see and research how to make it happen. Teaching you how to weigh your options and make informed decisions that help you accomplish your goals.
Adaptability – Despite all your preparations, you will constantly find yourself facing unexpected situations while travelling. These situations force you to learn how to adapt to change, think on your feet, handle stressful situations and overcome new challenges. Continuously preparing you for the ever-changing fast paced business world.
Communication –The ability to communicate with individuals who don’t share the same culture, language or birthplace as you is an essential skill in today’s business world and one you get to practice every day while travelling. You become more in tune with body language, a better listener and more capable of understanding others.
Independence - Travelling forces you to find your way, learn new languages, and perform tasks on your own. You learn to think independently, become more self-sufficient, assertive and confident acting on your own accord.
