Work and Vacation – How to Travel Beyond Your Allotted PTO
Surprise, I’m working in Nicaragua! No, my job didn’t send me down here on a special assignment. And yes, I’m actually working here – I’m not on vacation. I’m balancing work and traveling while working remotely from this Central American nation known for its biodiversity, colonial heritage, and towering volcanos.
My travel motto here at Travel Rinse Repeat is to make the most of every travel opportunity, and a big portion of that is finding out how to maximize vacation time. As an American in a country where 10-15 days of paid time off is the norm, I’m incredibly lucky to work for a company that gives a generous amount of vacation time. But despite the time off, I’m always looking for ways to extend travel opportunities. And working remotely is one of the strategies I’ve used to travel farther for longer, all without emptying my bank of vacation days.
So how can you extend beyond your traditional allotted vacation time in order to travel more and experience more? Here are six strategies you can use to spend more time away from home – without quitting your job.
As a disclaimer, I understand not everyone has the luxury of working for a company that is flexible when it comes to vacation time, so these tips might not be applicable or realistic for everyone reading. However, I will say that if traveling is a major priority for you and you’re working for a company that isn’t going to help you do that, it might be time to look for a new job.
Remote Work Agreements
A majority of what I do for work can be done through emails and phone calls which makes working remote extremely easy. If you’re doing most of your work from a computer or telephone anyways, you can work from anywhere with an internet connection or a cell signal. However, the challenge isn’t actually working remotely; it’s convincing your supervisors to let you work remotely.
For me, this meant building trust over time. I worked hard to prove that I could be accountable and deliver with little oversight. Whenever I had the opportunity to work independently, I made sure I was extra-productive. Once I proved to my supervisors that I could perform all my duties remotely, I was able to ease into negotiating a remote work agreement. By proving that you’re just as (if not more) productive out of the office, you can build a compelling case for a week of remote working.
Negotiate
Changing or starting a new career presents an excellent opportunity to increase your vacation time. Once you have an offer in hand from a company, don’t be afraid to negotiate for more time off than they initially offer. Once they’ve confirmed that they want you to fill the position, you can leverage that to request more vacation time. If they’re not offering what you consider sufficient vacation time, don’t be afraid to ask for more. Many companies expect to receive counter offers from new hires.
But you don’t have to start a new job to negotiate for more vacation time. If you’re happy at your current job, ask for additional vacation time in lieu of or in addition to a salary increase during your next performance review (assuming you performed well, of course).
Offer an Incentive
Vacations are a great way to recharge, reduce stress levels, and provide a higher level energy and productivity when you return – none of which should be lost on you (or your boss) when you’re trying to get a few more vacation days. Use these facts to your advantage when pitching your boss, and give them some incentive to allow you to take the extra days off.
You can promise boosted productivity (and deliver upon return) or agree to take on a special project with your newfound energy. By making it a win-win for both you and your supervisor, they’ll be more willing to consider giving you the additional time off.
Take Unpaid Time Off
Everyone likes to get paid while on vacation – is there a better way to earn money? But for many people, the assumption is that once all their paid-vacation time is used up, they cannot take any more days off. However, most companies offer some form of unpaid leave, allowing employees to extend their vacation days by sacrificing a small portion of their paycheck.
My guess is that many people would scoff at the idea of taking unpaid time off. But if travel is a priority for you, it will require sacrifices. Read up on your company policies or speak with an HR representative to find out the specifics of taking unpaid time off where you work.
Earn Good Will Vacation Days
Special projects that require long hours of overtime usually aren’t a good way to improve your work life balance. But you can turn this negative into a positive by banking ‘good will’ days through putting in these extra hours. I’ve been on engagements where I’ve worked some seriously long hours, including weekends, to meet a demanding timeline. While these stretches were stressful and certainly not my ideal lifestyle, they didn’t go unrecognized by my supervisors. Once we met our deadlines, we were given few bonus days of vacation on top of our traditional paid-time-off as a way to make up for the time that we gave our company.
Don’t be shy about asking for additional vacation days whenever you’re burning the midnight oil on a consistent basis. If you’re a salaried employee (and not earning overtime) then it shouldn’t be out of the question to float the idea of a day or two of bonus vacation as a reward for your hard work.
Flex Schedule
If you work a standard 40 hour week, check with your supervisor to see if it’s possible to work four 10 hour days instead of five 8 hour days. This strategy is ideal for a three day weekend trip. By completing all your hours at work Monday-Thursday, you can make the most of a weekend trip by adding an extra day on Friday – all without taking an extra day of vacation time.
How do you balance work and travel? Have you ever used one of these strategies before?
header photo credit: wirralwater granada photo credit: kyletaylor
54 Responses to Work and Vacation – How to Travel Beyond Your Allotted PTO
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wow that is awesome you’re down that way!!! and you’re very lucky to work for a company who allows such flexibility. when i had a good job in the US (prior to moving to norway and becoming unemployed blah), my company was super flexible too. since i wasnt leaving my job every other day with sick children, they granted me a lot of my time off wishes and i was able to travel to ireland for long weekends, scandinavia during heavy travel times in holiday season, etc. and they always let me extend my work travel so i could turn it into personal travel. they also gave me time off when getting my MBA. i was super lucky
hope you can share some great tips about nicaragua when you return.
Megan recently posted..Pros and Cons of Low-Season Travel
I am lucky. Flexibility with time off was something I really sought out in a company; I think it’s crucial if you want to make travel a part of your lifestyle.
I’ve been working as an IT contractor for over a decade. My clients always want me on site, so I generally travel between contracts. It’s a plan that backfires sometimes. For example, I’m currently in my third year of what started as a nine-month contract, so I’ve been holding off on far-flung travels for quite some time. The good news is, as a contractor, all my time off is unpaid, so how much or little I take is rarely an issue.
Curt recently posted..Dinner at Gordon Ramsay Steak in Las Vegas
At least you can schedule your own time off for as long as you want when the time is right. I’m sure that’s a nice benefit.
Gosh, I wish my company wasn’t completely archaic when it comes to vacation. We only get 10 days PTO. No flexibility in anything else. I sit in front of a computer all day long, yet working remotely is out of the question. Makes NO sense!!
Christina M recently posted..San Diego’s Beginnings: Old Town
10 days?!?!? Wow that’s brutal. Kudos to you for still getting out there and traveling.
Great post. it’s too bad many of the older traditional companies are still playing catch up and are still so late in the digital game but They could really improve productivity in their employees with being open to these ideas. We would be a much more fulfilled world
Cristina recently posted..Visit to a Concentration Camp
Agreed! Hopefully more will come around soon.
I had the same problem working in the US–virtually no vacation time. My coworkers would spend their vacation days in a nice hotel……in the same city where we were living. My solution: I quit and got a job in Japan for a year. That turned into three and even after leaving, I just went to a different country to work for another year. Now it’s nine years later and I still haven’t returned. And I’ve never regretted it.
Daniel McBane recently posted..Holy Cows in Goa
Wow sounds like an amazing story Daniel. Way to break the mold and get out and see more.
This is so interesting and some great ideas, even for us Europeans and our standard 25 days off plus bank holidays. Really good
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted..Photos of the week – Street Vendors
Thanks Ana. 25 still isn’t enough!
you are so clever, John. i agree that vacation/travel time is worth going to bat with the boss over. great tips here!!
lola recently posted..i spy eye candy! Rome
Definitely! Especially if your boss is understanding about things like travel and days off.
I get 3 weeks a year, but usually take far more because, well, I work for my Dad. But if that weren’t the case I’d be wise about my dates, by sandwiching them with days already not working, etc….
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Check Out Time – The Week in Travel
These are some great tips and ideas! We’re very fortunate that we work for ourselves, but it means that if we don’t have the funds, we can’t take ourselves on a vacation. It has been fun to learn how to best incorporate travel in our work though. Hope you’re having a black in Nicaragua! The pictures are beautiful.
Tawny- Captain and Clark recently posted..Things to know before climbing Kilimanjaro.
Working for yourself is the ultimate way to take advantage of alternative working scenarios, so long as you don’t have clients who are more demanding than some bosses!
At one point in my career, I negotiated SIX weeks paid vacation and I used every bit of it! However, that is far from the norm and I am elsewhere now. As an independent consultant (which I am now), vacations mean no pay but it also means freedom from ANY guilt for taking time off. Even if as an employee, I agree with your statement that people shouldn’t limit themselves to the vacation days they get, take unpaid days if you want to travel more. I worked in the same field you do and working remotely was second nature to folks. But I have seen companies that do not get at all how it is possible so this may not be realistic for many. I do work remotely every other week and have used that time to spend visiting family which is cool. If one has proven oneself, one should be able to negotiate some remote work. Great tips, John.
Raul (ilivetotravel in Twitter) recently posted..Hope, Bones and Natural Beauty in Puno, Peru
You can bet your bottom dollar that I will be negotiating more vacation in my next job now that I have more bargaining power. You offer great advice and I agree, you have to prove yourself in order to get your boss to accommodate your wishes. I’ve managed to do that and that’s why I get to Go with Oh.
Thanks Leah. I’m glad your job agreed to let you go!
All great tips but they don’t really apply to me. And you know what? I’m ok with that. I still end up with about six weeks off per year. Plus, I work four ten-hour days so I always get long weekends. Trust me, I try to make the most of ALL of my time off! Now, if working remotely were an option for me, I’d be all over it.
Francesca recently posted..Michigan’s Lakeshore Harvest Country
Sounds like you have a pretty sweet deal! Six weeks and long weekends are awesome.
FANTASTIC tips for those of us bit by the travel bug who also have a 9-5. I’ve done some of the things you mention, e.g. recovery days and unpaid time off, and a lot of it was possible thanks to people at my company. That can make all the difference.
I really enjoyed this post.
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted..Photo of the Week: Zócalo in Puebla, Mexico
Totally agree, if you work for an understanding company with understanding people it makes all the difference.
Great tips. I would also add to that, to take advantage of any company shutdowns. I was fortunate to work at a company which shut down during the last week of every year. Then I would add a week of PTO on top of that to make a 2-week vacation.
Gerard ~ GQ trippin recently posted..Sushi to Dai For
Good point Gerard, I’ve never heard of these. Certainly a good way to extend your travel opportunities.
i wish that my company was more flexible, though we’re lucky that in the summer, we have summer fridays–one half friday and one full friday off per month. that’s how the hubs and i were able to squeeze in a 10 day trip but only use 4 vacation days! – the romantic
the lazy travelers recently posted..operation: explore astoria
That Friday option is very nice. Sounds like you’re making the most of it.
Nicaragua is my favourite country in Central America. I can see by the photos you are in Granada, but you have to go to Leon. It is where the revolution started, but if you go by bus read my posts first as there are a few scams you should know about.
Ayngelina recently posted..Haleakala Sunrise
Thanks Ayngelina! I’m actually heading to Ometepe tomorrow morning and I’ll be there until I leave….no time for Leon on this visit, sadly. But there are so many other places I want to see here now; a return visit will be in order.
All great tips. I am very lucky in that my employer pays my way for long international trips….allows for weekends to be used for myself, and no cost! My wife has taken unpaid days before, and uses flex time all the time.
Most important though – use the vacation days you have! So many American’s don’t even use what they have in the first place!
Adam Sommer recently posted..Canton, OH: Pro Football Hall of Fame
Wow sounds like you have a pretty nice setup with your job!
I am really lucky with my job….we keep saying we need to continue to take advantage of the situation, as you never know when this luck will run out. Not too many jobs offer fun international travel, and the family gets to go along too!
I really like you post here….bottomline is if you make travel a priority, you’ll find creative ways to travel!
Adam Sommer recently posted..Philadelphia, PA: Independence National Historical Park
Those are great tips if your company’s flexible. I just packed in my job completely. They never would have agreed to any of those options! It’s such a shame that as travel is becoming more popular and acceptable, companies aren’t keeping up with the times. Awesome that you’re working in Nicaragua. You’ll be the envy of a lot of people!
Arianwen recently posted..Essential toiletries for long-term travel
Sounds like a good idea for you if they weren’t flexible! Hopefully more will learn.
I have a good bank of PTO at my job, but unfortunately, I cannot work remotely. I like the unpaid time off though. I might give that a try sometime.
Traveling Ted recently posted..Hiking the Olmec Ruins near Puebla: Yes you Cantona
Great tips… I wish I read this long before I started my career…. And if I’d anything i learned, I found the key to obtaining flexible schedule is being a top-performer. Let’s face it the stars get what they ask for… so can you (if you are a star)
stay adventurous, Craig
Craig Zabransky recently posted..Sunset Sunday – Sunset on the Streets of Quebec City
Great points, especially about proving to your boss that you can work remotely and be successful in order to earn more opportunities. One thing I did which I would highly recommend – if your company has offices in multiple cities, try to get them to send you to one of those other locations for a while, or offer to travel there on own your own dime if you can work there. When I had a 9 to 5, my first two west coast trips were both working vacations at our other branches. I paid for my flights, but I didn’t have to use up my precious vacation time!
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..July Links: It’s all about Alaska!
Great tip Scott! I hadn’t thought of that one; definitely helpful for people who work for companies with offices all over.
I only get about 2-4 months per year vacation time..providing it’s much more than your typical person, the goal is to travel 6-8 months per year. The key is to find a job that will allow you to vacation for this long as well as work away from home like seasonal gigs. I’ve worked in resorts for about 4 years now and I find them to be the most flexible (that and jobs on cruise ships also allow you to travel quite a lot) as well as understanding. Surround yourself with those who want to travel full time and you’ll be traveling close to full time. Jobs that are easily transferable like teaching, bartending, masseuse & resort gigs have paid off the best for me!
Ron | Active Planet Travels recently posted..Bahamas Cruise | Essay
wow 2-4 months is amazing! Great tips Ron. Skills that are in demand everywhere will certainly be more valuable for those looking to work and travel.
How fun to get to spend time in Nicaragua without taking away from your vacation time! And great tips. The tactic I used was taking unpaid time off – very much worth it!
Ayelet – All Colores recently posted..Travel Video: My First Snowing Experience
It can definitely be worth it if it means more vacation AND keeping your job!
Awesome tips I will keep in mind for when I have to look for a job. I won’t be able to handle just 15 days off a year… that’s crazy!! I need lots of travel time
Claire recently posted..“Yeah, Sure We Know How to Sail…”
Look for a job? I thought you were going to be a professional travel blogger
Great tips! I have used many of these before myself
I think I get away with it because I’m European and people are more understanding that I want to fly to Germany and see my family. But you are right, if travel is a priority for you and you show that you work hard and are worth it, many employers are willing to work with you.
Sabrina recently posted..Austin Street Art and My Hunt for German Food in Austin
Europeans definitely have it a little easier, but hopefully more Americans will make it a priority as well.
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Love these ideas! When i was still working my 9 – 5 job, my boss was great about letting me take unpaid time off.
You couldn’t pay me enough at the time to skip a really cool vacation, and I was lucky he let me go.!
That’s awesome that he was so flexible!
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