1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: tip is about how busy people can travel more. Even 4 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: if you have a job and a family, it is 5 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: possible to have at least a few travel adventures. The 6 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: key is rethinking some common stories about what travel entails, 7 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: so travel tends to feature prominently in people's memories. My 8 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: guess is that you don't really remember a random week 9 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: from six months ago all that well, but you might 10 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: remember a week you spent in Yosemite National Parks six 11 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: years ago quite vividly. Our brains have a tendency to 12 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: pay attention to new experiences, which makes time seem more 13 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: thick and rich. Of course, one reason travel produces memories 14 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: is that we tend not to do it all that often, 15 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: or if you do, it's often that you are flying 16 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: to the same business location again and again, which may 17 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: not be all that memorable either. By its nature, leisure 18 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: travel won't be every day Travel tends to take time, effort, 19 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: and money, all of which can feel in short supply 20 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,119 Speaker 1: during the busy years when people are building their careers 21 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: and raising their families. It makes sense. But when I 22 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 1: ask people what they'd like to spend more time doing, 23 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: travel comes up a lot. When I suggest people make 24 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: lists of one hundred dreams with their life goals, the 25 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: first third is often the thirty three places people would 26 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: most like to visit. So how can busy people travel more? 27 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: I know there are a lot of practical tips out there, 28 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: but in today's episode, I want to share two mindset 29 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: shifts that help make travel in the busy years slightly 30 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: more possible. The first is to get your head around 31 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: the idea that even if you have a family, you 32 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: don't need to do all your leisure travel with your family. 33 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: In particular, you don't need to travel with your spouse. Now, 34 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: I know, it is probably a lot more fun to 35 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: travel with your other half. Maybe you have limited paid 36 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: time off, it might seem wrong not to reserve that 37 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 1: PTO to travel with your family or at least your 38 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: significant other. But one of the big reasons people don't 39 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: travel as much as they want is that they can't 40 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: imagine bringing their kids to a certain place, or it 41 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 1: would be a lot more expensive to travel with their kids, 42 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: and they don't have coverage for those kids. Asking another 43 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 1: family member to stay with your three young kids for 44 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: five days is in fact a fairly big ask, But 45 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: if you have a co parent, that person can easily 46 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: be the coverage. You just obviously can't travel with him 47 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: or her. If both parties are interested in traveling more 48 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: but are stuck on the problem of paying to take 49 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: kids somewhere they might not really appreciate, or the problem 50 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 1: of finding overnight childcare, each parent could commit to covering 51 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: for the other for the equivalent of two long weekends 52 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: a year, or perhaps one week. The other party assumes 53 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: all parenting responsibilities, knowing that the co parent will pay 54 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: this back. The upside of this is that solo travel 55 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: can be easier and certainly less expensive. It's only one flight, 56 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: only one museum admission, only one meal at a restaurant. 57 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: I know some people are wary of traveling solo, though, 58 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: as a woman who has traveled by myself a reasonable amount, 59 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: I can tell you that if you keep your wits 60 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: about you, you're probably going to be fine. But if 61 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: you think it won't be fun, get a friend to 62 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,799 Speaker 1: make the same arrangement with their spouse and travel together 63 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: with your friend. Or in my family, my husband and 64 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: I have both taken one of our older kids to 65 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: cool places. If you've got a good relationship with your teens, 66 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: they can be excellent travel companions while your spouse stays 67 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: with your other kids. As for a limited PTO, this 68 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: solo travel might not consume as many days off as 69 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: you think. If you are strategic, If you've got a 70 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: long weekend somewhere, you could take one extra day, leave 71 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: on Thursday afternoon or evening and come back Monday night. 72 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: That gives you at least three point five days somewhere. 73 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: Some folks use leave strategically around a day like July fourth. 74 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 1: It was a Thursday the year I am recording this, 75 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: and a lot of offices were closed both Thursday and Friday. 76 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: If you took one extra day, you could leave Tuesday 77 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: night and come back Sunday night, scoring at least four 78 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: point five days somewhere. In any case, in this spouse's 79 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:26,239 Speaker 1: trade off scenario, both of you might be happier getting 80 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: to go somewhere you think is cool, versus both of 81 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 1: you spending time and effort and money doing things you 82 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: are less happy about. Just because you think it as 83 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: a rule that everyone has to spend their days off together. 84 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: It isn't If you change that mindset, all sorts of 85 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: possibilities open up, and the second mindset shift you don't 86 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: have to go somewhere for long for it to be fun. Yes, 87 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: travel itself, as in the process of getting from point 88 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: A to point B, is often not that enjoyable. It 89 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: can be more of a necessary evil. But people tend 90 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: to think that if they flew or drove all that way, 91 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: they should stay a long time. The corollary of that 92 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: is that if they can't stay a long time, it 93 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: isn't worth it. I would encourage you to get rid 94 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 1: of that story right now. The travel time is a 95 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: sunk cost of going somewhere cool. It takes about seven 96 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,359 Speaker 1: hours to fly from Philadelphia to Paris, whether you go 97 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: for fourteen days, four days, or zero days. If you 98 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: can't go for fourteen days, that doesn't mean zero is 99 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 1: the only other option. You can go to Paris for 100 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: a long weekend. Even though it was a short trip, 101 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 1: you'll still have been to Paris. Whereas if you decide 102 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: all that flying is too much bother, then you won't. 103 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about every weekend, but going somewhere at 104 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: least semi exotic twice a year well why not. Well, 105 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: of course there is the cost, but as with the 106 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: travel time, the getting there is somewhat of a set cost, 107 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: however much time you spend there. Yes, it can be 108 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: expensive to fly cool places, but if you can't fly 109 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: there for a month, that doesn't mean you shouldn't go. 110 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: I would also note that if you are flexible about 111 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: where you go, you can often find some reasonable deals 112 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: if you are looking. I was poking around online recently 113 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: and found that flights to Dublin from Philadelphia were literally 114 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: one thousand dollars cheaper than flights to Madrid for the 115 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 1: same days. I am not sure why, but if your 116 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: hope was to travel more and you are flexible about 117 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: where you are going, that suggests letting the serendipity of 118 00:07:54,800 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: the airline pricing system guide you. If you are traveling solo, 119 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: that is probably not too hard to pull off. In 120 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: any case. By letting go of the idea that you 121 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: have to travel with your family or at least your spouse, 122 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: and letting go of the idea that you have to 123 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: travel for a long time to make it worthwhile, you 124 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: can open up a lot more possibilities. Maybe in a 125 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: perfect world you could spend two months a year traveling 126 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: and always travel with your significant other. But the alternative 127 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:33,439 Speaker 1: to that isn't doing nothing. Do things a little differently, 128 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: and you just might have some more travel in your future. 129 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 130 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for 131 00:08:55,400 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 132 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 133 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 134 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 135 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.