Why Traveling Is NEVER A Waste Of Time
Lack of time is the most common excuse to postpone, cancel or simply fail to plan holidays. Indeed, most people who lack travel experience claim that they don’t have enough time for a vacation abroad. While there may be some truth in the statement – after all, modern life is fast-paced and doesn’t leave office workers with a lot of free time –, it also derives from the assumption that you need to have time to waste to embark on a travel journey. In reality, too many holidaymakers assume that traveling is a luxury they can only afford if they are happy with the idea that they won’t be making the most of their time off. In other words, many still plan their vacations as a waste of time. In reality, if you change your mindset and accept that traveling is an enriching experience more than a way to fill up your days, you’ll find it easier to have the time to travel.
The enriching gap year for students
For a lot of ambitious students, the very idea of a gap year is horrifying. Again, you need to let go of your fears of wasting time and embrace the potential of stepping out of your studies to see the world. 30,000 to 40,000 students take a semester to a year off before or during college. In fact, some even manage to balance their education while backpacking. Indeed, with the increase of exchange student programs across the world, there is no excuse to stay in your hometown when you could study abroad for a few months. You can also sign up for an online university to use distance learning while discovering new countries. Traveling lets you find out the reality of a market, a situation and culture in a way the classroom can’t expose. Additionally, late teens and early 20s is the best period to develop independent skills that help you to mature.
You can learn new skills at any age
As a professional, you might be tempted to believe that your learning years are long gone. In reality, traveling can help you to engage your cognitive side and develop exciting skills for the future and yourself. Don’t just visit Mexico, take the time to learn the lingo with the best online Spanish lessons on the go, for instance. Language skills are a bonus on your resume. But ultimately, the more you learn, the more you understand people and cultures, and the fitter your mind gets.
Broaden your horizons to improve your creativity
Are you in a creative field? Whether you work in a marketing agency, as an independent designer, or as a copywriter, traveling is renowned for providing an effective cure against the creative block. Why so? Because when you travel you see things you’ve never seen before; you discover new ways of thinking; and you stretch out your mental comfort zone. As a result, you train your mind to perceive different perspectives and combine ideas in a new way. From enjoying an espresso on a Plaza in Venice to diving in Bali, the experiences you make abroad bring new creative ammo!
Ultimately, travel requires free time. But you shouldn’t assume that the time you spend on the road is wasted. You need to consider the opportunity to explore the world as an investment in yourself, in your soft and hard skills and your mental abilities. It’s the only way to unlock the best version of yourself.
