Things To Think About Before You Quit Your Job To Travel

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say; “should I quit my job and travel the world?”

Woah there horsey, that’s a bold statement! Sure, many people have done it. There will be many more people who will do it in the future.

That doesn’t mean that everyone should.

Of course, anyone who’s followed this blog for a while will tell you that we’re not ones to shy away from an adventure.

We’ve quit our jobs to travel the world several times over, but that doesn’t mean we would do it again and again.

There are a lot of considerations to think of before you make a bold move as to give up your career and hit the road into the unknown.

While we don’t want to be a killjoy, we do want to be pragmatic and share the pros and cons of quitting your job to travel the world so you can decide if that’s really what you want to do.

Things To Think About Before You Quit Your Job To Travel

1. Do you have a job to go back to?

You don’t have to quit your job to travel long term. This is a misconception that a lot of people make.

I can’t tell you how many people we’ve met on the road who tell us they quit their jobs to travel the world and have no idea what to do when they get back, only to find out they never asked their employer if they can come back – assuming the answer would be no.

I strongly believe that employers are far more open and accepting of people’s desires to travel in this day and age compared to how they used to be.

There is a lot more emphasis in our global culture on work/life balance, and ensuring people live a happy life.

Happy minds = happy workers, right?

If you ask your employer to take a leave of absence for a few months, or even a year, they will probably tell you they would welcome you back when you come back.

If they don’t, well then are you prepared to job hunt when you return? Do you have a friend or family member you can live with while you’re looking for work? Do you have funds to support that phase in your life? How easy will it be?

These are questions you want to consider before you quit. If you do plan to quit your job to travel the world, you cannot be so dreamy eyed as to not think about the end of your travels too. That’s where problems happen.

2. Do you have kids? How will it affect them?

We have traveled with our kids since they were born and would not have it any other way.

We have homeschooled them, we have moved them…