About Work on Monday Travels
Why log on to Work on Monday Travels to get your travel recommendations and inspiration?
Hey! I’m laken, I Started This Blog In 2021 As A way to use More of the Right side of my brain 😃
I work full time as a physical therapist (and I love my job!), but I also love photography, writing and, of course, traveling! So starting Work on Monday Travels has given me a great way to tap into more of my creative side!
My travels started in high school when I was able to go on two overseas trips to England and Scotland and France and Spain and I haven’t been able to shake traveling since.
So now I spend my time trying to find the perfect balance between work, travel, family and doggie time while trying to meet my yearly reading goals. 🤓
Travel Blog Goal: To Inspire And
Encourage you to travel!
If you google “travel blog,” there are plenty to choose from to gather travel information. So, why is a full-time physical therapist delving into the land of travel blogging?
For the short answer, I thought it would be fun! For the longer answer, I get a lot of questions such as: ”how are you able to go on so many trips while working” and “how can you afford to travel” to name a few.
What I Have Been Able to do with a 9-5
In full transparency, I have opened my own physical therapy practice in order to a have a bit more flexibility. However, I do still work my “normal” job and just travel part time!
From 2018 to 2021, I was allotted 21 days of paid time off. This includes vacation days, sick days, personal days, etc plus 6 national holidays.
Basically, after the holidays, I had about 14 days of paid time off to use as I pleased. I rarely use sick days, so I typically use all of my days for vacation!
During the same time frame (3 years), I was able to visit 9 different countries on 6 different trips (about 2 international trips a year). I did this by maximizing my PTO, taking advantage of holidays and even negotiating non-paid days off.
Countries Visited
PTO Days Used
People I have Helped Go Abroad for the first time
Trips I have regretted Taking
I don’t say this to brag; I say this to show that travel can be done even with limited time off work! Now, I also know that time isn’t the only limiting factor to travel. Money is definitely also an issue, and I totally get it!
Lucky for you, I have tips and tricks I have used to keep travel expenses down so I can continue to travel even with a 9-5. Click below for that!
Get to know the Travel Partner!
I met my roommate, Elizabeth, the night before PT school began. We soon made a plan to backpack Europe for 3.5 weeks while we waited for our licenses to come in upon graduating. We planned and traveled together like peanut butter and jelly and have traveled to countless countries together since 2017!
Along the way we introduced Elizabeth’s sister, Frances to international travel and we also took my husband on his first international travel. Now I travel regularly with a combination of my friends, my husband and/or my mom!
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