What do you think are the top two things that most of us need to save up for before travelling to new places? We say it is time and money. We all have twenty-four hours a day, yes. But do we all have at least five days to spend on a remote island away from our responsibilities? No. Do we all have the liberty to spend cash on a plane ticket just for fun? No. Travelling is a privilege that is why the ultimate goal is to maximise every minute of it.
Also read: Travel is A Privilege & Not Everyone Can Travel As Much As You
No matter how much you prepare for a trip, something out of your control might happen. But it is up to you if you are going to prepare yourself and iron out your to do’s to make it as smooth as possible. One main tip that we can give you is to take time management seriously when you travel, and here’s why.
1. You can maximise the places you intend to visit
You need to understand that sometimes, you can’t drop by all the famous tourist spots that you saw on the Internet because of many possible reasons. But with careful planning, you learn how to prioritise what you want, and then you can work around it.
Are you visiting the beach this time or are you staying in the city? When travelling, you have your goals translated into an itinerary, and it helps you keep track of your day as a whole.
Curating a well-timed itinerary allows you to visit as many places as you can. Just make sure that your calculated time is realistic so that you won’t fail yourself in the end. Think about the location, consider travel time, be aware of how much time you are going to spend in each destination.
When you plan your tour for the day, do you consider the proximity of each spot? Do you factor in the travel time from location A to location B? It is important to enjoy the moment of being in a foreign place, but you also have to know what to do and where to go next.
2. You will have more time
Of course, you will! Being faithful to or ahead of your schedule is always better instead of underestimating the time needed in a place you visit. With proper time management, you can accomplish more things in a shorter period. And as a result, it gives you more free time. Who doesn’t want any side trips, anyway?
Isn’t it fun when you initially think that you can’t visit a particular place but turn out doing so because you managed your time well? Having more time to spend is what you need so you can go and explore the hidden gems the locals tell you about.
3. You can get enough rest
Imagine compressing an extremely adventurous day trip because you want to go on a pub crawl until midnight. How tired do you think will that make you? Just because you’re travelling doesn’t mean it’s okay to sacrifice your health.
However, if you include six to eight hours of sleep in your itinerary and spread out your activities on different days, you can get enough rest. Travel time management also helps you prevent burn out on day three of seven. Don’t forget the needs of your body. You don’t want to land yourself in the hospital out of exhaustion as soon as you go back home, do you?
4. You can make even your downtime productive
Downtime is necessary. But when you have rested well, you don’t need to convert travel time to nap time. Instead, you talk to your travel buddies or start conversations with strangers on the way.
Although it also feels nice to have a social media detox when you are travelling, you can spend your downtime on the Internet to finally upload those photos or connect with your friends and family back home.
5. You can save money
Let’s face it, travelling does not come cheap. Many of us save for weeks, months, or years to treat ourselves to a week’s worth of vacation. So when visiting a place where you need to pay for almost everything, you would soon realise that you would want to make the most of all the expenses that you need to incur.
Where are you staying? Is it expensive because it is in the heart of the city? Or is it cheap because you have to switch train stations three times? Making your precious time a priority will not just save you minutes or hours but also money and the effort that you need to exert.
Also read: 25 Practical Ways to Save for Your Travels
6. You develop more skills
Focusing on time management during your travels will make you feel more fulfilled, calm, and in control. You improve your other skills and qualities as well, like planning, decision making, and punctuality. As a result, you will be more efficient, and that will reduce your stress while travelling.
There are so many benefits travel time management that we may have missed, but you cannot argue that the points that we mentioned here make sense. You only live once. Make the most of your time!
