Plan Ahead for a Stress-Free Vacation

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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How many times has this happened to you?

You plan an amazing vacation to de-stress. But then the week leading up to your trip you’re overwhelmed with tasks, you’re checking your emails during your trip, and somehow still overwhelmed with work when you return.

Sound familiar? It happens to all of us. Which is why PIX 11 News in New York City recently interviewed me for my top tips on how to have a stress-free vacation. (Also check out my interview with PIX 11 for my healthy summer travel  checklist.)

Here are my top three tips from my segment with Tamsen Fadal and Arrainee LeBeau.

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How to Travel Productively

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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Spontaneous trips are fun but productive trips are better!

Having a plan allows you to save money, travel safely, and enjoy a stress-free trip to a beautiful destination! And there’s a perfect amount of planning to prepare for your vacation.

Founder & CEO of Tripscout, Konrad Waliszewski joined me on Inside Scoop to teach how to travel productively.

Here are his top tips for an organized (but not too organized trip)!

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Your Overseas Covid-19 Checklist for Healthy Travel

BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

It happened. I got Covid-19 and had to be quarantined in a foreign country. Yep.  Thankfully that country was France and since I’m vaccinated and boosted I had mild symptoms but it was a bummer nonetheless. If you’re thinking of traveling and scared about what might happen if you get sick – don’t be afraid, just be prepared.

If you know me, you know I love to travel and you know I love Paris in particular.  I’ve been fortunate to visit many times so when my husband Jay and I couldn’t go during the pandemic I had a serious case of travel withdrawal. I dreamed about the day I could be back with the fat pigeons drinking real Champagne and eating macarons from Pierre Hermes. It had been 3 years, 1 month and 14 days since my last time in the City of Lights.

After two years of being so careful it hurt, Jay and I ventured back into the world and caught Covid-19. Yep. And we got stuck in Paris. Ok fine there are worse places to be quarantined but still, it was not easy. Plus, I lost my sense of taste and smell so my dreams of enjoying all my favorite French delicacies flew out the window.

However, I have to say that my love of lists kept me sane and healthy during this ordeal. So I figured why not share what I learned in a Healthy Travel Checklist. Here goes…

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Pushing Past Personal Boundaries

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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Raise your hand for me if you feel you’re up new and different, but then you stop yourself before you start. It happens to a lot of us.

We make excuses. Maybe it’s your age, or your lifestyle, or you’re just set in your ways. Whatever your excuse is, it’s just holding you back.

So, if you want to get out there and “live your best life”, as Oprah would say, you have to push past your personal boundaries.

So I invited author, speaker, performance coach, podcast host, and DJ, Petra Kolber on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop, to chat about why it’s important (and never too late) to push past your personal boundaries.

Here are four ways to push past what’s holding you back.

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Working Remotely from Anywhere in the World

For the past six years, travel planner Cassandra Santoro has split her time between New York and Italy. She spends summers on the Amalfi coast, travels throughout Italy in the fall, and then returns to the U.S. for the spring.

Sounds pretty great, right? 

Cassandra isn’t on vacation 24/7/365, though. She’s a successful entrepreneur and CEO of Travel Italian Style. She’s become an expert at working remotely from all over the world.

Now that the pandemic has opened up remote work opportunities for so many people, this lifestyle is more and more feasible. But to make this work, there are more than a few logistical challenges to address. 

Cassandra joined me on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop to share how she does it:

Bring your own WiFi

You might think there will be internet access wherever you go — but Cassandra says that’s actually not the case. She says bringing your own WiFi can help the transition to go smoothly, ensuring you can always log on when you need to. Cassandra recommends buying a Skyroam hotspot.

If the home rental where you’re staying advertises WiFi, Cassandra says you should always check with the host to make sure the internet connection is strong and reliable. Better safe than sorry!

I have lots of other remote office tips in my LinkedIn Learning course “Organizing Your Remote Office for Maximum Productivity” as well. 

Making the space work

Even if you’re in a beautiful part of the world, huddling up in a dark room to work will kill your mojo.

When you’re working remotely from somewhere new, Cassandra recommends buying fresh flowers or even a basil plant to make the space feel homey. She also prioritizes light-filled rentals. 

Consider time zones

When you’re figuring out the logistics of working away from home, Cassandra says it’s important to consider time zones. Will you have to get up in the middle of the night for client meetings? It’s important to ensure that you can do your job without having crazy hours.

When in Rome…

When you’re working from someplace new, Cassandra suggests really immersing yourself in the local culture. For her, that means an aperitivo!

If you want to hear the rest of Cassandra’s suggestions, you can watch our full conversation here!