Tag Archive for: travel

Your Overseas Covid-19 Checklist for Healthy Travel

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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.

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

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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!

Checklist to Take Your Remote Office on the Go

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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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If you’ve been working remotely because of the pandemic, by now you’ve probably got some of the basics down — where in your home you work, what your hours are, and what you wear. (Although I have my opinions about the Zoom shirt…)

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Four Steps to Taking a Real 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.

I was recently browsing LinkedIn when I came across this BBC story, that I first thought had to be a joke. Apparently employees in the UK are taking vacation time to catch up on work! 

Isn’t that insane? 

I’m not really sure what’s happening on the other side of the pond. Are you guys okay?

All kidding aside – burnout is a real problem faced in the workplace.

In fact, the World Health Organization now recognizes it as a real condition. I write all about ways to combat this in my new book, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You. 

And although I’m all for efficiency and hard work  – I would NEVER recommend taking vacation days to do more work! 

Your vacation time should be used as a way to break out of your workplace mindset and come back feeling refreshed. 

That’s the whole point!  Read more