Keeping It Real
When reading other people’s blogs about their long-term travel prep, it’s easy to think that travel prep is the main focus of the person’s life, since that’s the only aspect of their life that they post about. But, it’s important to keep in mind that, at least for us, even though travel prep and planning (and dreaming!) takes up a significant portion of our thoughts, it’s certainly not something we have time to do 24/7. Life is continuing to barrel down on us from a million different directions, and we’ve had to work to fit our travel planning into the in between spaces.
Today, for example, is one of those days. I’m at Sea-Tac, on my way to Wisconsin, to record a national lawyer training program that will webcast next month. Next week, it’s off to San Diego for a settlement conference in one of my cases. The next week, it’s back to San Diego, this time for a mediation in a different case. The week after that, we’ll be heading to Mexico, because in all this madness, even with our sabbatical on the horizon, we really need a vacation!
So, how do we find time to plan to cast off in 15 months when “real life” is still going full bore?
First, you’d be surprised where you can find time if you really try. Is your work commute more than 5 minutes? During your drive, check out Sail Loot or The Sailing Podcast – you’ll be amazed what you learn from some passive (and entertaining) listening. We also find time to work on our plan every day, when we slip it in the cracks: While watching TV in the evenings we’ll also research or plan; we’ll scheme as we fall asleep at night; we’ll talk about it with the girls at dinner. Do you get a lunch break at work? Spend 10 minutes figuring out what you need to work on next, and then the next day spend 10 minutes working on it. Even if your next step is an hour-long research project, you’ll have it done in a week of lunch breaks!
Second, it’s obviously important to make time for preparations. Not everything can be done during your coffee run, particularly the work on the boat itself. So, figure out what your other commitments are, and what lower priority commitments you can abandon to make your dream a reality. Yes, volunteering with the PTSA is extremely important; but it won’t help you while you’re on your adventure, and you can always dive back in when you return. Or, maybe saying “no” to that overtime opportunity at work is the weekend’s highest and best use, so you can focus on boat projects, and worry about the money later. Maybe you’re pouring more time than needed into the side business that you hope will fund your cruising, and you already have the busines basics set up, so you’re better off spending your time now just getting out there, and you can build the business as you cruise. Life is always a series of decisions based on competing priorities, and it’s simply a matter of figuring out how to manage them.
Third, and on a related note, make sure your prep priorities are in order. Focus on getting your radio working before you figure out what color your boat sheets will be. Figure out what preparation projects you can do underway, versus projects that absolutely have to be completed before you leave, and do the latter first. Focus on safety projects over comfort projects. Figure out what parts you may need for a particular project that you can’t source while traveling, and make obtaining the parts, but maybe not completing the project, a priority. In short, a long and thorough prep list is great. But, once you have your list, keep in mind that it may not all get done, and you don’t want to be forced to delay D-Day because the entire list isn’t checked off – it never will be. Figure out what you need to get done to leave; what you’d like to get done to leave; and what’s just fluff. Focus your efforts on the required projects, and then continue to prioritize and re-prioritize from there.
Right now, I spend an average of maybe 30 minutes each day actively working toward our travel goals; Rich spends a bit more. The other 23+ hours of the day is just the same old, regular, life. Don’t get down on your own plans when life comes at you; instead, run right back at life and show it who’s boss.
