Travel Shouldn't Disrupt Your Focus.

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Let’s talk about it.

If you’ve been here since day one or you’re new here, understand that I’m skeptical about annoying you.

I say this because I’m struggling to leave Beehiiv for Substack but I want both because it’s the best of both world’s I guess, no Hannah Montana.

So this is the warning: expect multiple newsletters to hit your inbox from Substack as I’ll be reuploading my ones from here onto there.

No hard feelings (maybe some) if you unsubscribe but they might still be of value to you, so to the small number of you here, you’re still present in the early stages of my journey.

That being said, my journey is unique.

I have to big myself up at times.

For me, I don’t struggle to talk about stuff, but it’s more the struggle of balancing talking about all the stuff I do.

In these letters, my first few are my ‘whys’ for starting in the multi-passionate niche.

The next few have been difficulties and struggles faced that I’ve overcome to show you it can be done.

Then I thought…

“How have I not spoken about my travels yet?”

I have an unfinished letter sitting in my drafts since March and it was a review of all the countries I’ve been to and my experience.

It got overwhelming because I’m like, “okay how can I include a brief review of everything I did for over 15 countries?”

For some countries I hit multiple cities so I wanted to avoid bias and show you how it’s helped to shape me.

Don’t worry, it’s coming soon; it’s just a piece that will take extra care and attention.

In the meantime, this is a quick and simple overview of how I actually do it.

Whether it’s family, friends or strangers, I always get asked the question “How do you fly out so much?”

With a full-time job, I can’t just drop everything.

It takes meticulous planning, especially around my language learning, fitness, and my social life.

The secret?

There is no secret, but here's how I make it work and so can you.

1. A Systematic Approach.

While everyone's situation is different, I've been blessed with a work-from-home job.

That doesn't mean I don't work the same 9–5 hours as you. (Or outside of those hours).

I've traveled to numerous countries using my holiday allowance and systematically planning out the most cost-friendly periods to travel in.

I have to calculate factors way ahead so I’m able to use the least amount of holiday allowance, utilise bank holidays and look to travel in the least busy periods at work.

My long trips are planned way in advance, whereas my short 3-5 day trips to Europe or North Africa can be booked last minute.

• I’m pretty active around January to early May time, with my biggest trip just after Ramadan.

• I then take it easy from the end of May to August.

• From late September to December it’s usually one or two short trips

It’ll be completely different for you, but find time to take a break and fly out in the periods that suit you best.

Don't let a job or money stop you.

Money comes and goes but time only goes.

2. Treat Your Passions like Non-Negotiables.

Fitness, content and learning don't stop when I travel.

I'll admit I lack on the weightlifting side, but walking everywhere accumulates 20k+ steps a day, no excuses.

On the plane, I'll listen to an audio or podcast on a French conversation or study my Arabic flashcards.

It’s taken some time to find what works and what still gets the needle moving, even being away from my desk and on the go.

But there's simply no better time to put it all to the test.

You can still enjoy the country you're in without having to sacrifice consistency.

Me and my boys are screwed on to the point where we enjoy and indulge in the country we’re at, but we take the time out to relax and still be accountable for our passions and interests.

Letting a habit go for more than a few days means it’s harder to bounce back when I return.

The correct systems allow me to make sure I’m on top.

3. Failing to Prepare Is Preparing to Fail.

I hate that line above as it takes me back to school days but it's pure truth.

I used to wing it and shut off.

Now? I prep:

• Packing lists by country

• Travel budget set

• Learning routines adapted

It doesn't need to be 100% planned out.

This includes itineraries, where I’ll look for the best things to do on TikTok and ChatGPT.

Based on my timeframe and interests, I’ll schedule them in alongside any food places and cafes I want to try.

In between that time, I’ll leave room for free roaming.

This will be dedicated to just exploring or sitting somewhere to do some writing or research on my phone.

If you don't prepare for anything, you open yourself up to countless factors that can affect your well-being and growth.

4. Prioritise Habits Depending on Time Constraints

There's a high chance you're not going to be able to hit the same workouts or study with the same conviction.

Be realistic.

This is where you prioritize the shorter but focused sessions and work around your travel itinerary.

• 10 minutes of flashcards > 0

• Quick journaling > hours of lost content

• Some researcher-like scrolling over mindless time wasting

Going from Phi Phi Island to Maya Bay in Thailand or driving to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco meant I had enough time for some quick flashcard overview.

On the train from Budapest to Vienna, I knew I couldn’t spend 3 hours of the ride staring out at the window or scrolling.

I broke my time up where I spent 30 minutes going through my media, 30 minutes of writing and roughly 30 minutes of reading.

The rest was quick admin work when my signal went down.

Something is always better than nothing.

5. Make Travel Part of Your Growth.

With every flight away, I'm able to put my skills and frameworks to the test, making the most of the journey while still maintaining consistency.

I don't look at it as a luxury anymore; I look at it as a blessing.

Every trip fuels my language learning.

Every journey immerses me in the heart of the culture.

Every experience gives me content to document and share.

I don't look at it as a luxury anymore; I look at it as a blessing.

Sometimes it’s a challenge, but while I do travel to enjoy different sites and cultures, meet new people and experience new food places, it’s all something to document within my journey.

You might be different from me in that you just go to relax when you fly away and that’s okay.

But understand that by taking that leap and getting out of your town and country, you’re adapting to new environments and immersing yourself in unusual situations.

That’s growth that cannot be replicated from behind a screen.

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The bottom line

I’ve traveled out of the UK 14 times in the last 12 months.

It's not just a holiday where I shut off; I make the most of my growth regardless of environment.

Alhamdulillah to be able to hit somewhere new practically every month.

While it won’t always be this easy all the time, I try to make the most of my situation as I understand it’ll help me adapt and grow.

It allows me to flex in the slightest too, giving me something to talk about to colleagues and friends.

It’s music to my ears when people say “didn’t realise you were still in the UK; where’s next?”

For some the difficulty faced is time, money or a combination of both.

Some don’t have the luxury to fly out, so if you do, make the most of it.

No time to shut off when you do though.

It's all about building fluency, resilience and discipline on the move.

Every flight tests my systems.

Every country sharpens my mindset.

Every trip becomes content, culture, and clarity.

That all accounts for my overall growth.

Your challenge for this week: no challenge this week, but ponder upon how I’m able to develop when I travel.

Think about the three wins (creative, physical and spiritual) that I advocate.

If you do fly out, look to incorporate a few things that will still help you maintain progress.

Relax too, but understand I’m in your ear whispering “just five minutes” of whatever you need to get done.

Get it done with purpose and embrace the place you're in.

If you want to understand more about my travels or want to discuss it further, feel free to reach out on Instagram @liftlangleon.

Till next time, peace.

LiftLangLeon