The author often travels with her kids. Over the years, she's found creative ways to work while traveling, whiouot missing out on too much of the trip. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. I travel with my kids often, but because I'm self-employed I rarely take time off. Over the years, I've found creative ways to get my work done without disrupting our travels. Just like I do at home, I rely on getting work done while my kids are sleeping or using devices I try to travel with my kids as often as I can. Because my husband has limited vacation time, I often find myself off on an adventure with my children on my own. I work as a freelance writer and online adjunct professor, with other jobs occasionally thrown into the mix. I love the flexibility of being self-employed, but it means that I don't get any paid time off and never truly get a break from work, even while on vacation. Over the years, I've found ways to keep up with work no matter where in the world I am, even when I'm with my children. Though many of the techniques I use to keep working while solo parenting away from home aren't ideal, they have served me well. I do as much prep work as possible before traveling Although it's impossible to anticipate every work demand that will arise while traveling, I try to do as much prep work as possible before leaving home. For my teaching job, I make sure that I am caught up on grading and address any student concerns or training requirements before going away. I also prepare a few lessons before leaving, knowing I can tweak them as needed, as class develops much faster than developing lessons from scratch. For my writing assignments, I try to outline pending assignments and reach out to sources to share their expertise well in advance, even if I don't anticipate writing until later in my trip. That way, I am ready to start an article right away when I have the time, and especially if an unexpected window to work arises during the trip. The author travels regularly with her kids. Just like many parents do at home, she tries to get her work done while her kids are sleeping or playing. Courtesy of Jamie Davis Smith. I often work before my kids wake up and after they go to sleep Although it's not ideal, while on vacation, I often work before my kids wake up and after they go to sleep. Sure, I would much rather get more sleep or read a book to decompress during this time. However, when I am traveling, I am usually with my kids 24/7, and the only time I have to myself is when they are asleep. I can usually work in our hotel room while my kids sleep, but at times I have had to work from the hallway outside of our hotel door to make sure the clacking of my keyboard didn't disturb them. Sometimes I work while my kids play There are times I need to sit on the sidelines while my kids have fun so I can get work done. This always hurts a little, and I have to remind myself how fortunate I am to have found a tremendous amount of flexibility that allows me to contribute financially to my family and travel as much as I do. Sometimes my kids play Uno, eat breakfast, or build sandcastles while I type away on my computer nearby. Even though my kids often complain that I am working on vacation, they understand that if I didn't work, we wouldn't be able to go on so many of the trips they love. I allow my kids to have screen time when I need to get work done Just like at home, I sometimes break down and give my kids extra screen time while I work. This is never ideal, but it's a solution many parents use when they are desperate for some time to get work done. It works just as well in a hotel as in our living room. I take advantage of kids' clubs and activities if they are available Admittedly, I don't often travel to places with kids' clubs. However, when I do, I take full advantage of the option to have someone else entertain my kids while I work. I have stayed at all-inclusives with included kids' clubs and have also taken a cruise with one. I even took an expedition cruise to Iceland that had kids' activities scheduled each day. When I know I will need a reliable, solid chunk of time to work uninterrupted each day, I always look for an option with some type of kids' activities. Read the original article on Business Insider