Should You Take a Computer on Your Vacation?

Should You Bring Your Work With You While You Travel?

Computers, smartphones, tablets, and the internet link us to everything wherever we go, and it’s possible to take time off from work without actually leaving work. Just take your computer along, and you can work while you travel.

But is it really a good idea to take your work along with you, or should you leave the computer behind and try to enjoy your time away without the distractions of work bothering you each day? Is it a convenience for travel, or is it something bothersome to have along on a vacation?

Even if you don’t work at a job where you can transport the work on a computer (perhaps your job requires that you are at a physical location), taking a computer or other device with you can have some unintended consequences, even when you’re not expecting to report into work each day.

I’ve actually taken vacations where I’ve done a lot of work by myself, and I’ve also traveled without taking a computer. Did I have a better time with one or the other? Well, I think it depends on the trip and a few other factors.

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One of the huge rocks that surrounds Lake Powell, Utah. — This is a view you’ll see if you sit on a houseboat floating on Lake Powell, Utah.

Traveling to the Middle of a Lake Without Internet

A few years ago, I traveled to Lake Powell in Utah and spent some time on a giant houseboat with a large group of friends, celebrating a birthday.

The trip was awesome, with explorations of the giant lake, hikes around the hills, jet skiing, swimming, and water skiing. I took a computer with me and submitted articles while on the trip.

It actually worked out well because I had some work available to me that was time-sensitive, but I couldn’t change the timing of the trip because I wasn’t in charge of it.

I ended up working every day of the trip at various points of the day, for one or two hour stretches. It did take a little bit of hiking up from the water and into the hills to find a signal, but I was able to work consistently the entire time.

The river along Hoi An, which is south of Da Nang, Vietnam.

Crossing the Planet With a Computer

When I traveled to Vietnam, I actually brought my computer across the Pacific and thought I’d have some time to do some writing, but it turns out I never even opened my computer for more than a few minutes on the entire trip.

We had a few hours in the airport in Da Nang when we were traveling up to Hanoi (our flight was delayed a few hours, so we were just sitting there), and I opened up my computer for a bit, but I didn’t really get a lot done.

And for most of the trip, we were walking around, bicycling, hiking, and doing activities for most of our waking hours. It just wasn’t feasible for me to work, and I was too enthralled while embarking on adventures through the country anyway.

For this particular trip, taking the computer just ended up being a waste of room and some extra pounds in my backpack that I didn’t actually have to deal with. I could have left the computer at home.

A street in Medellin, Colombia. — I had a computer while in Colombia, but I didn’t really use it.

Taking a Tiny Computer

For my trip to Colombia, I switched things up a bit and decided to take a tiny computer that would allow me to get some things done on the internet, but that wouldn’t take up a lot of room.

This option worked a little better, though I didn’t actually focus on getting any real work done. We were only in Colombia for a little over a week, so it wasn’t like we were traveling around for a month and a really needed to get some work done.

As it was, the computer didn’t really take up a lot of room, and it was pretty lightweight, so it was really easy to take and carry along. However, I didn’t actually do any work while we were traveling, so I probably could have left the computer behind.

From that experience, I realized that I really didn’t need to take a computer or work-like device with me unless I actually had some work planned ahead of time. If I was just going into it with the mindset that I might do some work here or there, it’s clear I wouldn’t actually get any work done.

Some hills near the central coast of California. — Sometimes, it’s better to relax and daydream on a vacation than work.

Taking a Computer Can Work if You Plan for It

Having traveled a lot with various types of devices, I can confidently say that you can travel with a computer and get a lot of benefit out of having it along. However, if you don’t already have some work planned out in advance, it’s unlikely that you’ll actually take the time to get anything done while you’re traveling.

My advice is to take advantage of bringing a computer or work device along with you if you have work that needs to get done before you get back because it means you can arrange your travel and not have to worry about getting back before your work needs to get done. Just complete it while traveling.

On the other hand, if you can avoid doing any work on your vacation, try to get a lot done before you leave, so you can get a little breathing room on your trip. It’s a lot more enjoyable to just wander around and have fun exploring on your trip, especially if it’s an international location you’ve never visited, than it is to go have an adventure during the day knowing you have to open your computer when you get back to your hotel to get work done.

A traveling computer is convenient, but it’s not the answer for every trip. Having a computer along for your vacation can certainly feel convenient, but it’s not always the answer for every traveler or every trip. Think carefully before you schedule work on your vacation or you decide to toss your computer in your luggage.