If you're like me you have probably found it difficult to balance learning, coding, and everything else that goes on in your daily life when you're on the road and traveling around. I personally struggled with how I was going to keep up with my studies while traveling to Colorado to attend a friends wedding. My main priorities at this time are to network, study algorithms, and code to keep my skills sharp, but I've found this a bit difficult as I'm out of my normal productive work environment.

Staying on track can be difficult, but I found that it boils down to three main points:

1. Schedule time for work

I know this might sound redundant, but when you're out of your normal routine and visiting old friends and attending wedding festivities it can be difficult to find the time for yourself and your work- so plan ahead!
Set time aside each morning to go visit a coffee shop and make sure you designate this for your work. Make the most of your time, think of it as High-Intensity Interval Training for your brain. I'm sure you've heard that you need to look away from your screen every 20 minutes for better eye health, but have you heard of interval focus for productivity? This quote from J.D. Meier, a project manager, and productivity blogger states:

"A 20-minute chunk of time is a very useful slice of time and the productive possibilities are endless if you can sustain your focus. The key is to know that sustained thinking takes energy, and it burns out. To address this, take breaks to recharge and renew. Five-minute breaks are a great way to stay focused"*

2. Leverage your network

You never know who the people you know, know. Yeah, that's a tongue twister, but seriously, I had no clue I knew this many people with connections to people in tech. Depending on where you are and who you know this might be easier or more difficult but reach out to the people you know because if you don't ask you'll never know. If you can try to meet up with those people while you're in your set destination.

3. Make a plan for when you return.

It's difficult to achieve everything you plan for during your time away from your normal routine. The most important thing is to keep busy, get at least the bare minimum done, and plan to make up for what you have not been able to achieve when you get back. If you can be proactive and plan to make up for what you lost while traveling or on vacation you'll save yourself the anxiety of what you have not been able to achieve since you've already set a plan to make up for it.

4. Have some fun while you're at it

Seriously, don't be so hard on yourself. Coding and learning are important, but make sure to make time for yourself and the people you love while you're out wherever you are as you'll feel more prepared to return to your work if you actually enjoyed yourself as you were gone.

Good luck out there!

• Source: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/how-to-focus-in-20-minute-bursts/article13327566/