Managing Relationships as a Globetrotting Worker

When someone asks me, “What’s your job?” my usual response is, “I’m a globetrotting worker.” More often than not, people are fascinated with tales from my unique lifestyle. However, underneath this seemingly glamorous occupation lies an often overlooked challenge – managing relationships. Relationships, I believe, are the pillars on which we build our lives. And as a globetrotting worker, I find maintaining these pillars while hustling around the world to be quite a task.​

Table of Contents

• A Personal Anecdote: My First Trip Overseas
• The Emotional Roller Coaster
• Finding Common Ground
• A Balancing Act
• Relationships and the Globetrotting Life

A Personal Anecdote: My First Trip Overseas

Allow me to take my first overseas project as an example. I was assigned to work in Singapore for a couple of months, and I was over the moon about it. It was an opportunity like no other, and I was eager to embrace the prospects it would bring. The problem was, the excitement was making me blind to the challenges that lay ahead.Harvard Business Review outlines how work travel can strain personal relationships – and this was something I was about to learn firsthand.

The Emotional Roller Coaster

Indeed, while I was living my international adventure, my relationships back home were on a roller coaster. Just to begin with, there was a huge time-zone difference. This meant that having a simple conversation became a logistical nightmare. Moreover, when I was free to talk, my family was busy, and vice-versa. Consequently, feelings of isolation and disconnect began to creep in. Not only that, but being absent from important life events and celebrations took a toll. I remember missing my best friend’s wedding because I was away on assignment.​ Regardless of my best attempts to make up for it, some unseen emotional gap was created nonetheless.

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Finding Common Ground

However, as time went on, I realized it’s not the situation but how we react to it that determines our emotional state. There I was, thousands of miles away from my loved ones, trying to find common ground I could connect to. Did I find it? Fortunately, yes. That magical element was technology. It’s incredible how technology can transform the way we lead our lives, including maintaining relationships regardless of where we are. Skype, WhatsApp, and Zoom became my constant companions, just like my travel bags. As Time Magazine puts it, using technology to bridge the physical gap in a relationship is an art that we should all learn.

A Balancing Act

The moral of my story? As a globetrotting worker, the road to managing relationships is not easy. It tests your tolerance, tests your patience, and above all, tests your capacity to adapt. Nevertheless, when you find that delicate balance, the satisfaction is unprecedented.

Relationships and the Globetrotting Life

In conclusion, I learned that managing relationships as a globetrotting worker is indeed a challenge. However, it’s a challenge worth taking up, because these relationships aren’t just for socializing; they also provide a safety net and a ‘home’ to return to. Remembering this, coupled with the right use of technology, can ease the process significantly. I hope my story resonates with you all, especially globe-trotting workers like me. Happy traveling, and remember, as the ancient African proverb goes, “Even in the bush, one can find companionship.”