“How Do You Get So Many Leaves?” A Full Time Employee’s Guide to Traveling the World

Every time I post a travel photo, whether it’s riding through mountain passes, standing in front of a monastery in Bhutan, or sipping chai on a breezy beach in Sri Lanka, someone slides into my DMs with the same question:

“Are you on a sabbatical?”

“Do you have unlimited leaves?”

“Is your manager a magician?”

The answer to all three? No. I work full time. In IT. And yes, I still manage to travel.

This isn’t a story about quitting my job to explore the world. It’s about making space for travel without giving up a job I actually enjoy.

So how does it happen?

What I am about to say next is mostly ignored by people: the company you work for, it all begins there. It is imprtant to note that your company's culture and policy absolutely matters. It is what enables you to create the space you need to execute your plans.

But the more I worked, the more I realized: Waiting for the “perfect time” to travel was like waiting for Bangalore traffic to clear up at 6 PM. It was never going to happen on its own.

So I changed my approach.

📆 Plan in Advance, Religiously I treat my travel plans like I treat work deadlines, with calendars, buffers, and clarity. Long weekends? Booked. Half day offs? Stretched smartly. Public holidays? Mapped out by January.

👩💻 Communicate With My Manager I’m always upfront about my travel plans. I don’t spring surprise leaves. I ensure there’s coverage, I offer flexibility, and I let my performance speak before I ask for time off.

🤺 Combine Remote Work When Possible No, I don’t always take leave for the entire trip. Sometimes I work from a new city. If the time zones match and the Wi-Fi works, I’ve done standups from cafes and checked in code from hillside homestays.

🌍 Travel Doesn’t Have to Mean 15 Days in Europe Weekend road trips, 3 day treks, 4 day solo rides. I make the most of small pockets. You don’t need a Schengen visa to feel like you’ve escaped (and maybe don't think of travel as escape)

💼 Protect My Work Reputation Let’s be real, if you miss meetings often and then post from Goa, it’s not going to land well. I put in the work before I pack my bags.

"The freedom to travel comes from trust, not entitlement"

What people don’t see in the photos:

• The late nights before a trip, wrapping up deliverables.
• The carefully applied leaves spaced out over quarters.
• The quiet discipline of saving, planning, and balancing.

So, can full-time employees travel the world?

Yes. But not without intention.

It’s not about leave policies. It’s about how you manage time, work, and expectations.

If you’re someone who loves both your job and your passport, don’t assume you have to choose. With a little planning, communication, and some discipline, it’s entirely possible to do both.

So the next time someone asks me, “How do you get so many leaves?” I’ll smile and say: “I don’t. I just make the most of the ones I have.”

Author: Mouna Nanaiah