If your dreams are to explore the world, but your demanding career has you in a committed relationship with your office desk, you don't need to put your travel goals on hold. Between many employers opting to keep roles remote and offer top jobs for international travel, you have more options than you think.
1. Translator
Training required: Some roles may require you to be a certified or accredited translator, but many will administer their own exam to test your fluency level.
Why becoming a translator is a top pick for traveling professionals: In addition to the role paying well at $70,000 on average, being a translator keeps your fluency in another language refreshed for travel. Not to mention that you're often translating important documents related to court or insurance, and it's often benefiting someone who could otherwise be in a vulnerable situation.
2. Recruiter
Training required: While there is no required training or certification, most recruiters have a background in human resources, business administration, or sales.
Why becoming a recruiter is a top pick for traveling professionals: Many recruiters are working as freelancers post-pandemic. Though your 9-to-5 hours may be comprised of meetings, interviews, and emails, the larger part of your schedule and weekends can be dedicated to scratching your travel itch.
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3. Amazon FBA Seller or Dropshipper
Training required: As an Amazon dropshipper, you're responsible for supplying the inventory of a product (in essence, fronting the inventory costs), but Amazon handles the day-to-day operations and customer service. It will be in your best interest to research distributors and product merchandise before signing any dotted lines.
Read insights from expert guides like these or check out Amazon's site to learn more about being a dropshipper. Do your research to make sure it's a good fit for you.
Why becoming an Amazon FBA Seller or dropshipper is a top pick for traveling professionals: This career allows you to have the passive income that most of us yearn for. Amazon carries much of the responsibility, handling customer service returns, shipping, and day-to-day communication. Meanwhile, you're free to travel, explore, or work a different side hustle with minimal oversight going toward Amazon.
4. Coaching, Online Education
Training required: The training or certification required will depend on your industry. For example, a business coach or personal trainer may need a specific certification from an accredited organization.
Why online coaching is a top pick for traveling professionals: A coach is able to design their schedule and clientele list around their specific wants, needs, and niche. You're able to develop meaningful programming and create a working environment that is conducive to your lifestyle.
5. Graphic Designer
Training required: While many graphic designers attend college or an art institute to learn design work, many are self-taught.
Why becoming a graphic designer is a top pick for traveling professionals: As more companies lean into the digital and e-commerce space, there is a high demand for those who can help with branding and conception. Not only will picking up new clients and projects be less challenging, but you can also often knock off tasks and assignments during your "creative hours."
6. Content Writer
Training required: Similar to graphic designers and recruiters, the technical skills of a copywriter or content writer can be acquired through training, higher education, or sites like SkillShare.
Why becoming a content writer is a top pick for traveling professionals: Copywriters and content writers give a brand its voice and are vital to a marketing team. You're able to work from almost any location as long as you have Wi-Fi. Be mindful of deadlines and quick turnarounds, and you'll be able to enjoy yourself as a professional abroad.
Shutterstock7. Digital Marketing Consultant
Training required: Digital marketing is an ever-changing and evolving industry; having updated certifications and training will help you when securing a remote digital marketing role.
Why becoming a digital marketing consultant is a top pick for traveling professionals: It's a vibrant subdivision of media, and your travels could even influence how you approach project work. It is a very demanding career, but this could be the perfect option if you're looking for a steadier paycheck and working environment while enjoying a city (or many cities!) long-term.
8. Nanny
Training required: Most international nannies are expected to stay up-to-date with their health and safety certifications like CPR and first-aid training. Nannies who hope to work for more influential families or make a more lucrative career would be wise to receive additional education in areas such as early childhood development.
Why becoming a nanny is a top pick for traveling professionals: Many recent graduates itching to live abroad will become a nanny because it's a rare opportunity to travel while having your room and board paid for by a family. Often nannies will help working parents with day-to-day household responsibilities, cooking, and tutoring. To protect yourself, we encourage you to use an accredited organization such as the International Nanny Association website when seeking employment.
9. Online English Teacher
Training required: According to the International TEFL Academy, "Online language schools typically require their English teachers to hold a legitimate (accredited) TEFL certificate. A professional-level TEFL certification will provide you with the skills and qualifications you need to get hired to teach English online, even with no prior experience in education."
Why becoming an online English teacher is a top pick for traveling professionals: Not only are you traveling or living abroad, you're able to help teach children and foster important life experiences for them.
10. Virtual Assistant
Training required: VA veteran and The Horkey Handbook's founder, Gina Horkey, shares this for aspiring assistants: "A high degree of motivation, good communication skills, and a desire to learn are equally, if not more important."
Why becoming a virtual assistant is a top pick for traveling professionals: Whether traveling for a client or off on your private adventure, virtual assistants can take work wherever they go. One VA, Lori, shared her experience traveling, "My client is based in Tanzania, East Africa. I've been here for about five months too, working for them as they sit in their office further south down the coast. I went to meetings in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with my client. That opportunity certainly wouldn't have happened had I still been in Canada."
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“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
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Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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A fast metabolism? It can help you burn calories. A slow metabolism? It makes that a more challenging effort.
So, let’s take a deeper look into what metabolism is all about and what you might be doing, perhaps without even noticing, that could be slowing down your metabolism, which could make getting the results that you desire more difficult than it actually has — or needs — to be.
The Truth About Your Metabolism
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Although metabolism is a word that is brought up quite a bit, both online and off, in order to fully understand why yours may be faster or slower, it’s a good idea to know exactly what metabolism is.
A simple way to explain it is metabolism is a chemical process in your body that determines how your body turns food and drinks into actual energy. Since you need energy in order to literally function, this is why learning about your own metabolism is an essential thing to do.
For instance, did you know that whenever you eat, your digestive system uses enzymes to turn fats into fatty acids, carbs into simple sugars, and proteins into amino acids — and all of these things can be relied upon for energy? And although several factors within your system play a role in how fast or slow your metabolism may be (your thyroid certainly tops the list, by the way), there are certain things that you may be doing that could be speeding up or slowing down your metabolism as well.
Now before I get into what some of those things are, I think it should also go on record that if you want to know more about metabolism because you’re ready to shed a few pounds, while metabolism certainly plays a role in how fast you do or don’t burn calories, tweaking habits in order to speed up your metabolism won’t automatically help you to reach your weight loss goals alone. You also need to adjust your diet, exercise, get plenty of rest, lower your stress levels, and be intentional about not taking in more calories than you burn on a daily basis.
Still, since we do know that people who burn calories faster don’t have to count them as much and having a faster metabolism can also do things like slow down premature aging and build more muscle mass, it can never hurt to know what you may be (inadvertently) doing that could be causing you to have a sluggish metabolism. That way, you can make a few adjustments in order to get the metabolic results that you want.
And in the efforts to help you to do just that, here are 10 ways that you may be slowing down your own metabolism.
10 Things That Could Be Slowing Down Your Metabolism
1. Consuming Too Little Protein
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There’s a pretty big reason why not having enough protein in your system can result in you ending up with a sluggish metabolism. The reality is your body uses protein in order to build and increase muscle mass, to keep your bones strong, to grow and renew your body cells and tissues, and to give your body the energy it needs in order to function properly and burn fat.
This is why it’s essential to consume somewhere around 0.36 grams of protein per pound on a daily basis.
2. Drinking Too Much Sugary Stuff
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If you want to speed up your metabolism, consider drinking some green tea. If you want to know what drinks could be slowing down your metabolism, that would be the sugary stuff like soda. Although having one every once in a while won’t do any real damage, too much fructose or sucrose can ultimately lead to inflammation, fat accumulation, and it can throw your metabolism off, too.
So, if sweet drinks are your thing, try and consume no more than one a day; then follow that with a glass of water, for you and your metabolism’s sake.
3. Being Dehydrated
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Since you’re made up of mostly water, it makes all the sense in the world that you should be proactive about avoiding dehydration. Also, since your metabolism begins at a cellular level and water carries oxygen, the more water that is in your system, the easier it is for your metabolism to have the energy that it needs in order to work effectively. And how much water do you need on a daily basis?
Some health experts say that 11 cups (not glasses, cups) a day, if you’re a woman (15 if you’re a man), should get you what you need.
4. Keeping Your Thermostat Too High
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Although you’ve probably heard somewhere that your metabolism kicks up when you feel hot, there is something that you should keep in mind. When it’s time to turn in for the evening, you actually should keep your bedroom on the cooler side. The method to the madness is when the temp is somewhere in the late 60s, that will cause your body to have to work harder to keep you warm, and that will send your metabolism into a bit of an overdrive.
Since cooler rooms are proven to improve your quality of sleep overall, why not try it for a couple of nights? See how it makes you feel.
5. Avoiding a Consistent Exercise Regimen
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Hands down, something that helps to keep your metabolism going is a regular workout routine. If you make a point to do consistent strength training and resistance exercises, that can help your body to build muscle over time which, in turn, burns calories. Women’s Health has some specific exercises that can help you to give your metabolism a boost. You can check them out here.
6. Needing a Calcium Supplement
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If you’re someone who takes supplements, look on the back of your labels to make sure that there is calcium on one of the bottles. Calcium helps to keep your bones and teeth strong, it helps your hormones and enzymes to do what they need to do and it’s also a nutrient that boosts your metabolism, so that it’s easier for your body to burn fat.
7. Cooking with Too Much Sea Salt
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If you like to cook with sea salt, something that you might want to keep in mind is the fact that it could slow your metabolism down some. The backstory on this is that sea salt doesn’t contain iodine in the way that most standard table salt does, and that can be potentially problematic because your body needs iodine in order to keep your thyroid healthy, so that you are able to have more energy. The more you know. The more you freakin’ know.
8. Being Sleep-Deprived
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The more I study about how beneficial a good night’s rest is, the more I see just how detrimental sleep deprivation can be, in pretty much every way. Take your metabolism, for example. When you don’t get 6-8 hours of shut-eye on a consistent basis, it can throw your hormone levels off, which can directly impact how fast your metabolism moves. And since, reportedly, your metabolism automatically slows down 15 percent at night anyway, all of this is a smart thing to keep in mind when it comes to eating late at night.
Indeed, less rest and midnight meals can definitely help you to pack the pounds on.
9. Erratic Meal Times
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Lawd. If there is something that I personally need to make sure to keep in check, it’s this point because, when I’m in a zone while hammering away on my laptop, it can be really easy to lose track of time, and that can do a real number on my metabolism. Here’s why: One thing that your body does is provide fuel for you to have enough energy to get through the day. When your meal times are consistent, your body knows how to process your calories by burning them; however, when your eating times are all over the place, your system doesn’t know whether to burn calories or store them up.
So, if you want your metabolism to be stabilized, eating (especially) main meals need to happen at relatively the same time every day.
10. Not Eating Enough
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One more. If you are indeed trying to ramp up your metabolism in order to shed a few pounds, please don’t do that by starving yourself. Although it is indeed true that in order to lose weight, you should cut back a bit on your caloric intake, if you’re eating too little, your body will think that it needs to slow down your metabolism in order to hold onto the food that is already in your system for a while longer.
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Ain’t it wild how so many simple things can cause pseudo complications for our metabolism? That’s the bad news. The good news is that if you’re willing to make some minor adjustments, you can probably rev your metabolism up, just in time for the plans that you have for your body before summer officially arrives!
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