Brought to you by Maddie Cannatella, Senior Account Coordinator at Girlilla Marketing

When presented with the opportunity to take an extended work-from-anywhere during the summer, I’m sure most people would prioritize being at home with their loved ones, getting some much-needed rest, or maybe learning a new skill with their time freed up from rush hour commutes. (Everyone remember 2020’s banana bread epidemic?)

But, me? When I learned I could work from home more this summer, I immediately thought: This is my chance to invite a brand new type of stress into my life: travel anxiety.

OK, let me rephrase for those who didn’t get my humor… I thought: Work from anywhere? The world is officially my oyster.

Some background on me: Before I moved to Nashville and joined Girlilla Marketing in January 2021, I was living in small-town Louisiana, where everyone knows everyone, life is generally very predictable, and family is your priority. If there was one thing my grandmother heavily inspired me to do, it was travel. She never stopped! Grandmama would drive from one end of the southern coast to the other until her mid-80s. She flew to Europe more often than she cooked a bad dinner. And in one of our last conversations, she insisted I continue to get out of my bubble and explore the world. While I do LOVE my bubble, I have a compulsion to do things that scare me, especially when I know that on the other side of that big scary thing is unparalleled growth, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and a really good story.

At Girlilla, I serve as a Senior Account Coordinator, curating and publishing content for client socials, collecting and analyzing data, and amplifying live events on a daily basis. Our roles are fast-paced and require adaptability, quick thinking, and flexibility. Needless to say, this mindset comes in handy when traveling!

For two summers in a row, I flew across the pond to work remotely – because, why not? Yes, I knew this would present an entirely new set of challenges that I had never experienced. However, the benefit far outweighed the costs for me. If you’ll indulge me for a moment as I share my favorite highlights from these trips abroad… The Eiffel Tower? Far from being overrated. Big Ben? Surprisingly not that big. Mona Lisa? The tourists taking selfies with her were more interesting to look at, and that’s saying a lot considering her expression genuinely is as mesmerizing as they say. I also discovered I probably raised sheep on the Aran Islands off the Irish coast in another life.

An unexpected bonus was when work life and travel itineraries collided. Visiting the Palace of Versailles was a fun research moment, considering Lindsey and I have been working on promoting our resident diva Kristin Chenoweth’s brand new Broadway musical The Queen of Versailles. Confirmed: the real-life chateau’s ceilings aren’t quite as high as KC’s high notes, but they’re close.

Aside from visiting historical sites, learning new languages (parlez-vous anglais?), and trying different cuisines (my favorite part!), there are real science-backed benefits to shaking up your routine and changing your work environment. Studies have shown that placing yourself in a new setting can lead to increased focus, improved memory, and greater creative inspiration. I’m no doctor, but I do know how to work the internet, which is where I found this Medium article that explains the following: When you break free of your standard workflow mold, you are “exercising your brain’s neuroplasticity…. meaning that you’re improving your brain’s ability to connect the dots between different thoughts — thus increasing your creativity and problem-solving abilities.” Our brains are constantly looking for novelty. When our environment is new, we’re more able to focus on the work at hand, rather than being distracted by things like the menu of the new coffee shop down the street and planning an afternoon treat at 9:30 a.m.

Going into these trips, I thought working the odd hours would be the death of me. (FYI, this blog is written by a girl who likes to be showered and in bed by 10 p.m. every night… weekends included.) In case you weren’t aware, the standard 9-5 in Nashville translates to 4pm to midnight in France. Although it’s different from my normal routine, it was totally manageable with an afternoon nap and a cappuccino. After all, it’s just a Thursday night release all week long, right? (Note for my non-music industry folks: new music generally hits your streaming platform of choice at 11pm on Thursdays, and we like to stay up to make sure all the links work, posts go up as soon as possible, etc.)

Now, I mentioned “costs” in my cost-benefit analysis. With new routines come learning curves. Whether that’s figuring out the Tube system in London or familiarizing yourself with yet another new social platform, it’s important to roll with the punches and stay positive, eager, and curious. This experience was also a great test of work-life balance. In order to make the most of my European vacation, it was essential that I prepared as much as I could in advance, ensuring mid-year reports for all applicable clients would go out on time.

And let this be your reminder today to prioritize enjoying your life outside of the office, finding peace and joy in the chaos. In an industry where everything feels urgent all the time, ensure you’re taking moments for yourself to rest and recover (doing so on a beach in southern France isn’t required, but it is an added bonus). You’re no help to any of your clients if you’re burnt out. I think the analogy of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others in the event of an airplane emergency is extremely applicable here.

If this blog so far has inspired you to take a work-cation abroad, I’ve included a comprehensive packing list of WFH gadgets along with some additional tips and tricks you’ll need for your travels in order to best prepare you for your trip. I will spare you the countless other items everyone needs for successful travel, as long as you don’t forget your most comfortable tennis shoes. Your feet will thank you later.

The ultimate work-from-anywhere packing list:

• 1. Portable charger (this Belkin power bank is reliable and lightweight)

• 2. Outlet adaptors (make sure you research what’s compatible with the country you’re visiting)
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• 3. ALL of your devices and their chargers
  • a. Phone
  • b. Spare phone, for the clients whose accounts don’t fit on the first phone (is that just me and Lindsey Feinstein?)
  • c. Laptop
  • d. Smart watch
  • e. Wireless headphones
  • f. Electronic tablet
  • g. E-reader
  • h. Whatever new smart device that will surely be invented by the time this blog is published.

• 4. Electronic accessories organizer (this one is Girlilla-approved)
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• 5. Portable monitor (meet your spreadsheets’ new best friend on Amazon)
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• 6. A backup hard drive
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• 7. Portable WiFi hotspot (we used WiFi candy and it worked perfectly, even on the rural backroads of Ireland)
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• 8. Blue light filtering glasses (DIFF is a favorite eyewear brand of mine that gives back to charity)
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• 9. Noise-cancelling headphones
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• 10. Work Backpack
  • a. One bonus point per pocket. (read: the more zippers, the better IMO)
  • b. Favorite brands around our office include Dagne Dover, BÉIS, and CALPAK. I take NY Times’ Wirecutter as gospel if you want their recommendations.

Travel, much like remote work, isn’t always flawless. Even perfectly planned itineraries and spotless spreadsheets don’t account for catching the flu while in Bordeaux. Honestly? Sick days are slightly better when outside your window is the French Riviera. Always pack your EmergenC, folks. Pro tip: most health insurance companies offer travel coverage, and they can be very reasonably priced (mine was only $20 for a week). While we’re on the topic of international plans, make sure your phone carrier is equipped for international calls and texts. If not, you can purchase a SIM card once you’ve landed and easily pop it into your cell. (Vodafone is user-friendly and cost-efficient.)

Not everyone is as lucky as we are to have a job flexible enough to be done remotely (and on a different continent, if need be). Though my work-from-anywhere trip posed some struggles, problem-solving across time zones made me more resilient and, surprisingly, better at pivoting during high-stress situations. After overcoming these obstacles, I was able to trust myself more when it came to decision-making back in our Nashville office. I could look back and remember that I faced and accomplished a scary thing: working remotely 4,000 miles out of my comfort zone. Sometimes working hard and playing hard are not mutually exclusive; maybe they’re just two sides of a well-stamped passport. My next travel plans? Working on my end-of-year reports while spending Christmas in Sicily, where my grandmother wanted to bring my family the most.

Safe travels,
Maddie