Road Warriors

Any road warriors out there? I'm considering a job change in about a year that would put me on the road potentially 4 days a week every week.

Anyone out there in WW-land that travels like that? How has it changed you and your family relationships? what do you like about it, what don't you like about it, etc? any advice.

My wife and I have experience in "deployments" from my Navy days, but it's been a few years and a few kids ago.

Robert,
I am in that exact situation. I spent 5 years in the Marines with multiple deployments, only the last 1.5 years with a child though. My job now keeps me on the road 5 days or more a week but at the same time I can spend weeks at home if there is nothing going on at work. My kids are 8 and 5 now and I am on my fourth tour in Iraq, 2nd as a contractor. It is hard on the kids and family for sure. Mainly the wife because she has to pick up the slack while I am gone. It changes the family a lot in the sense that my family has become less if not non-dependant on me. So when I am home it is hard to feel like I fit in anymore. On the flip side it does make us all appreciate our time together a lot more. My wife and I get along better cause it's hard to fight when you don't see each other,(only partly kidding about that). This is for sure my last hurrah because it does get old. But I have gotten to ride with and meet some cool people traveling across the nation using this forum. Just take your gear with you when you travel. Hope this helps somewhat.

Thanks Bret, I can distinctly remember the period where my wife and my 1st son became independent as you say. it's definitely odd to come home and feel like a visitor in your own home.

Here's where i've "pre-justified" it in my head. i already work a decent amt of hrs and usually don't get home 'till around 7pm. and the typical travel in my industry is on site monday thru thursday only. which means technically i'd only be away from my family 3 nights a week (since, i'm already at work during the day anyway). but i'm sure being out of town is still not the same as being at the office across town.
fortunately it would not "typically" be weeks at a time away from home.
Just something i'm looking at down the road that's a steroid shot career-wise.

I've done lots of travelling as a bachelor, but if I had children I'd do everything in my power to stay in town.

I agree with Timothy. Really, it comes down to what you value and love more...your family or your career.

Are you going to look back 10 years from now and be satisfied that you earned a few extra bucks but that you don't have much of a relationship with your kids and your wife? I would sacrifice the extra cash and job title for something that has much more value.

By the way, what does your wife have to say about the potential travel and job change? She might be better informed to help your decision than this forum.

ha ha. we've talked about it before. I thought about writing "we've pre-justified it". I've been married for almost 20 yrs so i know this isn't a decision i'd make based primarily on input from my buddies at WW.com (no offense guys)

A good friend of mine who travels A LOT told me something wise. he said if i decided to go into it, put a specific time limit on how long to do it at which time re-evaluate whether to keep doing it. but to stick at least to the time-line. he HATED the separation at first but pushed thru the timeline. then he got a job w/no travel but A) hated his boss and B) seriously missed the travel perks (and pay). so now he's back in it. ha ha.

I don't travel a "lot" compared to a true road warriors but without kids (but still being married) we just make it work. When I have kids - I can't imagine it will be fun. I'm typically gone between 10-15 times a year but they are clumped so I'll be gone 3 straight weeks (home weekends). It wears on you but since its' not a full time travel job - I probably have a different mindset.

Be very certain you want to do it. It's not for everyone. Especially 4 days a week, every week.

To each is own, some love the travel and the occasional "escape" from family living and others despise it. As an executive recruiter I work with people where it has a horrible impact on their family and other people who manage with few issues.

I personally choose not to travel a ton, but my peers often travel every week. I think it would be hard to be the best parent you can be 3 days a week. It is a trade off for you and your family and that is a huge weight (IMO) to put on your wife. She is guaranteed not to have a break for four days in a row every week. Heavy travel is typically rewarded in cash because they have to pay people more to make those sacrifices. Talk to an Accenture/EDS person, those guys are the real road warriors, traveling 95%+ of their week. But it will simply come down to a personal decision, what is the cost your family will pay versus what your job will pay.

I used to travel for work. So much so that $12 monthly power bills were not uncommon for me. I'd do something like hit the lake for some boarding Monday morning, go right to the airport, come back Friday night. Sometimes just stay the weekend depending on the location. I'd only ever see the local office when I stopped in to drop off my expense reports.

I could not imagine doing that much travel now that I have a family and have made a career choice that involves little to no travel these days.

I used to work with consultants that did travel 90+ % of the time, for the most part they were single or in casual relationships.

You said it Robert, being out of town is nothing like being across town working late. That is one of the most frustrating things. Like once I was gone and my wife got into a pretty serious car accident, another her truck got broken into while at a store. There are numerous other times when things have happened and it sucks that you can't be there to help or comfort. Thankfully we both have great families that help us out greatly.

The timeline thing is great too. I was only supposed to do this for a year, but when it came up there weren't a lot of jobs on the market. So I am still here. On weeks when I am gone all week, home on the weekends and gone again. It's really tuff. It's like I get home and have so much to do and so little time. Mow the yard, spend time with the family, change oil is wife's truck, wash truck, wash boat, play with the dog, cook and clean to give my wife a break, and the list goes on and on. It does get old. But at the same time, I get bored if I go to the same place for work, do the same things and get into a routine. So I have no hope. I am doomed..hahahaha

You still in Internal Audit?

I've did the travel thing for about a year when I was younger ( early 20's) and single...I began to hate it.

something else to think about......it will impact your kids. My dad traveled close to 100% ( home on weekends) when I was a kid...he chose his career over family IMO. In his defense he chose career for the betterment of our family (financially). I wont' go into to details but it took me a long time to realize how big of a impact on my life not having my father around really had on me.

Thanks for sharing Adam. I can only imagine how hard it would be on kids who parents (or dad) is never around.

I've tried to choose jobs that require little to no travel. So far I don't think it has impacted me financially, but I would definitley give up money for a chance to raise and be with my own children.

We all want to provide financially for our family, but it's a matter of how we divine "providing". Is it a pretty good lifestyle with clothes, a decent home, food, and time with their dad or is it the nicest private school, a 5K foot home, and a lake house but with no father figure? It definitley comes down to priorities.

I would advise against it. I was in a similar position and took an extremely well paying job that required me to travel 3 nights a week minimum. It simply wasn't worth the money. You basically eat all your meals alone, don't get to do anything for yourself (except for an occasional workout in a hotel gym), and the time you actually are home passes so quickly that it seems like you are never there. You spend so much time in airports, waiting, driving (I was in sales), that life is just a blur. In fact, it seemed like I was always working yet never working. I gained weight, was stressed, and basically was out of touch for the 1.5 years I was 'away'. At the time I was married but no kids - I can't imagine what it would be like if I had kids at home. This is just my perspective...

Not worth it. I did it for 3 years going to asia every 6 weeks, then home for a month. It then turned into 4 days a week inside the USA. I didn't like it. Almost got a divorce. Very hard on the kids.

My dad was on the road 3-5 days a week. I have no relationship with him, nor want to be that way with my kids.

so basically you guys are saying go for it? ha ha. just kidding.

**Adam, I moved on from audit about 3 yrs ago. I'm a Hyperion Administrator now (Essbase and Planning).

Yup, last year I was riiiight on the verge of being this guy you speak of as my job finally had me out about 3 days a week. I had to make a gut decision to take my life another direction. I had become irritable when I was home, and distant when I was away. I just wasnt happy. I took a less paying, local gig that requires me to travel WAY less than I was. Why? My daughter and my wife. There's not an amount of money that could keep me away from enjoying life with them DAILY right now. I want to be at every soccer practice, every dinner, bikeride... whatever it is. This is much more valuable for me. Only you can decide man. Some people do it well for years and years!

The hard part....once you start traveling and usually making more money, it becomes real difficult to "quit." Most of the guys I know tried to quit too late and it has cost them wives, houses etc...

When I was single, I used to travel alot for my company. I actually enjoyed it. I kind of miss it, but I do enjoy being home every night and spending time with the wife. It has its pluses and minuses. You have to evaluate which one is greater, the pro's or the con's.