Are you feeling tired of your current work routine? Do you feel like you need a break from the hamster wheel you’ve been running in for years? Then it may be time for you to take a workation. Workations are a great way of stepping outside the norm and exploring a new location while still getting work done. You’ll get to breathe from the pressures of daily life and tend to your mental health without disregarding your responsibilities. In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of taking a workation. But first…’
What is a workation?
A workation happens when an employee plans a trip to a new destination and intends to work while on vacation. Workations can be either short, medium, or long-term. You can decide to have a weekend-long workation. However, workations tend to be longer than typical vacations, taking a few months or even years to complete. When taking a workation, you strongly rely on the remote working model to stay on top of your work-related tasks. According to Cloudwards, the best project management software solutions are useful here because they help you stay connected to your teammates while you’re away. A workation is different from freelancing or remote working. A remote worker doesn’t have to be at a particular physical location for work at any time. They are entirely off-site. On the other hand, a workationer is an office employee who takes time away from the office to work from elsewhere for a while. It’s essential to consult your employer and get their approval before planning to take a workation.
The pros and cons of taking a workation
Combining work and leisure sounds phenomenal. But just like with every other work modality, workations have their pros and cons. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of combining work and leisure..
Pros
Networking opportunities
As you travel, you cross paths with several people from different cultures and professional backgrounds. A workation is a great way to build meaningful connections and expand your network of friends and acquaintances. The exposure you gain also lets you identify new opportunities that could help you grow in your career.
Improved work-life balance
Whenever you plan a workation, you’ll notice that you’re more intentional about balancing work with fun activities. You’re more keen to get the best experience from the destination you visit while keeping up with work deliverables. Therefore, taking a workation is a great way to improve your work-life balance. This is sometimes impossible to achieve in your home ground.
Increased productivity
A change of environment is refreshing and has a unique way of rebooting your mind. This can lead to higher levels of focus and productivity in your work-related tasks. Additionally, being able to mix work with play helps to motivate you to quickly clear up your tasks so you can go have fun.
Reduced stress
Workations are a great way of managing stress that comes with routine. It can get tiring to do the same old thing over and over again. Changing your work environment can help break the monotony and ease the pressure by creating new routines and norms around your work.
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Cons
Require more intense planning
A workation is usually longer than a typical vacation. Therefore, it takes loads of planning to get it right. For instance, vacationers can live in hotels for the duration of their time off. However, workations often require you to get a place with a kitchen, a working space, and other amenities. This is to ensure that your day-to-day living can continue even in a different location. You also need to keep timezone differences in mind to ensure you can communicate with your team members effectively and deliver work on time.
Workations are expensive
Due to the special considerations stated above, workations tend to be costly. You also need to get a stable connection to continue working. If that’s unavailable where you’re staying, you’ll have to pay for a coworking space. In addition to this, you might require some additional equipment to keep working optimally. You may need a good VPN service to access location-restricted websites while in a new location. Overall, workations are a costly affair and require thoughtful budgeting.
Tricky work and play balance
It’s difficult to balance between finishing your work and enjoying the place you’re visiting. You might feel tempted to stay indoors to get more work done, which means you’ll miss out on the fun. Or you might focus on the fun too much, meaning your work will suffer. This is one of the greatest challenges workationers face. To combat this, make sure you schedule time for work and play in a balanced way. Remember, it is essential to set time for relaxation to nurture your mental well-being. After all, that’s the main reason you’re taking a workation.
Constant distractions
Working in a familiar environment has a way of getting rid of unnecessary distractions. A new environment brings new distractions and the temptation to explore during working hours. Remember, a workation is not an extended vacation. It’s also not an opportunity to work less than usual. Your working hours remain the same and your deliverables will likely not change, either. So, discipline yourself to adopt a laser-like focus during working hours. Then, when it’s time for leisure, take your mind off work and have a good time.
Wrapping up
Workations are a good stress reliever for employees who need to take a step back from the routine while still getting work done. While it’s not a real vacation, it can encourage you to embrace a healthy work-life balance and give you the chance to explore new locations and stimulate your creativity. Even though workations have several benefits, they also have disadvantages. It’s important to keep both in mind for better planning. If you’re wondering whether a workation is a good choice for you, don’t be afraid to try it out. Start small by planning one in a close location for a few days. Once you have that experience, you’ll be able to scale up to longer, more adventurous workations.
