If you’re like us, you probably love to travel. You might work in the tech world or at a startup or for an established company, it really doesn’t matter. We all could use a bit of break from time to time and what better way than taking a workation?
If you haven’t yet hopped on the workation bandwagon, there are plenty of reasons to do so. Workationing allows you to explore the world, work remotely, and learn something new while you’re at it – not to mention how beneficial a workation can be for your career.
Business travel can be tough. Even more so when it’s your own business. That’s why I’ve asked experts in this field to weigh in on what they believe are the best ways to make travel enjoyable regardless of your circumstances.
This article will give you tips on how to enjoy your vacation, recharge, and still get some work done. Without further ado…enjoy!
Explore Your Surrounding
When I’m traveling for work my favorite way to pass the time outside work hours is to explore the local area. Some cities might not seem to have much to offer in the way of diversion, but often with some research, I can find something a little offbeat to explore. It’s a fun way to connect with wherever I’m working and to get more context about the local atmosphere and history.
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The Internet Is Your Lifeline During Workations
Having worked remotely and in the internet industry for a number of years now, something that I’ve learned when it comes to workations and travelling while you work is that you need to make sure to check the internet connection of each location before you plan on visiting it. As a remote worker, the internet is your lifeline. it’s likely the only way you’re actually able to do the work that you do whilst you travel, making it the most important aspect of each location that you visit.
Before you book your accommodation, you need to make contact about the internet connection, internet speed, etc that’s available in that accommodation. You also need to keep in mind how many people are going to be using the internet at the same time as you, as this will affect the speeds that you get. Always remember: on a workation your top priority should still be your work. While you’re having a great time in a different country, you still have the responsibility to do your work, so you need to make sure that, wherever you go, you’re still able to do that work.
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Prepare Coworkers and Customers
Let your coworkers know when you would be reachable and beyond what time of the day you wouldn’t like to receive work-related updates. If possible, telling your customers that your responses to their queries will be slowed down during your workation is another way to be able to enjoy the hours you aren’t working. This way, you don’t have to worry about work beyond a certain hour of the day.
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Delegate Before Leaving
Delegate as much as possible so that you can enjoy your workcation to the maximum extent possible. Don’t try to manage a workcation on your own, first and foremost. Having some dependable assistance while you’re away will make your trip even more enjoyable. Determine what tasks you can delegate to an assistant or coworker – or, if you’re a solo entrepreneur, find a trustworthy neighbor, family member, friend, or short-term virtual assistant who can assist you in keeping your business running smoothly and efficiently. Assign particular responsibilities to them, such as responding to email inquiries, paying invoices, or returning customer calls. You’ll get some additional leisure time as a result of receiving this small additional amount of assistance.
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Pack the Right Things
Bring the appropriate tools to your workation. Since you will not have access to all of your typical office supplies, you will need to consider the few items that are a vital necessity for working away from the office. Most likely, you’ll bring a laptop or tablet and a phone. However, you may wish to enroll in a few work-friendly products, such as a cloud-based business phone system or an online backup and document-sharing software.
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Do your Research
Find out more about the destination before making travel plans to see if there are any unique points of interest, and then stay an extra day to explore the area. It isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money to have a good time. I usually spend my day sampling local delicacies and visiting a landmark or other notable location in the vicinity. Even going for a leisurely stroll to soak up the vibe of the area you’re visiting can lead to some incredible discoveries.
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Take a camera
Perhaps one of the best things about traveling for work is in getting to see the best of the town you are visiting. One thing I never fail to bring with me is my camera and getting to snap a few pictures of the place. When I was younger, me and my family always used to travel during the summer and my dad used to bring his camera with him everywhere. It’s something I also picked up and it’s a good way to sort of continue that tradition, even when I am traveling for work. It can get a bit bulky, but it certainly is something that lets me relax and really see the city after a day of meetings and conferences.
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Make Plans for a Future Trip
In order for you to really enjoy your workcation, I recommend that you make plans for a future trip. Not every journey should entail hauling a laptop or conversing with consumers. If you’re like most people, you’ll want to take a true vacation where you can concentrate exclusively on having a good time and not having to think about work. A workcation, or even a vacation, can be readily accomplished with proper organization and preparation, as well as the presence of the appropriate people and materials.
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Remember to Have Fun
We book professional speakers all over the world and travel a lot for our client’s events. All of them are a mix of work and pleasure. Depending on where we end up, I usually like to do a mix of leisure and adventure. I will always try and find a day spa so that I can relax. For fun, I have done things such as scuba diving, live shows, sport fishing, haunted houses, escape rooms, hunting, and skydiving.
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Rent a car
The trend of renting a car for a work trip is a practice that has come under pressure over the years. Both foreigners and people from the country prefer, for efficiency, to rent a car to transport themselves quickly and freely to different destinations.
However, the “business traveler” market has evolved. More and more people want to live experiences other than business and more related to pleasure or leisure, so they seek to extend their stay somewhere and even pay for it out of their own pocket. Do not forget the main thing: your work, but remember that in your free time you have a space to breathe and de-stress, like going out to see that restaurant that has always been recommended to you.
Always travel connected: remember to keep your cell phone and other electronic products always charged and with data to be able to use them in case you have to manage something in the city. Plan your business trip and have fun at the same time: in addition to starting your work schedule as soon as possible, make a plan of places you want to visit when all your work is ready; Don’t forget that Localiza has agencies at airports in different cities, so when you land you can pick up your car there.
You save time and money: renting a Localiza car is the right thing to do to make the most of the time between your work and the destinations you want to visit. For example, if you want to get to know a town outside the city but the time in a meeting drags on, having a car at your disposal will save you headaches.
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Immerse yourself in the Country
Try the local food: Every place has its unique cuisine and different street food. So being a foodie to please my tastebuds, I indulge in exploring and tasting all the famous and most popular food items of that particular place. That is my way of enjoying and relaxing while on a business trip.
Unraveling the history of the place: I go to different cities to meet my clients and new prospects, so another way of retreating from work is I make sure that I steal time from my busy schedule to know about the history of that place. Find how the place came into existence, what the ancestors were like, how the place came to be known by the name that we call it today, and the people’s culture and beliefs. So I visit museums, art galleries, and forts to unravel the place.
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Ask the Front Desk for Recommendations
I travel for work a lot and I work in hotels. I absolutely love work trips because, as a mom, I rarely travel alone otherwise. To make the most of it, I always ALWAYS start by asking the front desk agent in town where their favorite place to eat or grab a drink is.. and I make sure to request the real answer, not the touristy answer. Then, I head over there and experience life as a local.
They almost always give a secondary answer after that disclaimer and it’s almost always an incredible experience. I encourage experiencing community when traveling for work.
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Go on a Hike
Whenever I get the chance, I go on hiking. I find that hiking is a great way to clear my head and take in the beautiful natural scenery. And it’s also a good opportunity for me to connect with colleagues and talk business over coffee or lunch.
Another thing that I enjoy doing on workations is exploring local restaurants and trying new foods. Whether it’s heading out to try a vegan cafe or going on a food tour of the city, I find that immersing myself in the local cuisine gives me a real taste of the destination while also letting me connect with locals and my work colleagues.
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Schedule One Activity for Yourself Each Day
One of the best ways to ensure you ensure your ‘Workcation’ is to make sure that you schedule one activity for yourself on each day of your trip. Whether it is a morning run to a nearby local coffee shop or finding a must-have dinner place for the evening – by scheduling one activity for yourself you can make sure you carve out me time on your trip!
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Walk Around as Much as Possible
One of my favorite things to do when I’m on a workation is to explore the city I’m in. I’ll usually walk as much as possible, and if there’s time, I’ll try to go to the most authentic restaurants where only the locals go to experience their cuisine.
I also like to find local cafes and coffee shops to work from. It’s nice to get out of my hotel room and be around other people for a change. Plus, it’s a great way to get a taste of the local culture.
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Communicate and be Comfortable
If you’re travelling on a work trip with the full team, staying connected won’t be an issue. However, if you’re travelling on a solo work trip, you should let your coworkers know when you’ll be available. Remember to account for the time difference.
Staying comfortable during your vacay necessitates engaging in recreational activities. It can be anything you want it to be — fun, adventure, wellness and spa, yoga, gourmet experiences, and so on! Experiential Team Activities such as Trekking, Hiking, Kayaking, Canoeing, and other stress-relieving activities may make your workation even more fun! At the Music Nights with Campfires and Barbecue, mingle with your fellow travellers. Obtain some amazing photographs to preserve the memories of your work assignment for the rest of your life.
You can go with the flow if you like, but I urge that you plan beforehand. You’ll know exactly when you need to work and when you can relax if you make a plan. Attempt to strike the ideal balance between business and pleasure. Too much fun will make you less productive at work, and too much work isn’t always enjoyable.
Working during the holidays isn’t ideal, but a beautiful view could make it worthwhile and keep you motivated. When on vacation, the last thing you want is to be stuck in a hotel with a view of the next building. Before making a final selection on where to go, do some research to ensure that you get the correct accommodation or chalet.
Although free internet access has become a typical feature at most holiday places, daily usage may be restricted. If you intend to work while on vacation, check with the resort or hotel to see if the WiFi is uncapped and if it isn’t, be aware of the additional expenses. Consider purchasing data for your phone or modem instead, so you may continue to work while on vacation.
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Use the Time Difference to your Advantage
To balance the time when I work in front of the screen in a sitting position, I always choose activities engaging the body. The last two months I spent working and traveling around Thailand. Because of the time difference, I usually started my professional duties around 2 PM, so the morning was a time to explore this fantastic country.
I’ve been waking up around 6:30 AM and doing some sport – yoga, trail running, or bike riding. It was a perfect time for such activities because the temperature was relatively mild. Every week, I planned at least two things requiring physical activity: sightseeing by walking, jungle and mountain trekkings, rock climbing, or kitesurfing. But my favorite one was an incredible day in an elephant sanctuary near Chiang Mai.
Most so-called elephant sanctuaries in Thailand are immoral places. Local “businessmen” use those majestic animals to earn money on tourism.. As I strongly value sustainable traveling, I did broad research to find a place that really cares about its enormous pupils’ well-being. Finally, I found a sanctuary that rescues elephants from the hands of people who beat and enslave them.
The day in this elephant sanctuary was one of these I’ll never forget. First, I took a 1-hour walk with two elephants. Later, together with his caregiver, we prepared food pieces and feed them. Then it was time to wash the elephants in the river nearby. The last part of this adventure was river rafting, which was more exciting than I expected!
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You Don’t Have to Go Far to Have a Workation
A workation fuses work with a vacation during a quick holiday getaway. The concept grew more popular when the pandemic forced most employees into a remote working setup. During that period, individuals and families also learned to cherish their time together more.
And because of this, when the restrictions ease, families begin planning for more outings and strive to make things work for members who have work on those days. They prioritize searching for places that also offer a fast and reliable internet connection. This way, remote workers can enjoy family time (or a holiday with friends) and still perform their professional duties.
Workations can also be as plain as choosing to work in a coffee shop instead of staying at home or visiting your grandparents for a day and bringing work with you! But if you’re that family member or pal who has to work while holidaying, make your workation exciting by picking the correct lodging type, such as a condo or a rental house. These properties include the amenities you may need (including the workstation) while working away from home. Then, during meetings, go to a distraction-free location to carry on with work as usual.
Also, strategically place your activities during downtimes at work or when you have the flexibility to leave for a couple of minutes. You can also use your lunch, and short coffee breaks to enjoy the vacation like everyone else. So hop on that banana boat, go island hopping and snorkeling, or enjoy talking with the rest of the group. But don’t go drinking yet! Wait until you finish your shift before fully enjoying the rest of your vacation.
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Get a Coffee
I love finding local, niche cafes where I can sit at for a coffee. Oftentimes, I’ll scout the neighborhood I’m staying in and then go there the next morning for my morning cup of coffee. I like to sit in, try a few drinks, relax with the local ambiance, people watch, and just enjoy the experience of having a morning coffee in another city, state, or country.
It’s a great way to start the day, can be done quickly, and gets me ready to do work, go to meetings or travel. It’s one of my favorite things to do while I’m on a ‘workation’.
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