Workations are one of the latest travel trends, proving that it’s possible to combine work and a holiday, whether it’s in the UK or abroad. Think of it as an extension of hybrid working – instead of working from home, you’re working from your chosen holiday destination. As long as you’re organized that balance of work and relaxation means you can reap the benefits, like an increase in productivity, enhanced creativity, and improved wellbeing.
Strike the perfect balance of work and leisure time when you take a workation with friends and family. With steady wifi, your laptop and dedication it’s easily achievable. Take a temporary escape from the norm and turn it into a chance to reconnect with your loved ones, to relax and recharge while still maintaining your professional responsibilities.
If you already work hybrid and your employers are in agreement, you can enjoy a workation anytime, anywhere. Make sure it’s realistic and practical – you might need to consider IT security, data protection and that devices are covered on your insurance.
The benefits of working remotely from a holiday house are numerous, which is why workations are such a big thing these days. A new scene coupled with relaxed vibes guarantees so many feel good factors; here’s 10 of them:
Fresh Environment
We’ve all heard that saying – a change is as good as a rest, and it’s so true. It’s easy to get into a rut when you face the same four walls every day, it can make us feel down and we start longing for a break from the same-old-same-old. A workation takes you away to a new scene, which can be uplifting, especially if you choose to stay somewhere close to nature, somewhere with peaceful countryside all around and breathtaking views.
Enhanced Creativity
This follows on from being in a fresh environment. If you live in an urban environment, a workation by the beach or in the country gives you a huge break from the norm, a whole new perspective. The tranquility, the birdsong, far reaching views, lush fields and woodlands, big open skies – it’s all bound to inspire and ignite your creativity. It also makes it easier to disconnect when you’ve finished work and properly enjoy yourself.
More Focus
Just that feeling of being somewhere different, having a break from your usual working routine, can give you more focus on the job in hand. You feel more relaxed, the pace slows down and if you usually work in an office, you don’t have the distraction of colleagues chatting and phones ringing. If you mostly work at home, the distraction of looking out of the window to see what’s going on and what the neighbours are doing is removed.
More Productivity
Enhanced creativity and more focus mean more productivity, that’s a no-brainer. The benefits of a workation have such a knock-on effect. Plan your work schedule well and stick to it, and you’ll be surprised at how much you get done, leaving you more time to unwind with your friends and family and make the most of your holiday home.
Improved Wellbeing
This is perhaps the biggest advantage of a workation. The new environment reduces stress, so it makes sense that as stress goes down, wellbeing goes up along with your productivity. Think views of the sea or over fields, and then there’s the great balance you’ll have between work and leisure, especially if you’re spending time with friends and family in a large holiday house with facilities like a swimming pool, hot tub, movie room and games room. More focused working hours, time to completely unwind when you close the laptop.
No Annual Leave Required
Workations don’t have to bite into your annual leave – crucial if you’re self-employed. As long as it’s all agreed with your employer, you just need to be disciplined. Planning and time management are key so set your work hours, schedule in meetings and catch-up calls with colleagues, then designate time for relaxation and stick to your schedule. Have defined boundaries for work and play and you’ll find you get more satisfaction from both.
Anytime, Anywhere
And here’s the beauty of a workation. Provided you’re not tied to meetings and seminars, you can take a workation any time of year, anywhere in the world – as long as there’s a reliable Wi-Fi connection and the devices you need, it can be done. Holidaying in the UK means you don’t have to think about time zones; being able to combine work with your holiday means you can take advantage of lower prices and less busy roads out of season or midweek, and you can snap up bargains on last minute deals.
Improved Job Satisfaction
Early studies suggest that workations improve job satisfaction. The flexible working is appreciated by employees, along with the fact that they are being fully trusted. The change of scene, the chance to spend time away with special people without taking annual leave, it all adds up to feeling contented with your job and your life.
Flexibility
If you’ve got the flexibility to work at home, you’re lucky. If you’ve got the flexibility to take a workation, you’re even luckier because it goes a long way to achieving a satisfactory work-life balance. You have to maintain a high level of commitment to your job and be completely trustworthy because the rewards are huge.
Time to Truly Relax
One of the best things about a workation is that you really do get time to truly relax. When you unplug for the day you can go off and enjoy yourself to the max. Go for a splash in the pool with the fam, thrash out a few rounds of table tennis in the games room, slip into the hot tub for a soothing soak, gather together for drinks and a feast, take yourselves off for a stroll across the fields, go to the local pub for dinner. It’s the biggest perk of all to be able to spend time with the people you love most in the world in a luxury large group holiday house. You really can keep up with your work and have fun when you take a workation, making amazing memories to boot.