A workation is a combination of the words “work” and “vacation”. It refers to taking a break from your usual place of work, while working remotely from another location (usually with added elements of leisure). Since workations allow remote workers to travel without having to take time off, they have become very popular, with over 74% of remote workers in America stating they considered taking one in 2021.
There are different types of workations: short-term, medium-term, and long-term, with some being taken in solo, and some in groups. While some workations insist more on the ‘work’ part, others are more about having fun while still working on some tasks here and there.
To help you prepare for your workation, and ensure it will be an enjoyable experience that fits your needs, we listed below what to keep in mind as you plan.
1. How much of your workation is for fun, and how much of it is for work?
It’s very important to know the purpose of your workation, and what percentages of it will be dedicated for work as opposed to leisure. Once that is clear, list the tasks and projects you will focus on, and specify on your shared calendar what times you will be working and what times you won’t be. Not only will this help you manage your time, but it will also help you align with your team on your availability.
2. When will you be working synchronously, and when will you be working asynchronously?
In remote settings, communication between colleagues can be either synchronous (through a video call, or instant messaging on Slack), or asynchronous (emails, comments on Google docs). While the first happens in real-time, the latter does not - coworkers respond in their own time.
Before you take your workation, you need to know when you will be working synchronously, and when you will be working asynchronously with your team, in order to avoid any misunderstanding. This is crucial if your place of stay has a different timezone than your place of residence, and if your team counts heavily on calls. As you brief your team on your availability during workation, align with them at appropriate times to have calls.
Tip: Set your time zone and work hours on Aion, so that they will always be on display for your team.
Our team's timezones in summer 2022
3. Is the length of your stay enough?
Settling into a new place, exploring a new city, and spending quality time with loved ones, all take time. Even if your workation is more work-focused, it should be long enough to give you the time to settle, and do the activities you want to do. Avoid having stays that only last for a few days, and try to aim for at least for 2-3 weeks, depending on where you want to go.
4. What will be your dedicated workspace?
Whether you’re visiting family in a familiar location or traveling to another country, make sure you know beforehand what your dedicated workspace will be. It should be a place with all you need to work comfortably, such as good connectivity, and a comfortable setup.
Be careful as some countries tend to have an overall lower quality of Internet connection, and some properties of rent are not always reliable concerning connectivity. A good idea would be to look up what the internet is like in the country you’re staying in, and to read reviews for the place you want to rent. As workations are gaining popularity, there are now Airbnb descriptions that let you know if they are work friendly.
Karma, our Marketing Executive, recently went on a workation in Alicante, Spain.
5. If you have workation companions, how are their travel and work styles?
People have different preferences when it comes to both work and travel. If you’re going on a workation with a group, as you plan your trip, make sure you all share your plans, goals, and what you expect to do during your time there. This will help you avoid conflicting schedules and any potential tensions.
For example, if your companions want to go on a tour on a day you want to work on, you can plan ahead whether you would rather keep working from your dedicated workspace, or if you would prefer to join them and work from a coffee shop (or any other interesting place, like the beach!). Aligning proactively gives you enough time to find work-friendly places.
6. Are the tasks you will not be working on properly handed over to your colleagues?
If your workation emphasizes more the vacation side, and you won’t be working on some of your usual tasks, you will need to hand over your workload to your team. A handover helps you disconnect, and ensures your team stays on track with no work progress getting lost.
Our handover template helps you organize and delegate tasks to your team. Download it today to make the process easier!
Workations are one of the many benefits of remote and flexible work. Their popularity comes as no surprise, as they give people the chance to both work and have a change of scenery. We hope our list helped you plan out your upcoming workation. For more content about flexible work, sign up to our newsletter today.