Let’s face it, working a 9 to 5 in an unchanging scenery gets boring. The same people, plants, and decorations every day can drain the excitement out of your work life – especially if you work from home. Of course, you can go on vacation for a week or two, but is it really enough to break out of the routine? Imagine that this could change, and your job could get a little bit spiced up. Interested? That’s where workations come into play.
What is workation?
As the name suggests, workation is a combination of work and vacation. It allows you to switch up your regular working space for something entirely different by mixing traveling with working remotely.
The trend has its roots in the increasing availability of remote work opportunities and the growing desire for a better work-life balance. In many companies, “work from home” turned into “work from anywhere” so people started to take advantage of that. Some companies even introduced a workation benefit for their employees.
The benefits of workation
Sounds amazing, right? What makes it even better is that it’s not just a trend with no value. From increased productivity to better work-life balance, workation offers a lot to the table. Let’s delve into workation benefits further!
Workation boosts productivity
Changing the scenery of your work can help you get much more productive than at your regular desk. According to a survey conducted by Passport Photo Online, 86% of employees agree or strongly agree a workation boosted their productivity.
Workations increase productivity by eliminating the monotony and familiarity of traditional work settings. Surrounding yourself with fresh sights, sounds, and experiences naturally stimulates the mind, leading to much higher motivation for work.
Enhanced creativity
Breaking the monotony leads to more innovative ideas, which can significantly help you in your work.
Kimberly Elsbach, a professor at the University of California, explains that “creativity and innovation happen when people change their environment, and especially when they expose themselves to a nature-like environment. So staying inside in the same location is detrimental to creative thinking”.
The effect? On workation, you can get much more creative than in your regular workspace.
Increased well-being
A study by Mastura Ab Wahab and Ekrem Tatoglu highlights the importance of finding a balance between productivity goals and individual well-being. The authors explain that flexible work arrangements – like workations – play a crucial role in mediating the impact of chasing productivity demands on well-being.
Working from different locations or adjusting working hours helps increase well-being without any drop in productivity. Additionally, being able to spend your free time where and how you want to is highly beneficial to your overall well-being.
Better work-life balance
For many, it’s hard to find the time to relax while working from home. It can be challenging to separate work and personal life as the boundaries between the two become blurred.
On a workation, people usually shift their mindset and are more eager to vacation-like activities after working hours. Exploring new surroundings or meeting new people helps reduce stress levels, recharge mental and physical energy, and provide a much-needed break from work-related pressures.
It’s the perfect cure for burnout
Of course, workations should not be seen as a solution to chronic burnout or a substitute for comprehensive well-being strategies. But – they can serve as a powerful tool in preventing and managing burnout. In fact, 8 in 10 employees claim taking a workation helped them cope with burnout.
Why is that? Often, the main reason for burnout is exposure to high levels of stress, excessive work demands, and the lack of proper rest. Dealing with negative emotions connected to work is much easier with a better work-life balance, increased well-being, and better work performance – and workations offer all these benefits.
Are there any downfalls?
Like everything, workation is not all perfect. While workations offer numerous benefits, it’s important to acknowledge the potential challenges of the trend. Here are some of the main cons of workations:
- You might meet some communication problems with coworkers who work at the office. Whether it’s the different time zone or unreliable communication tools, you might accounter some delays in response, leading to a more problematic collaboration.
- Workations usually last longer than a regular vacation. This means leaving your home, friends, and everything else you’re used to for much longerthan usual. It requires stepping outside of one’s comfort zone and embracing a new environment. While for some, that sounds exciting, for many, this might be extremely challenging.
- You must be prepared that going on workation requires you to spend some more money than usual. Accommodation, travel, workspace arrangements, and after-work activities all contribute to the increased costs.
So – is it worth it?
While some drawbacks are inevitable, workations offer a lot of benefits. It’s a great way to enhance your work performance while also getting a lot of positive changes in your personal life. From increased productivity and creativity to improved work-life balance and personal growth, workations provide a unique opportunity to remote workers.
How to Overcome Burnout and Thrive?(Opens in a new browser tab)
Embracing the advantages of workations can lead to a more fulfilling, balanced, and successful professional and personal journey, so it’s surely something to consider and discuss with your employer.
Martyna Inkielman
Martyna Inkielman is a content writer at PhotoAiD. She enjoys writing about traveling and social media. In her free time, Martyna can be found exploring new cuisines, painting, or taking analog photos.
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