Some could say it is a symbol of our modern, digitized times. People no longer seem to value what is around them but what is on the web. Or that work becomes the primary goal, and we forget how to relax and enjoy ourselves. Workation
But that could be a false statement.
You see, if you only get 10 days off at work and still want to travel, you need to find a workaround. And that’s what a workation is – combining travel and work.
Workations should not be considered a replacement for a standard sit-and-do-nothing vacation. Instead, a workation is a supplementation, or even the extension, of the days off we normally get at work.
And there are some interesting things that make workations stand out.
Can the internet be the main factor for a workation destination?
Let’s cut to the case.
In a study conducted by Passport-Photo.Online of 1,000 Americans they found that for 65% of them, the internet is the number one priority when choosing accommodation.
Contrary to that, the proximity to local attractions matters to only 28% of workationers.
Things such as health, a comfortable place to work, or flexibility to cancel were rated higher than the chance to sightsee.
That makes sense.
After all, the primary goal of workations is to let you do your job, just from a different location.
A workation may happen right around your block
Do Americans actually explore the world, or rather just move to another close-by city?
And here is the point where you need to tone down your internal Columbus. Based on the same research, only 18% of workationers choose to travel to other countries.
It turns out we want to stay within our home country, and eight out of 10 Americans workation domestically. Moreover, over half of the respondents admit they stay within their home state.
Does it mean workationers have no sense of adventure?
The study considered workation trends from 2020 to 2021, so the peak time of pandemics. Not being able to fly abroad, strict restrictions, and health concerns, could have played a crucial role in workation decision-making.
A workation is no weekend get-away
Here comes one of the key distinguishing characteristics of workations.
They can last a week, two, three weeks, or even longer. And they usually do.
A workation, quite literally, means taking your work for holidays. The downside is that you have to work too but the upside is that you are not limited by the days off.
Let me walk you through what Passport-Photo. Online found in their study.
The majority (68%) of U.S. workationers allocate between one to four weeks to such work holidays. For 20%, workations can last longer than a full month.
And here is why that’s important.
Having an opportunity to get away from the day-to-day routine helps people mentally. A full 67% of Americans pointed out workations allow them to recharge their mental and emotional batteries.
For 62%, a change of scenery prevents them from feeling stuck in one place. Over half of Americans see workations as an escape from routine.
If you run a company, let your employees take workations
And “why would I do that?”, you may ask. Apart from personal benefits, workations also seem to be a great booster for one’s professional capabilities.
What Passport-Photo.Online found is that workationers not only feel relaxed mentally, but they also experience a creativity boost. Roughly eight out of 10 people surveyed admit that having an opportunity to combine rest and work makes them more creative.
But it gets better.
Over 85% notice a boost in productivity. A similar amount feels more satisfied with their job. An astonishing 83% agree that a workation helps deal with work-related burnout.
Lastly, a whopping 69% of workationers are less likely to quit after work-holidays.
Workation – where’s the catch?
Here’s something we can both agree on – all coins have two sides, and things should be no different with workations, correct?
The thing is, not everyone can benefit from workations. A rather limited number of people workation in the first place, as it requires having a remote job.
Next, workations aren’t usually cheap. The high cost of living is considered the biggest turndown of work holidays. After all, in many cases, you need to be able to afford two places at the same time – your own apartment or house and your workation place.
And do not forget about the administrative challenges such as getting a visa, a work permit, or the hassle of doing your taxes from abroad.
Although a workation can be a great escape from one’s routine, it can also become an escape from one’s social circle. Loneliness during work holidays affects 18% of Americans. What fun is it to have freshly-squeezed orange juice while enjoying a beautiful sunset if there is no one to share that moment with?
Cheer up, and discover more about workations
The above paragraph might have been slightly demotivating. I get that.
But the truth is that the positive aspects of workations outweigh the negative ones by a wide margin.
See for yourself Why Workations Are All the Rave and get insight into all of the findings on the topic.
BIO: Adam Grucela, an SEO copywriter at Passport Photo Online. He truly feels passionate about learning how things work: from human behavior, the creation of galaxies, to breaks in his bicycle.