Workation: The Definition, Tips, and More
Table of Contents
A term that emerges as the “normal” of the new world: Workation. It is actually a working approach that brings work and vacation together. This term, which initially did not fit the traditional understanding of work and vacation, is now the lifestyle of many employees.
The freedoms and responsibilities provided to employees have also changed with the development of the remote working style. Workation is a new phenomenon that has entered our lives with the liberation of working environments.
In this article, we want to explain to you what we know about workation. First of all, we will focus on the meaning of the term work. Next, we will have a closer look at the workation and look at its types, advantages, disadvantages, and eligible countries, respectively. We will also discuss how to plan a workation and essential points to pay attention to.
Let’s plan your workation!
What Is Workation?
Workation is simply a combination of vacation and work. It refers to both leisure time and working time. It means you can take a break while working because it is an out-of-office working style.
Since Workation is a new term that has just entered our lives, it is unclear exactly how much "work" it contains. How long do you need to work productively? Should you have working hours like in the office? Do you really need to travel constantly? The answer to all these questions is not very clear and can change depending on your style.
Perhaps we can define workation in the most general sense: A large part of the time devoted to work during a vacation. Fair enough.
Types of Workation
We can’t say that all workations are the same. It is clear that different shapes and sizes of workations are possible. If we need to limit the workations in general, we can examine them in three groups:
#1
Short-Term Workation
It is a type of workation that covers several days of work. You can think of it like weekend breaks or two-to-three-day weekday trips.
Short-term workation usually includes trips close to your home, like destinations where you can go by train for a few hours or a short flight.
#2
Medium-Term Workation
Medium-term workation refers to a period of at least a few weeks. Travels lasting one month are also included in the scope of medium-term workation.
For example, someone living in Paris might prefer to rest and spend two or three weeks on the Amalfi Coast, Italy.
#3
Long-Term Workation
When it comes to workation, it is the long-term work that usually comes to mind. In the long-term workation type, employees are expected to settle down temporarily. And while long-term workation takes at least a few months, it can sometimes take several years.
You may need a special permit or visa for long-term workation depending on your destination. As workation has become popular lately, many countries are issuing remote work visas.
The Advantages of a Workation
An effective workation can bring many benefits to your work and private life. In addition to psychological relaxation, it also contributes to productive and quality work.
In this part of the article, we will list the advantages of workation.
Improved Staff Retention
Employees who are healthy and peaceful in their job are less likely to quit. Employees, whether digital nomads, freelancers or remote workers, and self-employed, will hardly think of leaving their jobs if they happily work where they work.
In addition, improved staffing enables companies to save money and deal with hiring less.
Business Quality Improvement
Thanks to Workation, you can also increase the quality of your work. You can produce better work in an environment that is more relaxed and free from pressure, stress, and distractions.
Increased Creativity
Creating your working environment will also increase your creativity. Keeping distractions to a minimum will push you.
For example, instead of boring and ordinary furniture, you can create an environment where you can be in touch with nature. Or working in a place where there are works of art that increase your creativity will improve you.
Increasing Efficiency
Increasing employees’ productivity is significant as it will increase the company’s profits. Apart from the disciplined work environment in the office, research has proven that remote workers are more productive.
Working remotely eliminates many factors that cause physical and psychological fatigue while commuting to work. You can also work more efficiently in your own space instead of in a stressful and distracting work environment.
The Disadvantages of a Workation
Of course, workation has disadvantages as well as advantages. The mix of work and private life, lack of work-related resources, and other problems can be seen among the disadvantages of workation.
Let’s look at these disadvantages in more detail.
Away From Office Amenities
Home comfort is an environment that many employees desire. But while working at home, you may not be able to reach many of the things you need easily, such as computer software, a strong internet network, a printer, and office supplies.
When you don’t have access to what you need, it can lead to reduced efficiency and productivity.
Uncertainty of Work-Life Balance
As the boundaries in your business and private life disappear, these two concepts lose meaning. Are you working while on vacation? Or take a break from work and take a vacation? Not exactly both anymore.
While working remotely, some people do not stay outside of their designated working hours and stick to their breaks even. On the other hand, most remote workers integrate their work life into their home life. While this situation harms private life, it also leads to a decrease in productivity at work.
How To Create a Work-Life Balance
Work Permits and Visas
Countries that issue visas for touristic purposes do not recognize the right to work. It may also be difficult for you to work abroad due to legal procedures.
On the other hand, many countries support remote work and issue a remote work visas for it. As time passes, it is expected that the remote work visa will become widespread, and acceptance rates will increase.
Taxation
One of the legal problems is taxation. Where do you have to pay taxes when doing long-term work abroad? The country where your company is or where you live?
We can say that the legal process related to taxation is quite complex. There may also be changes depending on your company and your work. We strongly recommend that you research the taxation rules before traveling.
The Best Countries for a Workation
If you have become familiar with the concept of workation and are thinking of continuing, let’s start thinking about which country you want to go to first!
Before you choose where you’ll go, you should consider some factors when choosing the country where we will be doing your workation:
- Whether you need a special visa or permit
- Ease of access to your destination
- How much money you need
- Whether there are any different commitments or procedures
You can also choose the most suitable location based on your personal preferences. Common traits that remote workers typically look for include:
- Low cost of living
- A strong internet network
- A peaceful and quiet area
Countries Issuing Remote-Work Visas
The number of countries that issue remote-work visas is increasing day by day. Digital nomads, remote workers, or self-employed professionals can apply for a remote-work visa.
Note that the requirements for a remote work visa include proof of income and a minimum salary expectation. We recommend that you check up-to-date information before submitting your visa application.
Some of the countries that issue remote work visas are as follows:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Anguilla
- Aruba
- Australia
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Brazil
- Cabo Verde
- Cayman Islands
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Curaçao
- Czech Republic
- Dominica
- Dubai
- Estonia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Iceland
- Jamaica
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Montserrat
- Norway
- Portugal
- Seychelles
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Taiwan
- The Bahamas
Tips for a Successful Workation
Here are some questions and tips that will help you make your decision.
Can You Adapt to Workation?
The first thing you need to decide is whether you can do a workation trend. If you're already used to remote working, workation will probably suit you.
Can you keep up with working in different time zones? If strong internet access is sufficient for you, and you have flexible hours, you can work from anywhere. After all, this is a working vacation!
On the other hand, workation is definitely not the same as working from your own home. You sometimes may not adapt to a workspace other than your own safe space. If you're thinking of trying the workation, I suggest you also review the following questions.
Is Your Priority Work or Vacation?
Before you take a workation, you should decide what you want. Is your goal to do your job in a new place? Or do you want to take a little vacation while working?
If you choose which part of the workation you want to focus on, other problems will be shaped according to your choice. For example, will it be enough for you to go around during your off hours, free time, and on the weekends, or would you consider taking a few days off to take a little more vacation?
If you decide from the beginning what kind of work you want, you can spend your time more enjoyable.
Where Do You Want to Travel?
Now that you've chosen your work style, it's time to decide your vacation area, where, and how far you want to go. A few hours' drive or somewhere abroad where you'll be crossing the ocean? Do you want to live on an island?
It will also be easy for you to take your belongings to a place within walking distance of your car. You can also save money by spending less money on transportation. It will also be easy for you to return to your home and office in case of any problem.
We recommend choosing the right place according to your time and the items you want to take.
How Close Would You Like to Be to Vacation Attractions?
Even if you prioritize work during workation, you must decide how close you want to be to the resorts. Would you like to be close to tourist and historical places? Do you want to visit a museum or gallery when you're done?
On the other hand, do you prefer a quiet cottage or a beach house? For example, you may want to stay in a seaside bungalow within walking distance of a market.
The answer to these questions will actually be the answer to where you want to live.
What Kind of Workation Do You Prefer?
Perhaps one of the most challenging decisions is choosing the type of workation. Short-term, medium-term, and long-term workation, which is ideal for you?
In general, remote workers prefer to do workation for at least one month and a maximum of one year. You can determine the duration of the study according to your responsibilities. If you have children and they go to school, your workation could be for a week or on the weekend.
At this point, we recommend that you do at least a few weeks of practice. At least you will have time to get used to your destination and explore it.
Where Would You Like to Stay? House or Hotel?
Next up is to choose where you want to stay. After deciding how many days you will stay in which region, you can choose the perfect place for you.
If you are planning short-term work, a hotel in the city center may be more suitable. On the other hand, if you have a long-term workation plan, you can rent a house for more privacy. In this way, you can shape your work environment according to you.
Where Will the Workspace Be?
While deciding where to live, you will look for an answer to the current question. What kind of workspace do you need? A kitchen and workroom can be perfect for long-term workation.
It isn't easy to work and eat in one bed in a hotel room. Also, a small hotel room may not be enough for you to work and live. You should decide what kind of workspace you want to avoid such problems.
Is There an Internet Connection?
The most important thing for someone working remotely will probably be an internet connection. You may want to work in a quiet place away from the city center. But if the internet access is weak, this will be a big problem for your business.
We highly recommend that you check out the reviews to see if there is a strong internet connection where you want to stay. People who have visited there before will make the most accurate comment. You can see reviews on apps like Airbnb or Booking.com.
Are There Any Other Amenities You Want?
There are many details to consider when choosing where you want to stay for Workation. To not drown in these details and not feel absent when you go there, you should do the planning correctly.
For example, a laundromat can make your job easier when you're at long-term work. Luxury amenities such as a pool and jacuzzi can provide relaxation and enjoyment. Perhaps having a fireplace in a chalet you rent can enliven the work environment.
To spend productive and creative work, we recommend adding some extra opportunities to your list to make you happy.
Will You Share Your Workspace With Your Travel Partner?
You can work alone or with a friend or partner. We recommend you talk beforehand to avoid difficulties while sharing the workspace and routine.
For example, you can spend time with a friend with whom you share the same work routine, from breakfast to after-work walks. On the other hand, you may prefer a place with different study rooms as it will be challenging to work in the same space with someone whose work routine is entirely different.
Conclusion
Bringing work and vacation together, workation is one of the most enjoyable ways to balance work and private life and to increase motivation and productivity.
In this article, we’ve tried to reveal a general meaning of workation. We’ve discussed the types of workation, its advantages, and its disadvantages. We’ve also listed some countries that issue remote work visas and gave tips for good workation. Hope all this helps.
We hope everyone can experience workation to bring a different breath to the remotely working lives that have become boring and mundane.
Frequently Asked Questions for Workation
Is Workation a good idea?
If you are already working remotely, it can be perfect for getting out of your home, experiencing different things, and changing the environment. Taking a vacation and working at the same time can refresh your business and private life.
Sometimes we don’t realize how overwhelmed we are when we are in a routine, and the flow of that routine negatively affects our abilities, motivation, and productivity. Workation will be very good for you to increase your performance.
Why is Workation important?
Workation increases employee creativity and productivity. This allows the performance of employees and the quality and quantity of jobs to improve. It will increase the employees’ satisfaction and ensure permanence in the workplace.
What do you need for a Workation?
The primary needs of remote workers are usually a good computer and a strong internet connection. By taking these needs into the foreground, you can decide how long you want to live in a place.
You can go a few hours away and rent a hotel or house. The critical thing in workation is that it is a place that will allow you to take a vacation and rest while continuing to work remotely.
Why do companies send employees on Workations?
Workation is a work style that combines work and vacation. It is done to increase the employees’ productivity and loyalty to their company. Because the increase in personnel satisfaction also provides an increase in business income. For this reason, many companies that work remotely organize workation for teams to come together and build team spirit.
What is the meaning of a work vacation?
In its most general sense, it means doing work and vacation together. Whether you prioritize work or vacation is up to you. A work style generally suited to remote workers, digital nomads, freelancers, and self-employed. Increases productivity for those working from anywhere with a strong internet connection. It provides work-life balance and improves personnel retention.
How long is a Workation?
The length of the workation depends entirely on your preferences. You can devote as much time to workation as you want.
In general, workation is divided into three types: short-term, medium-term, and long-term workation. Short-term work refers to a weekend break or short trips for a few days during the week. Medium-term work, on the other hand, covers several weeks or, at most, a month. Long-term work also covers several months or one year.
You can determine the duration of the workation according to your conditions and needs.
What do you wear for Workation?
You don’t need to prepare a holiday suitcase for workation. More basic and home clothes may be enough. During workation, employees usually spend their working hours with sportswear. You can also get stylish clothes to wear while on vacation or touring the surroundings.
On the other hand, working with a housedress and sportswear can make you feel sleepy and tired. Instead, being neat and well-groomed, even when working from home, can help you focus on work.
How do you do a successful workation?
The most important way to be successful in Workation and make the program work is to distinguish between work and vacation.
First of all, decide whether you can adapt to the work and whether your working style is suitable for it. Afterward, plan carefully and in detail the duration of the work, the distance you will travel, where you want to stay, your needs, the workspace, and the internet connection. We also recommend that you set out the extra facilities and expenses you might like at the beginning.
After planning the work well, it is up to you to adapt to professionalism and routine.
How much does a Workation cost?
Workation cost varies according to preferences. The workation cost is determined according to the distance, accommodation, co working spaces costs, duration of the work, extra facilities you want, food and beverage expenses, and other personal expenses.
For example, if the place you choose for workation is close to your home, you can save a lot of travel expenses. If you rent a house rather than a hotel and cook your meals in your kitchen, you will spend a lot less money than if you eat out all the time. In short, whether the workation is expensive or cheap is entirely up to your preferences. If you’re going to apply for digital nomad visas, you should also consider the visa application costs.