Workations Explained: What, Where, How, and Why

Are you looking for a way to combine work and travel?

Workations might be the perfect solution. Workations allow you to explore new places while still getting your work done. You can experience different cultures, meet new people, and enjoy all that each destination has to offer – without sacrificing productivity or missing out on important tasks.

But is it feasible? Can it work for you? Let’s take a closer look at what a workation really means.

What Are Workations?

With a workation, you get the best of both worlds – the freedom of travel with the convenience of working from home. You don’t have to worry about taking time off from your job or finding someone else to cover for you while you’re away; instead, pack up your laptop and hit the road!

This could look like taking a week-long trip to an exotic destination and spending your days working from a beachfront café or hopping on a plane for a month-long stay in another country, while still managing projects back at home.

In today’s world, many people are trying to figure out what work-life balance can and should be like. Truly, it can sometimes feel like work is never-ending or that you need to take a break from it all. But vacation time is limited and quitting your job or taking a sabbatical might not be an option.

That’s where workations come in—they are the perfect way to mix work and leisure. Let’s dive into what is a workation and how you can make the most of it. 

A workation is a combination of work and vacation; it involves traveling to an exciting destination while continuing to work remotely in your new setting.

It allows you to explore a new place with the convenience of having your regular job right there with you. You don’t have to worry about taking vacation time or dealing with the stress of having no income coming in while on vacation.

It’s also an opportunity for people who are self-employed or freelancers because they don’t have access to paid vacation days like those who are employed by larger companies do.             

Where Are the Best Places To Go for a Workation?

For those looking to enjoy a workation, many excellent places around the world make for great destinations. Here is a list of some of the best places to go for a workation (each offering excellent digital nomad communities and a stable internet connection, which is key!)

1. Thailand:

With its beautiful beaches, modern cityscapes, and very affordable cost of living, Thailand has become one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads. Bangkok is particularly attractive with its thriving tech scene, modern co-working spaces, and good infrastructure.

It’s important to note that Thailand’s timezone is GMT+7, which may make it more challenging to connect with clients in Europe or North America. 

2. Hungary:

Hungary provides a unique cultural experience as well as convenient access to digital nomads from all over Europe – particularly since it uses the Central European Time (CET) zone which aligns nicely with other European countries.

There are plenty of beautiful and historic sites to explore, such as the capital city of Budapest, and the country boasts excellent infrastructure for easy travel and exploring during a weekend break.

Hungary also has numerous coworking spaces in cities like Budapest, making it easy to find productive workspaces while on the road. Plus, its low cost of living makes it easy to stretch your budget while working remotely. 

3. Mexico:

Mexico is growing in popularity among digital nomads looking for a workation destination due to its easy access from the United States, its vibrant culture, and its welcoming people. The cost of living is also reasonably low in many parts of the country, making it an attractive option for those on a budget.

The nation has both modern cities and beautiful beach towns, so you can choose the type of workation that best suits your needs. Mexico’s time zone is also extremely convenient for U.S.-based digital nomads looking to stay in touch with colleges regularly.

4. Portugal:

Portugal, a popular vacation destination, has become increasingly popular among digital nomads thanks to its stunning scenery and vibrant culture that often offers something new around every corner.

Lisbon is a particularly attractive city for remote workers due to its abundance of coworking spaces and innovative tech hubs that offer inspiring environments for creative collaboration and productivity.

It’s also near the Western European Time (WET) zone which means it’s easy to sync up with North American clients during their regular business hours. 

5. Costa Rica:

Costa Rica offers an ideal scenario for workationers thanks to its natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere that make it perfect for chilling out after a hard day’s work or exploring during your downtime from home office duties.

Plus, many cities have great coworking spaces and reliable internet connections so you don’t have to worry about being disconnected from your team or clients back home during your stay here in this Central American paradise. 

6. Colombia:

Colombia offers all the amenities you might need as a digital nomad including good internet connections and plenty of great coworking spaces throughout major cities such as Bogota or Medellin – both of which provide exciting experiences within an incredibly diverse culture full of opportunities for learning new skills while exploring authentic local cuisine and stunning landscapes during off-hours from workations here in South America!

I’ve never been to Colombia but am mentally already packing my bags!

How To Plan and Prepare for a Workation

It’s important to take a little bit of time to plan for your workation to make the most of your time away from the office.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Research your destination:

Investigate your chosen destination, including the cost of living, local laws and customs, available coworking spaces, and any other information that you will need to ensure a safe and successful workation.

2. Create a communication plan:

Make sure you have access to reliable internet connections in your workation spot so you can stay connected to your team and clients back home.

3. Create a budget:

You should create a budget that takes into account the cost of living, transportation, and any other activities you plan on doing during your workation.

4. Plan for downtime:

Make sure you allow yourself enough time to explore your destination, relax and enjoy the culture during your workation.

5. Consider the time zone:

If you need to stay in sync with clients or team members in other parts of the world, then consider choosing a destination that allows for an easy transition between different time zones.

Benefits of Taking a Workation

Workations offer the opportunity to explore new places, cultures, and experiences while still being able to maintain your professional obligations.

Here are three of the top benefits of taking a workation:

1. Improved Productivity:

Working in different environments can help increase creativity and focus which can lead to greater productivity levels than when working at home or in the office.

2. Better Mental Health:

Taking time away from your routine can help reduce stress levels as well as give you time to reset mentally so that you return feeling refreshed and energized.

3. Better Work-Life Balance:

A workation allows you to enjoy all the advantages of traveling without having to take too much time off from your job responsibilities since you’ll be able to stay connected through technology during your trip. This means that you don’t have to sacrifice your career goals just because you want some vacation time!

Challenges of Taking a Workation

Of course, when considering taking a working vacation, it’s important to consider what challenges might arise.

Here are three of the top challenges of taking a workation:

1. Limited Wifi Access:

Even though technology allows us to stay connected while working remotely, limited wifi access can be a challenge in certain locations, making it difficult to complete tasks or communicate with team members and clients back home.

You’ll want to do your research ahead of time to make sure you can stay connected and effective in your work.

2. Language Barriers:

If you are unfamiliar with the language of your workation destination, this could lead to communication issues if people don’t speak your language or understand what you are saying.

Learning a few basic phrases can be a good way to start!

3. Time Zone Differences:

Working from a different time zone than your team or clients can make coordination more difficult as well as create delays in response times due to having incompatible schedules at different parts of the day.

Make sure to communicate your availability beforehand so you’re teammates and clients know when you will be available for calls and collaborative work.

Tips on Making the Most Out of Your Workations

The key to making the most out of your workation is balance.

If you spend too much time working, then it isn’t really a vacation anymore, but if you spend too much time sightseeing, then you won’t get any of your actual job done either!

Try setting yourself up for success by planning out which activities you’d like to do each day and how much time you plan on dedicating to both leisure activities and your job responsibilities during that day.

This will help ensure that both aspects of the trip get equal attention so that neither one suffers at the expense of the other.

Additionally, try setting yourself up in advance by getting ahead on deadlines before leaving for your trip so that when it comes time to do some work while away, there won’t be any major surprises waiting for you when you return home.

And sometimes this balance looks like packing some snacks and writing emails on the plane 🙂 There’s glamor in that too, friends!

My Experience Taking a Workation

As an avid traveler, I enjoy being able to combine remote work and travel. I recently took a workation to Portugal and it was an incredible experience.

I managed to visit some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, while still being able to stay connected with my team back home and remain productive.

Though there were some challenges with the timezone, I was able to make it work by communicating my availability and being proactive about setting meetings at times that worked for everyone.

Workations offer an amazing opportunity for travelers looking for something different than just another traditional vacation—the chance to combine travel with remote working!

By properly balancing enough leisure activities alongside their job duties, these travelers can achieve an ideal balance between relaxation and productivity.

Whether self-employed or employed by someone else, planning is essential for making sure that everyone gets what they need from their workation experience – whether that be peace and quiet or professional development – without sacrificing one aspect over another! 

So if you’re looking for a unique way to explore a new place while still being productive at work, why not give a workation a try?