Call it a workation, a vacation or whatever you want, the pandemic has led to a surge in the popularity of travel that combines work and pleasure. Some proponents of workations believe it's great for boosting morale. Others believe that combining work and vacation can lead to burnout. If you feel like traveling again and want to combine a sales meeting with a tour of the Acropolis, make the most of your time here. Here are 3 tips for a successful warcation.
1. Disable completely
In the fight against information overload, exacerbated by the pandemic and dependence on screens, it is important to take the time to switch off completely. Don't be fooled by the sense of false progress. If we put off important tasks by opening every email as it arrives, we're cheating our brains. It triggers the same response we get when we perform an important task.
2. Schedule longer time blocks to explore
To really make the most of your time, it is best not to steal hours here and there, but book a full day or at least half a day of vacation. Work involves your responsible, strategic, intelligent mature mind. To reap the cognitive benefits of the leisure aspect of your trip, try to remember what you liked to do as a child, identify the most important aspect and find the adult version approached with childlike wonder. If you loved to build as a kid, you could discover an amazing engineering feat in a new city. If you liked adventure, rent a bike and get lost in a new place.
3. Plan ahead
Reduce mental strain and potential pressure on productivity by packing well (including portable chargers and a backup hotspot), sending detailed transfers to colleagues at home and making sure you have everything you need have with you.
