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Since the pandemic, many of us have switched to remote or hybrid positions. This transition has completely changed the way people prioritize their work-life balance. Setting your own hours, completing household tasks during downtime, and spending more time with family have become commonplace during the work-from-home craze.
“People today really value workplace flexibility and remote work because it allows them to focus their energies on work and life as opposed to commuting or other complications due to geography,” points out Ken Matos, Vice President of Research, Life Meets Work.
Working on vacation is another habit that has become more common in recent years. Workers are choosing to take longer trips by dedicating time to work while away. Not having to take time off work to vacation is a major advantage, but it can also come with difficulties.
If you plan to work on your vacation this summer, here are some tips and tricks for managing your professional responsibilities while enjoying your time away from home.
Determine Your Job’s Needs
While working on vacation is never going to be ideal, there are times when we can’t get around it. Before you decide if you will be taking your laptop with you, consider if your team can get by without you for a week. If stepping away fully isn’t an option, it’s time to pack up your mobile office and get to work.
“Sometimes, decisions have to be made for the greater good in business. If you are a valued and important member of your team, stepping away fully isn’t going to be what’s best for you or your team members,” mentions Cody Candee, Founder and CEO of Bounce.
Communicate with your team ahead of time and work out what they can and can’t do without you. Try to offload as much work as you can onto willing team members and commit to being available during certain hours each day.
Determine Your Loved One’s Needs
If you are traveling with a partner, family, or friends, have a conversation with them ahead of time about your work plans. Make sure that they are comfortable with you having to step away to work while on your trip. Having these conversations ahead of time will help to avoid any disappointments on their part.
“Work-life balance is something everyone strives for but is oftentimes difficult to achieve. If you can find a way to create that balance, you are on your way to success,” points out Shelley Hancock, Chief Beauty Officer of Shelley Hancock Consulting.
If your loved ones express trepidation about you having to work on vacation, involve them in your planning process. You can decide together which hours are best for you to dedicate to work and which days you should use PTO.
Don’t Over Commit
It can be easy to commit to taking on multiple projects from the comfort of your home. You may think you’ll have enough downtime to focus on your work during vacation. However, this is far easier said than done. When you watch your entire family head off to the beach while you have to stay behind in your hotel room, you may start to feel differently.
“Never take on more work than you know you can accomplish. Ambition is great, but you have to know your limits,” suggests Richard Li, Co-Founder of July, a company that specializes in expandable luggage.
The key is to not over-commit yourself while away. Don’t take on any more work than you know you’ll be able to complete comfortably. You can even consider offloading some of your normal tasks to others on your team to free up some of your time.
Do As Much as Possible Before Your Trip
Try to get ahead as much as you can before jetting off on your trip. Depending on the nature of your job, you may be able to knock out quite a bit of work by putting in some overtime hours in the weeks leading up to your trip. You’ll be grateful you did it when you have extra time to spend by the pool.
“If you know you have to step away from the office for a period of time, try to take care of as many tasks as you are able to before you go. You want to do everything you can to set yourself and your team up for success,” says Marcus Hutsen, Business Development Manager of Patriot Coolers.
If you have to work the weekend before your trip to free up extra time that week, go ahead and do so. You’ll thank yourself later.
Tell Your Team When To Contact You
In the week before your trip, let the members of your team know when it’s okay to contact you. Set automatic out-of-office emails for those who don’t require immediate responses. Redirect their emails to someone else on the team until you come back.
“Communication is key for any successful business. If you have to step away from your team, make sure you are communicating with them while you are gone in addition to communicating when you will be unavailable,” suggests Andrew Chen, Chief Product Officer of Videeo.
Let your higher-ups and immediate team members know when you will be available for calls or to answer emails, especially if you are setting designated hours to work each day. Once you log off for the day, let your team know that you will not be available until the next day.
Choose Travel Times Strategically
Be strategic about your travel time when working during vacation. On one hand, you want to make sure you don’t have any important meetings while you are navigating busy airports and public transportation. On the other hand, the downtime time you’ll have on your flight will be the perfect chance for you to sneak in some extra work.
“Nowadays, you can work from just about anywhere. Public wifi, hotspots, and portable routers have made the workforce more flexible overall. You’d be wise to take advantage of this,” mentions Susan Kim Shaffer, President and Co-Founder of Pneuma Nitric Oxide.
On your travel days, clear your calendar of meetings and let coworkers know that you may not be immediately available on the day. Purchase in-flight wifi and plan to get some work done on your flight.
Set Aside Time and Space for Work
When you get to your destination, scope out a dedicated workspace. This will help you stay focused when you’re working. It can be all too easy to get distracted by the fanfare surrounding a long-awaited trip. This is especially true if you are traveling with kids.
“Try to find a workspace that is free from distractions while working on the road. Traveling for work is never comfortable, but with the right tools and preparation, you can set up the perfect workspace from just about anywhere,” says Seth Besse, CEO of Undivided.
If you are in a hotel, check and see if there is a business area where you can go and work in peace. If you’re renting a house, try and book one that has enough space for you to set up an office. Bonus points if you have an office space with a view.
Check for Internet Access
This should go without saying, but you need to make sure you have reliable access to the internet. Even if your hotel or rental says it has wifi, it’s still wise to have a backup option. You don’t want to get caught in a situation where you can’t be online when you need to be.
“If you are working on vacation, you need to prepare for anything. Dodgy wifi is something you have to expect if you are going to a remote location. Make sure you have all the tools you need to complete your work while traveling,” suggests Colby Schmidt, Founder of Coursology.
Travel with a fire stick or other portable wifi option to ensure you won’t have issues getting internet access. You can also adjust your cell phone plan to include a mobile hotspot if you don’t already have access to one.
Set On/Off Hours
Try not to get too caught up in working while you are on vacation. You want to make sure you have plenty of time to relax with your family and friends. Try to set limits on how much you’ll work each day to create balance.
“It’s important to allow yourself some downtime if you are working on a vacation. After all, you are there to have fun, and there is no reason not to enjoy yourself. It can be all too easy to get wrapped up in a project, but make sure to take time to recharge so you can return from vacation refreshed,” says Jason Zhang, CTO of Tapin.GG, a company that helps gamers find teammates to achieve an elo boost.
Try getting up a couple of hours before everyone else to head over to your dedicated workspace. Log on and put in a few hours of work so you can enjoy breakfast with your family when everyone gets up. If you have to be on-call throughout the day, make sure that you are still able to be present with your loved ones as much as you can.
Plan Excursions on Free Days
Plan any activities or excursions on days when you know your workload will be lighter or non-existent. Chances are your family won’t take well to you being on your phone all day during a planned activity. Set boundaries with your coworkers and tell them which days you won’t be available.
“Work had to be enjoyable on a daily basis. We all had to come to work on the balls of our feet, going up the stairs two steps at a time. We needed to be surrounded by friends who could dress whatever way they wanted, even barefoot. We needed to have flex time to surf the waves when they were good, or ski the powder after a big snowstorm, or stay home and take care of a sick child. We needed to blur that distinction between work and play and family,” said Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia founder and author.
At the end of the day, you need to set aside some time to enjoy yourself. Try to plan for a few days where you don’t have to be on-call and can truly be present for some fun in the sun with your loved ones.
Managing Work and Fun
As long as you are still able to relax and enjoy your vacation, you should have no issue logging a few work hours while you are there. If working on vacation allows you and your family to take a longer trip, the stress will be worth it in the long run. Use PTO on days that you need a break, and try not to overextend yourself.
“If you can work from anywhere in the world, there is no reason not to take advantage of that luxury. Remote work is one of the best things to come out of the pandemic,” explains Mara Dumski, Chief Fragrance Experience Officer of Pura, a company known for their line of car fragrances and USB-powered car diffuser.
Remember, there are far worse places to work than from the beach! Do your best to stay focused on the tasks at hand while you are working so you can focus on having fun when you log off. Good luck and bon voyage!
