If you’re one of those people who find it hard to unplug on vacation, you’re not alone. According to Forbes, roughly 54 percent of Americans deal with work commitments while traveling, driven by their vision of career growth. A vacation is a much-needed break from everyday life, but sometimes you must lend a helping hand or troubleshoot an issue even when you’re supposed to get the full benefits of your time away. Planning your trip around work requires a bit of foresight – and a different approach to your usual travel plans.
With a smart action plan, you can complete your tasks quickly and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation.
Ensure Optimal Internet Connectivity
Content and services are accessible away from the office (and on multiple devices), so use your phone or tablet for an easy, quick, and robust experience. Electronics need WiFi or mobile network connectivity like 4G or 5G, meaning that if you don’t have any of these, your access to the Internet is very limited. Since you rely heavily on technology, get a data-only eSIM you can use worldwide. For example, if you’re heading to the British Isles (England, Scotland, or Wales), use one of Holafly’s eSIM plans for UK while you travel. To activate a plan or switch carriers, all it takes is a few clicks.
Back in the day, when you traveled abroad, you had to subscribe to an international travel plan, find your way to a local mobile operator boutique, or try your luck at the high-risk game of toggling between roaming and public WiFi. Now, you enjoy seamless connectivity on the go. You can install the eSIM card manually by copying and pasting the installation code sent to you via email. You can also scan the QR code printed or on another device. Make sure the signal icon on your phone has at least one bar, and see if the data roaming feature is enabled.
Work Early In The Morning Or Late At Night
It will take some time to figure out how to do it all without overworking, underworking, or feeling isolated from your travel companions. If you don’t do it right, you’ll come home more tired and stressed than when you left. Be realistic about what you can do, allocate blocks of time for work, and ensure you have time left to unwind. Managing a workation is challenging due to jet lag, which can affect your ability to concentrate and your mental performance. Take some time carving out a schedule for yourself and communicate that to the teams back home.
Working early in the morning is better for productivity because your brain is rested, your motivation is high, and you’re less distracted, not to mention that you can anticipate problems and minimize them. By contrast, working late at night can leave you feeling exhausted and moody, and there will often be no coworkers online. If you fail to observe a strict sleep schedule, the lack of rest will affect your vigilance, so you’ll have a much harder time concentrating on your work. Suppose you stay up later than the average. In that case, carve out a few minutes after dinner instead of first thing in the morning.
Secure Private Spaces For Video Calls
The use of video conferencing tools reduces the time required to finalize a project. You can meet virtually anywhere, so host a meeting rather than working through an issue via email to eliminate the disruption caused by messages, reduce confusion, and get your team aligned faster. If your vacation involves hiking or climbing, pay attention to your surroundings and only grab your phone if it’s safe. It’s not a good idea to have an expensive electronic device out in the open because there are high crime rates – losing your device on vacation could, without insurance, rack up a hefty bill.
Headsets, particularly those with noise canceling, can reduce distractions, allowing you to remain focused and eliminate frustration. Besides filtering noise from the microphone, the headphones filter the noise from other call members’ microphones – we call it noise because there are no tones in the signal. You can pair the headset with two devices at the same time, like a phone and a computer, and switch between them to save battery life. Speaking of which, you should pack a power bank to recharge your tech on the go. It can be a lifesaver.
Travel With People Who Understand Remote Working
It goes without saying that vacation settings aren’t as productive as regular workdays, so adjust your expectations accordingly. Deal with the tasks that require your immediate attention and save the bigger projects for when you get back home; tell people to call you only if there’s an emergency so you can turn off for a couple of hours. Traveling with like-minded people, aka those who understand what it’s like to work on the go, allows you to maintain the human element that makes work more durable. Being isolated can lead to burnout and feeling drained.
Working remotely decreases contact with others even if you find opportunities to work more efficiently, as you lose face-to-face contact. If you take a hush trip with like-minded individuals, all the better: at the end of the day, your work is finished, and you still have time to recharge, relax, and reconnect. To ensure positive outcomes, explain your responsibilities to your traveling buddies. There’s nothing wrong with putting boundaries in place before hopping on the plane. You can have small breaks to interact away from the working day, with the number one rule being that you don’t discuss work.
Wrapping It Up
You can enjoy a work vacation without losing your mind, provided you decompress and leave behind your work attitude every now and then. It’s a check-in on your wellbeing. While you’re out, make sure to set your “out of office” message to direct pressing emails to another team member or even a manager. Mention exactly when you’ll be back so a follow-up can be anticipated.
