Sure, your vacation is the perfect time to kick back and relax, a way to put the pressures of work to one side for a short time. Increasingly, more and more people are working while on vacation, mostly driven by our connected world. Technology allows many people to work from anywhere and at any time, whether on a smartphone or PC.
However, while people are now embracing the working vacation, perhaps the best question is, should you work during this time? There are certainly pros and cons to working when on holiday and in this article, we will explore those points.
Technology has transformed vacations in more ways than one. Entertainment when on holiday is now varied and accessible. Sure, you can still read a book by the pool, but you can also play games, browse the internet and even make sports bets from your smartphone.
Vacationers are increasingly using online gambling to entertain themselves and you can learn here about sports betting and how it has become a popular activity whether by the pool, in the hotel, or waiting at the airport.
If you need to keep working when on holiday, you may find it is worth it and not very time-consuming. Although, if you work a 9 to 5 office job, you may want to think again about taking that role on holiday with you.
Working on Vacation
You’ve packed your bags, your plane tickets are ready, and your hotel is booked. All that’s left is to pack your laptop so you can get some serious work done on vacation. Wait, that probably doesn’t sound right to you. Surely you are thinking you’ve earned the rest that’s coming when you’re away and deserve to ignore work for a while.
Unfortunately, ignoring work is not something many people can do. In fact, when many employees return from vacation, they are faced with a massive overflow of work that has been piling up while they are off. This is the anxiety trade off many modern workers have to deal with. In an effort to avoid being overworked, people are now taking their jobs on vacation.
This could be as simple as answering some emails, making some calls, and just doing general housekeeping regarding your job. Although, it could also mean carrying your laptop to the beach with you. Make no mistake, this is now becoming the norm, with over 50% of Americans saying they work on vacation.
We now live in a connected world and it’s very hard to escape from it. Even 10 years ago you could go on holiday and be cut off from your workplace (if you chose to be). That’s not the case anymore and devices like smartphones and technology like Wi-Fi mean you are always in contact with your job.
Furthermore, a relatively new work culture is also playing a role in the growing trend of work holidays. Specifically, people are now increasingly working remotely. While remote work is hardly a new thing, it is becoming more common. Indeed, hundreds of companies in the United States are fully remote and thousands more use at least some remote workers.
People who work remotely are employees who are accustomed to being connected at all times and working conveniently whenever they can… even on vacation.
Decision makers and self-employed people also feel the urge to work on vacation, simply because not doing so can often mean a business coming to a standstill.
Are There Health Concerns if I Work on Holiday?
As mentioned, everybody deserves a break and the chance to unwind away from work. However, that does not necessarily mean working on holiday is bad for your health, but there is a caveat.
If you happen to love your work (lucky you) then working on holiday won’t feel like work at all. For everyone else, scheduling is hugely important. For example, if you say to yourself you won’t work on holiday and then find you need to, this could impact your mental health. Indeed, when people eat into their scheduled free time with work, it can lead to negative feelings.
However, if you know you’re going on vacation and will be working, there is less of a problem. The very best advice in this situation is to schedule your work time when you’re on vacation. Set aside a couple of hours in the morning or night for your work. If you know when you will be working, it will make it easier to manage your free time.
Remember one thing: if you feel you need a break then go on holiday and enjoy yourself without pressure. More people may be embracing work on holiday, but there is no law saying you must do it. Enjoy your holiday before anything else.
How to Know if you can Work on Vacation
After reading the above, you will have a good idea if you are someone who can tolerate working on vacation or not. If you are still deciding, the following points may help your decision:
Do you need to work? No company has a policy where employees must work on given vacation days. As such, if you work on vacation it will be entirely your decision. Ask yourself if the work you will do really needs to be done on vacation or whether it can wait until you get back.
Are you motivated to do it? Working on holiday requires a bit of dedication. When your family is hitting the beach at 9 am, you may have to be at the hotel desk working. This is where a schedule becomes hugely important and can help you control your holiday working environment.
Will it impact anyone else? The chances are you won’t be going on vacation on your own. Will working impact people who are travelling with you and lessen their enjoyment of the vacation?
Will you be able to deliver? Working on vacation may be a nice idea on paper, but will you actually be able to deliver your usual standard of work? Think about the distractions you will face and possible dips in motivation.
How to Use Vacation Days for Long Weekends?
If you want to work when on a big vacation (for example, a week or two) but still want some quality relaxation time, a long weekend could be a good idea.
Did you know that many people in the United States pass the working year with plenty of paid holiday days unused? Indeed, over 700 million holiday days went unused in 2018. Considering most people check their days each year, it’s amazing that many go unused. A great way to use up your vacation days is with a long weekend.
Pick a Place: Clearly, you need to know where you are going, and you probably have a list of destinations you would love to visit. However, there are some things to consider when choosing a location for a long weekend. For example, you don’t want a six-hour flight and a travel schedule that would eat up a whole day.
Your time is limited on a long weekend, so choose a destination that you can get to relatively quickly and with minimum fuss. It’s also worth researching the place you are going to fully understand the destination and what it offers.
Budget: Most people won’t have unlimited funds for a long weekend trip so planning a budget is essential. Not least because a budget will be a good gauge of where your destination is. It goes without saying that you should only spend to your financial capabilities.
Advising exact budgets is hard because there are so many variables. That said, you should include accommodation, travel arrangements, access to attractions, general funds, and food expenses. For those on a tight budget, it’s best to travel close to home as you will save on transport costs.
