Working from your holiday home: How to mix business with pleasure

last updated: November 2023

Are you one of those fortunate people who have a job that can be done from anywhere in the world? That is, anywhere in the world that has Wi-Fi and an electric socket? If so, I bet there is one thing you are thinking while working from home…

What if I moved to the countryside / beach / mountains / my hometown for a little while and worked from there?

Isn’t it a tantalising idea? Escaping the routine and dipping your toes in the best parts of a digital nomad’s lifestyle? Working from a holiday home or hotel for a few weeks or months in a beautiful location that you would otherwise only visit as a vacation, for maybe a week a year? If the answer is yes, below you will find my five tips for moving to greener pastures, laptop in hand.

TIP NO 1: SLOW TRAVEL 

Slow travel is a prerequisite for working while travelling.

Slow travel revolves around the notion of slowing down the pace of exploration. The essence of slow travel is to discover a foreign place mindfully. The intent is to experience life like a local and not get stressed by frenetic sightseeing and transportation requirements. Staying in one place for longer rather than visiting a bunch of places in a hurry. Exploring all the little streets of the small quaint town before enjoying a long leisurely lunch in the leafy square. Having the time to have a coffee and read the newspaper in your veranda after an early morning swim.

All these, and much more, can be easily done, along with your work, if you choose your destination wisely.

CHOOSING YOUR DESTINATION FOR WORKING REMOTELY

DO’S

Slow travel is inherent to low key, off the tourist track destinations. For that reason, choose a place that will not be giving you FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) all day, every day. Working from home is hard enough because of all the distractions. Imagine what working from home in a new and exciting place with an overwhelming array of activities and sights will do to your mental health… and career.

Slow travel and working from your holiday home certainly does not mean going someplace boring and uninspiring. It means that you should choose a place that can provide you with just the right amount of stuff to do and see. In my opinion, the right amount is one activity to do during lunch time or after work and something for the weekend. And that’s it. Beach lover? Go to a small island with a few beautiful beaches. Swimming in the sea before work in the morning or during lunchtime would be heaven! Avid hiker? Stay in a nice town close to a stunning national park and spend every weekend hiking. Foodie? Opt for a medium-sized city with a culinary reputation and visit a different restaurant every evening.

Furthermore, working from your holiday home could be a great opportunity to spend some time in that cute town or village you visited some years ago and always wanted to go back to, but never got around to. Already knowing a place, even a little, will help you get settled more easily and use your time efficiently.

DON’TS

Do yourself a favour and avoid mega wanderlust hotspots known to offer lots of… everything! Maybe it’s not the time to visit New York or Paris, especially if that will be your first visit there. If you are staying for less than a month and you are working full time, there will simply be too much temptation! Too many things to do and places to see! You are here to work, remember? I would also advise against taking your laptop to your absolute dream holiday destination. Would you really want to work from your over-water villa in the Maldives?

Lastly, do not overcomplicate the itinerary by visiting multiple destinations. Getting from A to B will take precious time of your relaxation or work. As will continuously having to get used to new surroundings, whether that is a new desk, Wi-Fi connection, co-working café or grocery store.

TIP NO 2: ROOM WITH A VIEW

On the same note, choose the location of your accommodation strategically. Squeezing fun activities in a full day’s work will only be possible if you can pop to the beach / hiking trails / historic centre or whatever drew you to that specific destination, quickly and stress-free. Proximity to a co-working space or quiet café should also be researched in advance, more on that in tip No3. 

Once you nail down your location, check the accommodation details carefully. Is a desk necessary? Do you need two separate spaces as both your partner and you will be taking long calls?  Is there a shady area in the garden that you could actually sit and work on a hot summer’s day? Do not hesitate to ring the owners beforehand and enquire about all the stuff that will enable you to work in a calm and enjoyable environment. That is one of the main reasons why you are doing this, right?

Lastly, my top tip would be to opt for accommodation with a comfortable outdoor space or a beautiful view. In that way, you won’t feel like you left your home only to hide within another set of white walls. If it comes down to money, it may worth considering downgrading the destination and upgrading the accommodation; unless you plan on working mostly from co-working spaces and cafés. 

TIP NO 3: NOT ALL WI-FI IS CREATED EQUAL

You may already be well aware from previous travels that when a hotel or rental property say they have Wi-Fi, it does not necessarily mean that you will be able to use it when you need it. In many places around the world, Wi-Fi is not strong enough to open Google maps, let alone hold a Zoom or MS Teams meeting with 5 people for two hours. 

Speak to your IT department at work (or do some research online) as to what kind of minimum speed you require; check your home connection for comparison. Chat to the hotel / rental property management about this. I would recommend explaining your requirements to them; they may be willing to connect you to the staff network rather than the one that serves the guests.

Make sure to research alternatives so that you are prepared if things go south. The location of the nearest co-working space, temporarily beefing up your mobile phone allowance or investing in a remote Wi-Fi hotspot for travellers could save you from a mental breakdown! Alternatively, organise all those data heavy online meetings for specific days and work incognito for the rest of the time. From experience, this is also the most efficient way of working anyway (from home, the office or the sun lounger) rather than having people constantly interrupting you ‘to ask something important’.

TOP TIP -CHECKING YOUR WI-FI SPEED

The simplest way of checking your internet speed is going to Google and typing ‘internet speed test’ into the search box. At the very top of the search results page you will find the speed test. Click on the blue ‘Run Speed Test‘ button. In less than a minute, the test will measure download speed, upload speed and latency. It will also provide you with a short commentary as to the capabilities of your connection.

TIP NO 4: CHOOSE YOUR TRAVEL BUDDIES WISELY

Working in an environment filled with the promise of exploration and adventures will be even more difficult if your travelling companions

(a) are trying to convince you to skip work all the time, and/or

(b) cannot occupy themselves while you are working.

To avoid arguments and disappointment, I would suggest having an honest conversation about everyone’s expectations before the trip. Furthermore, clarify to yourself and your travel buddies how many work hours you will need (and be able) to achieve.

Realistically speaking, it will probably be easier to travel with someone who will also be working. Your working schedules will need to be similar, though, for that to work. In this case, make sure that there is enough space for the both of you to have your laptops and working accessories. If you are both having frequent phone calls and online meetings, you will also be needing two rooms.

On the contrary, if you are the only one working from your party, then you will need to make sure that the rest of you (whether that is one person or more) can happily occupy themselves throughout the working day. If there are more than one non-working co-travellers, then that should hardly be an issue. However, when it is just one lonely non-working co-traveller, make sure there is some activity around to keep them busy. More importantly, this activity is something they would be excited to pursue by themselves. Again, tip No2 might come in handy; proximity to the location’s main attraction will make joining the rest of the party, once your work is done, infinitely smoother and stress-free. 

TIP NO 5: DO DIGITAL NOMADS DO OVERTIME?

This one is for my beloved workaholics. Those of you working away from the moment they wake up till bedtime. Is it really worth going someplace else to do the same thing?

Working from a place normally perceived as a holiday destination is worth considering if it will inspire and help you to balance those life / career scales. It is intended to be the perfect motivator for you to do your hours, shut your laptop and go out and experience the world. Career-wise, it might also motivate and teach you to work efficiently without relying on that extra hour or two after 5pm.

Doing overtime is indeed a hard topic to touch on. You may feel like you need to go the extra mile in order not to lose your job. Or you may always have to do that simply because there is too much work and you feel responsible for it. In any case, I would not advise for or against unpaid or paid overtime. I would just say this. If you feel like you can’t go for a week or two without working extra hours, does your desire for a change of scenery really stem from a thirst to experience the world? Or are you just looking for ways to deal with a job that you should have left long ago? 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Working from your holiday home requires a little bit of preparation and reasonable levels of self-restraint. Most importantly, it relies on your willingness to concentrate on work during working hours and focus on life for the rest of the day. In my opinion, it is definitely worth trying out. Not only will it help you escape the routine but also create a mindset of living in the present moment. I am confident that it will help stop daydreaming while at work and worrying about work while at home. Especially if your annual leave never seems enough, this may be the next best thing. It may even be a stepping stone to a whole new way of thinking about your work, your home, your life…