In June, we went on our first “work-cation.” While we have been on trips for work before, there was minimal vacation element. This was probably more work than vacation, but we still learned a few things.
- The Work part can really impact the Cation part.
Of course, while on a work-cation, you still have to work. That means that a large chunk of your day is likely compromised by either a conference or your “work-from-home” job. This is where planning is key to be able to take in what you can, when you can. Pick the most important things you want to do or places you want to eat and go ahead and check when they are open compared to when you can go so that you can make sure to visit while you are there.
2. The Cation part can also really impact the Work part.
If you are like us, you have your work week life and your weekend life. While on vacation, you want to be free to have fun and stay up late. Do all the things you don’t normally do when you have an 8-5. However, on a work-cation, you still have to do that 8-5 bit normally. We found out the hard way that going on a haunted pub crawl and then going dancing until 1:30 in the morning was not the best idea when you have to get up at 6. This is again where planning is key because we didn’t initially plan to do the pub crawl and a spur of the moment decision led to an awesome time with new friends, but a very tired day the next day.
3. Embrace the change of scenery if you can.
I, Courtney, am fortunate to be able to work from home/anywhere. On this work-cation, Mallory had a conference, so she had conference-y things to do all day. I stayed at the hotel the first day and took my laptop out by the pool to work most of the day. There were chairs by the riverfront and tables with umbrellas, so I was able to get a lot of work done and watch dolphins play in the river (I don’t know either but I saw one dang it!) and watch the ships go by. The umbrella kept me out of the sun so I didn’t get sunburnt and there was a breeze that kept me cool. When it got a little too windy or hot, I just moved into the lobby where the hotel had ample tables and chairs. Even though I was still working, it was a little change of pace.
4. Packing can be tricky
You know we like to pack as light as we can when we take a trip. However, we are also not very fancy people and the day to night mentality is not one we have yet embraced. Fashion TV shows make it look like you can just change out your jewelry, hair, and shoes and go from work to play. That is not our life. When we are working, we dress nicely, like business casual nice, but when we aren’t… it is very casual casual, sometimes cute, but definitely casual. If the weather is warm, we are likely wearing shorts and t-shirts or tank tops, neither of which is normally appropriate for a business event. Try to mix and match as much as you can between the work outfits and the cation outfits, but, if all else fails, at least make sure the work outfits mix with each other and the cation outfits mix with each other.
Our McTravels 