While it’s always been said that you can’t mix business and pleasure, a new trend begs to differ in a big way.
The “work from home” scenario that came in the aftermath of social distancing mandates has led to an entirely new way to travel: the workcation – and it’s a trend that’s gaining traction throughout the world.
Workcations are seen as the next evolutionary of the “bleisure” (business + leisure) trend seen earlier in this decade. They came about in the early days of the pandemic as those in the knowledge industry fled their homes during lockdowns to find a more conducive – and healthful – space to work in.
Today, it’s improbable that the trend will come to an end anytime soon. In a recent study involving white-collar workers in eight countries, 65% out of 5,500 respondents planned to add a bit more leisure time to their next business trip (or do some work during an actual vacation) this year.
In India alone, 85% of 3,000 office workers took workcations throughout 2021 and have plans to do it again over the next several months. More than 25% of Canadian workers, on the other hand, want to take at least one trip outside of their hometowns – or even their country – some time within the year.
A Welcome Change of Pace
While workcations may seem like a contradiction in terms, seeing how people usually go on vacation to escape from the workplace has helped highlight the need to maintain boundaries between one’s workplace persona and private life. Indeed, numerous experts opine that the way people have adapted throughout the pandemic has put us in a place where we can take breaks that have a bit of both work and play mixed in. Indeed, it wouldn’t be going too far to say that the workcation is now firmly entwined with the evolving concept of a work-life balance.
Even before the pandemic, many white-collar workers have found ways to add a dash of fun and well-needed relaxation to official work trips. After all, these allowed people to enjoy new experiences and new places that were not part of their everyday lives. Some would even go so far as to turn time out of the office into a learning experience by signing up for specialized classes or even tours of interesting places in their destinations.
While many still feel that there ought to be a separation between one’s work and personal life, this may be the direction everyone moves in. Thanks to the way people have become more flexible concerning work during the pandemic, workcations may serve as a way to take the tedium out of working while safeguarding one’s physical and mental health at the same time.
