Summer Time Fun and the Coworking Space

Work and Vacation Time Balance a Little Too Seriously!

One thinks of summer as the season of sun and fun, the chance to get away from the office in an attempt to soak up some rays through some well-deserved time off. Unfortunately, sometimes its unavoidable not to take your work with you, even when on vacation.

Depending on the dynamic of family and friends who you decide to vacation with, and depending on your schedule, you might need to find a quiet place to work. Enter the local Coworking space.

The local Coworking Space to the rescue!

Vacations homes are usually designed for just that – vacations. Unfortunately, that means that these homes usually don’t come with a designated spot to work out of, unless you had a hand of putting in something yourself if you're lucky enough to own your own vacation home. However, people who rent by the vacation (weekly, monthly) don’t have any design choice when it comes to layout. You could make considerations and rent a house that comes with a small office or work area, but if you’re limited to options that don’t include such areas, this is where a coworking space would come in handy.

You’ll be surprised to know that a few local coworking spaces are near popular vacation spots due in part to situations where one takes a last-minute meeting or needs to get some work done without disturbing others during their time off. Spots such as Philadelphia, home to Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies play, or Orlando Florida, where Walt Disney World Resort is located. These examples off a few coworking space options you can take advantage of.

And unlike the vacation homes you rent, a coworking space is designed with work in mind and so you’ll have everything you’ll need for a nice job done before heading back to your vacation spot for a little rest and relaxation.

Kids just want to have Fun

We love our kids and during the summer time, we want them to not only have fun and enjoy themselves on vacation, but we also want our kids to experience moments they’ll never forget on these trips. Whether that involves summer activities, like water sports like swimming or fishing, or just taking the time to bond over activities, such as board games or Bar-B-Ques. Or even simple moments like playing with siblings. Unfortunately, those activities, especially those that involve excitement, can get especially loud and especially can interrupt, whether that’s a video conference meeting or presentation, or work that needs concentration due to a limited amount of time or someone in need of your input. Without the quiet place needed, one could start to get stressed and then eventually aggravated. That aggravation can turn into frustration, which, during the wrong moment, could be taken out on your kids or loved ones. You don’t want your kids or loved ones to associate any part of their vacation with any anger or animosity that forms during stress from work. They’re on vacation to have fun and so are you, why ruin the fun when you don’t have to? Why ruin the fun at all when you can just go to your local coworking space for the couple of hours needed to get your work done?

Getting Away With Fun When You Need To

You go on trips and you go on vacation to have some fun, especially with your friends, loved ones, and family. After all, you’ve worked hard for most of the year, you deserve some relaxation and heck, maybe even some time to act like a kid yourself by (responsibly) throwing caution to the wind! Unfortunately, just because you’re on vacation, doesn’t mean the world doesn’t stop spinning. Even when on vacation, you might be called on last minute to handle a task, or even an emergency that needs your input. Unfortunately, when one is having a good time, it’s hard to stop having a good time, especially when things get going. It’s hard to buckle down to get some work done when those around you are having fun. Sometimes you need to get away due to how distracting fun can be. Going somewhere, away from the fun, like a coworking space, at least until you’re ready to have fun again, might be your only choice in regards to staying productive, at least until you can go back to having fun.

Keeping Productive even on Vacation

The whole point of a vacation is to not be productive, in fact, some would argue that being productive during a vacation is counter to the spirit! How much fun someone can have on a vacation should be the productive thing on the agenda. Unfortunately, things don’t end up being that simple. Our jobs, our careers can get complicated, even at times when we’re not supposed to be working. Often times, we pay for the vacations we take, not only for how much they cost in travel and lodgings, but in catching up when getting back to work. The stress of coming back to a large pile of work can even undo the relaxation one gains from a vacation.

Dedicating a few hours of your vacation in order to make that work more digestible when you do get back could be a good idea, especially if you’re easily overwhelmed. However, since this is your vacation, you should make some considerations for the good time you planned for yourself as well.

Before you actually head off to sun and fun, make a plan for yourself as to how you’ll work and play at the same time. For example, taking the mornings to work, so that you can enjoy the rest of the day not only makes that work doable but you’ll be establishing a goal and reward system as well. You’ll also establish a routine, especially if you set specific times starting and ending times. For example, you can start your “work day” at 9 in the morning, but always with the intention of ending it at noon. With the option to start later or ending later if you need to. Doing so, you’re setting the goal of working from 9 to noon, with your reward being that you get to have fun from noon until bed time. Creating and knowing you have this routine will also make it easier to book the exact times needed for the coworking space. That way, you’ll not only be efficient with your time, but the cost of using the coworking space as well. The separation between locations will also help create boundaries for yourself and the time created to catch up on work. The vacation home is for vacationing. The coworking space is for getting work done.

A bonus to this is if you inform your coworkers that you will be available during these hours, but only these hours. That way, there will be no miscommunication in why you did not answer that email received at 4 in the afternoon. They’ll know you’re currently vacationing those hours and they’ll know when is the best time to reach you if they have to. But they’ll also know that they can reach you if they have to during your vacation. They will appreciate the availability, but at the same time will respect the hours you’re supposed to be having fun. This is your vacation after all and establishing these guidelines and boundaries will lead to the uninterrupted rest and relaxation you deserve!

There’s no reason one can’t be productive on vacation – just remember, you’re on vacation. Go have some fun!