A daring question indeed, and some might even call us crazy for even bringing up the thought, but something deep inside tells us it’s possible if you’re up for the task. Normally, you wouldn’t want to mix serious work hours and leisure time because that’s a recipe for disaster. You’ll end up missing out on key deadlines and cutting fun times short when it was just about to hit off, which means you’re on the short end for both perspectives!
However, given the new normal of working from home, staying in your pajamas while you work through spreadsheets, and enjoy the luxury of frolicking on your bed, it’s more of a question of how you can blend work and play rather than if it’s possible. You see, most of us have realized that we can finish the same amount of work in less time and be flexible. And while that isn’t a novel concept itself, most people are catching up and seeing an excellent opportunity to get the most out of 2021.
Balance: Something We Struggle to Find
Another big realization that hit most of us like a truck is that we’re not as adept in knowing when to flip the switch, and midway through 2020, most of us were already struggling to get out of bed because we couldn’t find balance. Everyone either fell into one extreme: (1) working too hard and not knowing when to relax and (2) working way too little and easily distracted. So, the concept of blending work and play was not born out of an excuse to have fun but to give everyone a solution to the lack of balance in their life and start 2021 right.
#1 Go on a Workcation
Home is where the heart belongs, but now it’s also become your workplace where you get everything done. So, to offset the stress of a daily quota, we recommend going on a workcation, staying in different places at a time to give you fresh new surroundings that’ll never tire you out.
- Sets Your Sights on a Different City: You’ve stayed cooped up in your room for way too long, so now you should set your sights on a different city to call home. From meeting new people to the chance of starting anew, it’s something you won’t regret. And depending on the apartment or Airbnb you decide to rent. You might be lucky enough to have beautiful lakes and hiking destinations near you.
- Embrace a Beachy Escape: If enjoying the cityscape and embracing that fast-paced lifestyle isn’t up your alley, you could also go the sunkissed route of embracing a beachy escape. From Florida to Cape May, there are plenty of destinations for you to choose and spend your 2021.
Tips: Your Safety and Good Internet
However, if you decide to go on a workcation, please remember to be responsible and follow local guidelines and safety measures such as social distancing and government restrictions. Take into account your willingness, the risks, and your health conditions before you set out. Plus, make sure to have a good internet connection because being disconnected is the one hole in this workcation plan!
#2 Build an Alternating Schedule
Not everyone’s big on going out, or maybe you’re just waiting until an extreme adventure Outerspace opens up, but in the meantime, you could also try building an alternating schedule to help achieve the same work and fun right at home. This plan centers around your ability to be flexible, dedicating certain days where you go all-out 120% and having entire off-days for play and relaxing.
- Flex Time and Crunch Time: While crunch time sounds like a scary word, often paired with overworking, it can be good when in the right hands. The key is to know your limits and to work to your strengths, pushing through the hardest ones first and leaving the conventional tasks to flex time. This idea works best if you have a team to delegate tasks, which means everyone enjoys a much longer weekend and more time to unwind.
Tips: Productive Recreation vs. Cheat-days
While alternating schedules encourage having fun, we also want to emphasize the difference between productive recreation. Any activity that helps reach a goal like skills-training for a hobby or working is productive recreation; you feel satisfied and associated with a fuller lifestyle. Cheat-days, on the other hand, are for when you’re binge-watching shows or playing games, and while both are relaxing in their own right, be sure to balance both and favor the former.
#3 Don’t Forget to Check on Family & Friends
Lastly, while investing in yourself and ensuring you’re having fun is all well and good, don’t forget to check on family & friends, and try to let them in on the fun as well! Visit your grandparents and help out with any specialized medical care to catch up with them, and call your friends and try to schedule a meet-up for old time’s sake. Meeting with the closest people in your life will help take any pressure and put you at ease, so rekindle your connections!
Prioritize Safety But Not at the Expense of Fun!
Overall, while we think safety should be our number one priority, it shouldn’t always come at the expense of fun. And since we’re already through the thick of it and found some semblance of new normalcy, the advent of sharing a fun moment or two is long overdue.
