Workation in Australia

I was an au pair in Australia about six years ago and had long been planning a return visit to see my host family and friends there. But as it is a such a long journey ‘down under’, I wanted to extend my stay and combine work with my holiday. As Visplay offers the option of working remotely and the necessary infrastructure is available, it wasn’t much of a problem to relocate to the southern hemisphere. So, at the end of February 2024, I headed off to Australia for three months.

The six-hour time difference was a bit of a challenge at first. I started my working day when everyone in Germany was still asleep. It was very strange working alone at the beginning, but after a while it really suited me, and I used the time difference to my advantage. I was able to concentrate on projects in the morning and used the afternoon – when my colleagues were starting the day with a morning coffee – for meetings and discussions. My lunch breaks also took on a different form; when I was back in the office I used to go to the canteen with my colleagues. Now my breaks consisted of cooling off in the pool or going for a walk on the beach. I used the free time to recharge my batteries for the afternoon.

I spent most of my time on the west coast with my former au pair family and we did a lot of activities together. At the weekend I went on excursions, spent time on the beach, swam in the pool and met up with friends. Because I had a normal working day, it felt almost as though I actually lived there. After nearly two months on the west coast of Australia, I travelled to the east coast, backpacking from Sydney to Cairns, combining work and travel.

After being in a fixed location for the first two months and having a proper daily routine, it was of course a big transition. On the east coast, I stayed in hostels with lots of other young travellers. While the others were enjoying various activities and excursions, I would look for a nice café and settle down to work. I really liked working in this way and found the change of location a great source of inspiration and motivation. I generally always did something fun after work.

My experience was very positive. For many employers, the time difference can be a problem. However, for me it was an advantage because I learned how important it is to have time to focus in the morning. If I can concentrate on a project and not be distracted by questions, emails, phone calls etc., I am much more productive. Being able to combine work and holiday in a workation is a great opportunity.