I’ve Done 50 to 100 Workations. Time Zones Beat Scenery Every Time.

Last updated: 2026-09-17

I’ve been doing workations since 2010. Somewhere between 50 and 100 of them. From 2010 to 2013 I lived in Asia, including Bangkok, and I learned the time zone lesson the hard way.

Time zone compatibility is the most critical factor when you pick a destination. More important than scenery. More important than cost.

Friends of mine in Bali found the lifestyle unsustainable. They had to take calls at 2:00 AM to interface with US-based teams. Bali is the Instagram dream location, and it becomes a productivity trap when your work has to happen on a US clock.

Does this sound familiar? You book the place that looks best, then you notice the time difference after you’ve already paid.

If you have synchronous team obligations, skip destinations with extreme time differences. For US-based workers, South America or Europe is a better option. Check the overlap with your team before you book. I use WorldTimeBuddy.com to visualize it.

The destination is only half of it. You also need a work rhythm that matches how you actually operate.

I used to treat every trip like the same kind of trip. Now I don’t. After enough of these, I landed on three archetypes. This is my personal evolution from 2010 to now. I’m no travel researcher. I just did this a lot and paid attention.

The Full Shift Explorer

You work standard 8-hour days. You explore in the evenings.

If you’re a beginner, start here. You keep your routine. That’s the advantage. You’re already changing location, sleep, and your desk. You don’t need a new work identity on top of that. Do the 8 hours. See the city after the block is done.

The Week Split Wanderer

You work 2-3 days and take the rest off. Once you’ve done this a few times, this is the model I point people to for better balance.

A version of this is 3 days on and 2 days off. To keep the guilt down, you front-load the work. That’s the trap. Front-load without managing it and you burn out, or the quality of the work drops. This is an intermediate move. You already know how to protect a work day. Now you cluster those days so the off days are actually off.

The Leisure Pacer

You work only a few hours a day so you can maximize leisure.

This one is for established professionals who have leverage, meaning tasks are delegated. It also requires strict self-discipline. The boundary between work and play is blurry, and that blur is how procrastination sneaks in. Can you keep a short workday from becoming no workday? Be honest.

I’m currently in a season where I work hard. The long-term goal is the Leisure Pacer lifestyle. I’m not living it every week.

Which archetype are you? Look at your leverage, not at the photos. Beginners keep the Full Shift Explorer. Intermediate folks try the Week Split Wanderer. If you have real leverage, the Leisure Pacer is on the table. Plan the next trip from that identity.

Then get the logistics out of your way.

If I’m staying three nights or more, I choose an Airbnb over a hotel. Hotel rooms are not conducive to 8-hour workdays. I’ve done nice suites. They still feel restrictive once you’re in a long work block. An Airbnb has a homey feel, more space, and often better internet infrastructure. You stay productive. You’re also more comfortable. That’s years of doing this.

Check internet speed before you go. A poor connection can ruin a workation. I had a bad connection on a trip, and I don’t leave that to chance anymore.

The tools I actually use to vet a location:

Nomad List for quality of life and internet speed data.

WorkFrom.co for work-friendly spaces, cafes, libraries, and coworking.

WorldTimeBuddy.com for time zone overlap.

Those are the exact tools I use. Look at internet speed specifically. Pretty photos will not save you if you can’t get online.

Do not travel with a monitor. I tried it. I strongly advise against it.

If you’re staying two weeks or longer, buy a monitor at the destination. About $150 to $200. Use it for the stay, then donate it or sell it. It’s a business expense, and it saves you the hassle and the risk of transporting fragile equipment.

There’s a smaller leak that shows up the second the city is interesting enough to post about.

Isolate distractions. I delay social media posting until the work block is complete.

If you post before or during work, you create a psychological hook to check for engagement. That fragments your attention. Wait until the work is done and you remove the temptation to check notifications during deep work. You’re managing the dopamine loop of social validation.

This works in Austin. It works abroad.

Try a “No Post Until Done” rule for one week. Finish the block first. Then post.

After every workation I run a Retrospective. I borrowed it from Scrum. Three questions:

What went well?

What didn’t go so well?

What could we do better next time?

After 50+ workations, this is why I have a packing checklist. I forgot a charger. This is why I verify internet speeds up front. I sat through a bad connection. One tweak a week. The next trip is a little cleaner than the last one.

Decide which of the three archetypes you are. Then plan the next trip as that person, and check time zone overlap with your team before you book.