You’re sitting on a sunny terrace in Valencia. You can hear the sound of the sea in the background, your iced coffee is within arm’s reach, and you open your laptop on a quaint little wooden bistro table. The ultimate feeling of freedom! But after two hours of focused typing, you start to feel a nagging pain in your neck. Your shoulders also feel stiff, and your lower back is in serious protest.
During a workation, you swap your familiar desk for inspiring, flexible spaces. This gives your creativity and job satisfaction a huge boost, but it poses an extra challenge for your physical health. Because sitting all day in good office chairs isn’t exactly the best thing for your body, sitting at that cute little bistro table won’t do much to improve your posture either.
Unfortunately, you can’t just pack your ergonomic office chair and sit-stand desk in your suitcase or backpack. But with a few smart hacks, the right items in your work bag, and the right choices once you arrive at your destination, you can create an ergonomic and sustainable workspace anywhere in the world.
1. Your office-in-a-bag
At home and in the office, you’re probably used to having a wide range of professional office equipment, such as adjustable monitors and an office chair with height-adjustable armrests and footrests. When traveling, unfortunately, you have to make do with a slightly less well-equipped workspace. But luckily, you don’t need much to protect your back anywhere in the world. With just three or four items, , you can turn any table into an ergonomically sound workspace:
- Foldable laptop stand: One of the main causes of back and neck pain is constantly looking down at your laptop screen. When you bend your head forward, your neck muscles are strained by a weight that can be as much as 20 kilos! With a lightweight laptop stand, you can easily raise the top of your screen to eye level.
- Separate wireless keyboard and mouse: Once your laptop is on a stand, you can no longer use the built-in keyboard and trackpad comfortably without hunching your shoulders. A compact Bluetooth keyboard and an ergonomic mouse weigh almost nothing, but they ensure that your forearms can rest on the table at a relaxed 90-degree angle.
- Sun Protection: Working under bright sunlight or in conditions with strong light reflections causes you to unconsciously lean forward and squint to see everything more clearly. There are several ways to reduce the discomfort caused by bright light. The easiest: wear a cap. In addition, anti-glare screen protectors, special computer glasses, or the darkmode on your laptop prevent you from hunching over your screen with a rounded back.
2. DIY Hacks for Your Temporary Address
Chances are, the furniture in your Airbnb or hotel room was chosen mainly for its looks and ambiance, not with an eight-hour workday in mind. Wooden dining chairs, low coffee tables, or a bar stool without a backrest aren’t exactly the best places to work. But don’t panic: with a little creativity, you can definitely turn it into your home office!
Build an Ergonomic Chair
Is the chair at the dining table too low in relation to the tabletop? Slide a firm cushion or a folded blanket under your seat. This will raise your hips slightly higher than your knees, which supports the natural S-curve of your spine and immediately reduces pressure on your lower back. If needed, place a rolled-up towel in the small of your back for extra support.
Is your laptop still too low on the table, and do you not have a laptop stand with you? Use stacks of books, a sturdy suitcase, or even the cutting board from the kitchen cabinet to raise your laptop to eye level. But be sure to use an external keyboard and mouse.
Create your own production office on location
Sitting still for long periods of time is the biggest enemy of good posture. Fortunately, you can set up a temporary standing desk almost anywhere:
- Use the kitchen island or a high dining bar.
- Place a sturdy box or chair on top of a regular table.
- Use a tall sideboard or a wide windowsill at chest height.
When working while standing, always make sure your elbows rest on the work surface at a 90-degree angle and that your shoulders hang down relaxed. Alternate between sitting and standing for at least 15 to 20 minutes every hour.
3. Find a coworking space
Want to really get a lot done in a few days? Then the easiest and most ergonomic solution is to find a flexible workspace or coworking space!
Almost every popular workation hotspot—from Lisbon and Valencia to Bali, Ponta do Sol, and Cape Town—is teeming with trendy coworking spaces. And that has a lot of practical advantages:
- Professional amenities: In a good coworking space, you’ll find adjustable desks and ergonomically designed office chairs that provide your body with the right support throughout your workday.
- The best amenities: You’ll have access to lightning-fast and stable internet, ergonomic lighting, quiet rooms for important calls, and great coffee on-site.
- Networking and socializing: A coworking space is the ultimate social hub for digital nomads, freelancers, and remote workers. It’s the perfect place to meet like-minded people, share experiences and travel tips, have lunch together, or join a fun networking event, a cooking workshop, or a yoga session on the rooftop terrace after work.
Tip: Many coworking spaces offer flexible day passes or affordable weekly passes. This way, you can perfectly alternate your workdays between a quiet day at the coworking space and a creative morning at a cozy local coffee shop.
4. Movement is the very best ergonomic tool
You can own the best laptop stand in the world and sit in a high-end office chair, but if you sit motionless in exactly the same position for eight hours, you’ll still end up with stiff muscles and joints. A truly successful workation depends on the dynamics of your daily routine. So make sure you stay active:
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at a point in the distance (at least 6 meters away) for at least 20 seconds. This immediately provides the necessary relaxation for the muscles in your eyes and the small muscles in your neck.
- Take truly active breaks: You’re in a beautiful, new destination, so make the most of it! During your lunch break, take a walk on the beach, explore the historic city center, take a dip in the pool, or do some stretches on your balcony.
- Incorporate micro-movements: While reading emails, take a moment to roll your shoulders in wide circles, stretch your arms high above your head, and consciously change your sitting position regularly. After all, the best sitting position is always the next one!
Enjoy your freedom without any complaints
Working from a destination abroad can enhance your work-life balance and personal growth. And by planning your work-travel gear wisely in advance (you can find everything you need at Viking Office Supplies), being creative with the furniture at your temporary residence, and occasionally seeking out a professional co-working space, you’ll also keep your body happy while you work.
Not only will this help you get the most out of your workday, but once you close your laptop at 5:00 p.m., you’ll also be able to enjoy everything your workation destination has to offer without a single complaint.
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