Work n’ enjoy – programming with a view of the ocean
Working remotely from seaside locations surrounded by palm trees doesn’t surprise anyone anymore. Yet workation opportunities rarely feature among employee benefits offered by companies. When you work at Software Mind, you can take part in the Work n’ enjoy program and join your team calls from an apartment in Tenerife or Croatia!
What’s it like to work during such a two-week trip? How can you spend your free time there? What should you do before the trip? Our Software Engineer Mateusz Nowak, who had his first Work n’ enjoy workation in Tenerife earlier this year, shares his impressions and tips. Read the interview and see what your next trip could be like!
Q: You were recently in Tenerife and I’d like to ask you first – how did it happen that you landed there? Where did the idea for the trip come from?
MN: The company information came by email; I had to fill in a form and choose a date that suited me. The idea was cool, so there was no doubt that I had to pack and go!
Q: What was your impression of Work n’ enjoy? Are you satisfied with this trip?
MN: Yes, I am very pleased. I liked everything; the possibility of working from a different, fun and warm place is great. I liked it so much that my fiancée and I have already booked an apartment in Croatia for a private workation.
Q: What other advantages do you see in this program? What did this trip give you?
MN: The possibility to visit places where I probably wouldn’t go myself. I can work normally, I don’t have to take a vacation and I can visit some cool parts of the world. That was also great. The sun, weather, swimming in the ocean made this trip more attractive, because after work you could go to the beach, relax, eat good food and drink good wine. It was really fun, very positive.
Q: How did you organize your work? Did you have any organizational problems or difficulties while working?
MN: No, the only difficulty in the beginning was that the time zone is slightly shifted and you have to get used to it, but it wasn’t really a big problem, because it’s only an hour. Besides, there was a desk, an armchair and internet, you don’t need more. Everything was fine.
Q: Many people wonder if in such very attractive circumstances it is possible to focus 100% on work. How was it in your case?
MN: You know, the first day is a challenge, because there’sa new environment and you need to absorb everything, but after this one day, when we got used to this new reality, it was okay. There are duties and tasks that must be performed and you have to remember that this is not a vacation. I had no problem with that. Everyone who was traveling at the same time was also working, so it made things easier.
Q: How did you spend your time after work?
MN: In different ways, actually. After work, on a working day, we either just went to the beach or stayed in our apartment, we went swimming, I went jogging along the ocean, but we also had some smaller trips, kind of “everyday duties,” such as shopping. When it was after work, on a weekend or on the long weekend in May, as it happened, we were just visiting the island, going to various places – to the mountains, visiting cities, to the ocean…
Q: So I understand correctly that you would like to go again if there was an option?
MN: Yeah, it would be great! I would probably like to go somewhere else now, although I would also like to go back to Tenerife.
Q: How attractive do you think it is for the IT industry?
MN: I think it’s very attractive and that it could actually be permanent. I imagine it could be “another Multisport”!
Q: And the last question, could you give some advice to people who are still considering signing up for Work n’ enjoy?
MN: Just don’t think too much, just book an appointment and go because it’s great. It’s also good to prepare a list before the trip, what you would like to see in the area you are going to, check if a car will be needed, as in Tenerife, how much it costs. It’s just worth seeing in general what there is to see and preparing a little.
