What is a workcation? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Workcations or working vacations are becoming popular by virtue of the pursuit of work-life harmony and the flexibility provided by remote jobs.

The concept is simple: people looking for the perfect combination of vacationing somewhere inspiring without compromising their work-life balance, and employers looking for a number of benefits by sending their employees to a workation.

A workation is an extended stay somewhere inspiring where you perform your usual duties only remotely. It's not about staying put for a week or two and then returning back to your routine in the office or home office. Workcations vary in length (from a week or two up to several months) and are increasingly popular amongst digital nomads. As we know, this is a community of highly-motivated and goal-oriented people.

A number of factors make workcations attractive to the latter group: working remotely allows you to optimize your time so that you're staying away for more extended periods.

Here are some of the benefits of workcationing:

You're not losing time. The first significant benefit is that you can do everything you do at home, only from an exotic location. This means that your productivity shouldn't take a hit (as long as you're disciplined and motivated). You can even do more work from the location you're staying at.

You can stay longer in a specific place. When compared to regular vacations, there's no need for constant traveling back and forth between destinations since your workplace is wherever you are (and where you have internet access).

You're not wasting vacation days. Instead, you're spending your time doing the things that matter to you: work and play. As a result, you get to make your life incredibly interesting without putting your career on hold.

You can maintain your usual schedule. Often in a normal vacation, one may compromise health routines to get in all the sights and delicious food before returning to work. Alternatively, a workcation will allow you to maintain your usual schedule. This means there's no need to give up on certain types of activities like exercising before work.

You're staying productive and meeting people. When you stay in a new location, your interactions with the people will also open up opportunities for personal growth that perhaps didn't exist otherwise such as soaking up the arts in a different city. These activities can enrich your life in ways that would not be available when confined to one location.

Some challenges which may arise when going on a workcation are accessibility to the internet, and a desk setup conducive to productivity. Check ahead of time to make sure your accommodations meet these standards to have a relaxing and productive time.

To take it even further, here are four tips for a successful workcation:

1. Work is still the priority

Make sure you plan around your work schedule to get everything you need to do finished. That way you stay ahead and can actually enjoy the location during your downtime rather than having what you need to do on your mind.

2. Check the connectivity before going

Make sure to stay in a vacation rental with good cell service, internet connection, desk, chair, and anything else you need to stay productive during your work hours! Checking these factors ahead of time will keep things stress-free!

3. Stay focused with a workspace

Make sure to take work calls in quiet places, and keep your meetings. The idea is to be able to enjoy locations without compromising professionalism or productivity. Ideally choosing a location that has a desk for you will keep you on task. When you sit down at a spot designated for work, it will help you stay on task.

4. Routine

Stick to the same routine that keeps you productive at home. This includes enough sleep, meal times, and exercise. If you need 8 hours of sleep at home, you'll still need them while on a workcation.

This question originally appeared on Quora.

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