An infrastructure engineer discovers the secrets to success during his workcation in Miyakojima: a real report from his 9-day, 8-night trip

Hello! (Welcome!)
I'm Lin, an infrastructure engineer.

In recent years, with the spread of remote work, the working style known as "workation" is becoming a more widespread option

However, when it comes to actually working remotely, you may have many questions and concerns, such as "What is it really like?" and "How do I choose a location and what is my budget?"

Our company also has a workation system , but it seems that not many people actually use it

This was my first time working remotely, so I had many concerns and things I couldn't imagine during the planning stage

So this time, I, an infrastructure engineer, will share my personal experience of doing an 8-night, 9-day workation in Miyako Island

• The reality of workation in Miyakojima
• Key points for success
• How to create a good working environment
• Points to reflect on
• Overall impression

We've compiled this from a " realistic perspective "!

I hope this will be helpful for those of you planning a workation.
Here you go!

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■ Overview of this workation

• Location: Miyako Island, Okinawa Prefecture
• Duration: 8 nights, 9 days (including 4 working days)
• Timing: End of November
• Rough cost : 150,000 yen
  * Airfare/50,000 yen, Accommodation/30,000 yen (extremely cheap), Rental car/30,000 yen (very cheap), Food and miscellaneous expenses/40,000 yen

The purpose of this trip isn't so much "travel," but ratherto try out a lifestyle of working in a nature-rich environment.

My dream is to live near a beautiful ocean, and Miyako Island is the perfectplace for me!That was the initial motivation.
Taking such a long vacation and staying in a travel destination is difficult, butwith a workation, it becomes possible!So I've been looking forward to it for several years.

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■ Concerns before working remotely

As this was my first workation, I had some concerns beforehand

1. Where is the best place to go?

• I don't know where is suitable for workation
• I can't imagine how to balance work and nature

2. How do you ensure a good working environment?

• Private room required (due to a meeting)
• Rental offices are expensive
• The working environment at hotels is unstable

3. I can't gauge the budget

• The positioning of "travel" and "lifestyle" is unclear
• It's hard to know how much it will cost

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■ How did you decide?

● Deciding on a destination

My goal was to "get away from the city and work in nature," so I chose Miyako Island, which is rich in nature and has a pleasant climate . Since it was the off-season at the end of November, I was able to keep the cost of flights, accommodation, and rental cars lower than the market rate, and I was able to easily get into popular izakayas (Japanese pubs).

● Choosing accommodation

Since there were no co-working spaces on Miyako Island, I used my accommodation as my workspace. A stable network connection is essential for remote work , so I contacted the hotel in advance and asked them to measure the internet speed . The result was around 30Mbps , which allowed me to determine beforehand that I would be able to work without stress.

● Keep your budget to a minimum

This trip wasn't a luxurious "vacation," but rather an "experiment to change my workplace."
Therefore, I planned to keep costs down as much as possible by using Agoda's discounts for accommodation and renting a budget car.

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■ How to spend your workday

I set a fixed schedule for my work days to create structure

• Go to the beach early in the morning and watch the sunrise (the perfect time to reset)
• Return to the inn and carry out your normal duties
• After work, I go to the gym

Waking up and going to the beach to watch the sunrise was the best time of the day.
Getting up early is even more wonderful when you're in a place surrounded by nature.

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■ How to spend your days off

I used my days off to fully refresh myself

• Marine Activities
• Explore Miyakojima's nature and famous sites
• running
• Drinking at local restaurants

The clear distinction between "work" and "vacation" made my days off very satisfying

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■ The surefire way to succeed at workation

"Recreating everyday life" is the key

While workcations may seem fun at first glance, my honest opinion is that they can actually be quite stressful

The reason is thatyou have to live and work in an environment that is different from your usual one at the same time.

Therefore, I felt it was important to bring in as much of my "normal life" as possible

Things that take everyday life into consideration:

• Meals(mainly pre-made meals)
• Exercise habits(gym, running)
• Bedtime
• My favorite everyday items(toothbrush, skincare products, hair dryer, etc.)

● Preparation for killing time is also essential

While the countryside is rich in nature, it also meansthere's a lot of "empty time."
I was really grateful that I could watch Netflix and U-NEXT on the hotel TV. I
spent my entire stay laughing hysterically at the TV show "Aiseki Shokudo."

● If possible, stay near Don Quijote!

They had everything from groceries and household goods to souvenirs , so I went there almost every day (lol). It might sound like a joke, but Don Quijote was a huge help in recreating my everyday life !

Focus on cost-effectiveness as much as possible!

Since I'm working at the same time,difficult to relax 100% even on my days off.
Therefore,accommodations, flights, rental cars, and activities with cost-effectiveness in mind will lead to a more satisfying workation overall!

● If possible, cook your own meals. *If you are staying for 4 days or more

You might be wondering, "Cooking for yourself while traveling?" But if you eat out for every meal during your stay, your food expenses will add up, socooking for yourselfis recommended. (Of course, accommodation with a kitchenette is a must...)

I actuallybought ingredients at Don Quijote, prepared 5-6 servings in advance, stored them in I-Wrap bags, and prepared them so they could be eaten immediately after heating them in the microwave. It's a
great way to make meals closer to your usual diet, and it's also very cost-effective, so I highly recommend it.

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■ [Work] Ways to maintain productivity

● A mobile monitor is essential

It's essential for maintaining productivity.Working with just one screen is probably impossible. (Although this depends on the nature of the work.)

● Logitech "MX ERGO" is a godsend item

Because there wasn't enough space to move a mouse , I brought along the " MX ERGO ," which can be operated with just the thumb . It shone brightly in the limited space on the counter table.

● Work is limited to three days

I dedicated four days to the work, but from the perspective of concentration and back strain, I felt that three days or less would be just right!

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■ Points for improvement

• It would have been nice to have one day where I could treat myself.
• I should have brought a cushion (working for long periods of time affects my back)
• Just like with travel, having some kind of schedule planned made the experience more fulfilling (I ended up with more time to relax in my room after sunset than I expected).
  

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■ Overall review (impressions)

My 8-night, 9-day workation was an extremely fulfilling experience

• Experience the nature, geography, and culture of Miyako Island
• There were no major problems with work
• Living in a different environment from my everyday life has given me new stimulation for my thoughts and feelings
• I wanted to continue this at a pace of once a year

Unlike a typical vacation, my workation in Miyako Island had a bit of a survival-like feel to it, and I'm already highly motivated for my next trip, thinking, " I think I can do even better next time ."

I hope this article will help encourage your workation even a little

Thank you for reading to the end!

P.S. I will also do my best to post technology-related articles!