A successful workation combines flexibility with the right environment to stay productive.gettyThinking of lugging your laptop to an exotic destination so you can combine work and travel? More Americans are taking workations that blend remote work with leisure activities. Deloitte’s 2026 Summer Travel Survey found that 34% of travelers planned to work during their longest summer trip, up from 23% the previous year. Among millennials, that number climbed to 57%.The appeal is simple. A workation lets you change your surroundings, extend a trip and preserve limited vacation time. But remote work doesn’t automatically give you permission to work from anywhere.Before booking a flight, make sure the arrangement won’t create problems involving company policy, taxes, data security, time zones or your work performance. A workation should give you more flexibility without creating career risks that follow you home.Make Sure Your Employer Allows WorkationsWorking remotely doesn’t automatically mean you can work from another state or country. Before making plans, review your company’s remote work policy and find out whether manager or HR approval is required. Some organizations also restrict how long employees can work elsewhere, which locations are permitted and which devices may be used.Clear policies make a significant difference. Chartered Management Institute research found that 84% of workers with a formal workation policy believed their manager would be supportive, compared with 48% of those without one. Among organizations with formal policies, 56% required prior manager approval and 38% required HR approval. Getting permission in advance can help you avoid misunderstandings and reduce the risk that your trip is viewed as a policy violation.Understand The Tax And Legal RisksWorking from another state or country can create tax, immigration, payroll and employment law issues for both you and your company. The rules vary by destination and may depend on how long you stay, the type of work you perform and whether local authorities consider you to be working there.Before traveling, disclose where you plan to work and how long you’ll be there. Confirm whether the location is approved, whether you need a specific visa and whether your company has limits on the number of days you can work elsewhere. A tourist visa may not permit remote work, even when your employer is based in another country.For longer or international workations, consult a tax or immigration professional before finalizing your plans. A few days away may seem harmless, but an overlooked visa or tax rule can still create complications.Choose A Destination That Supports Your WorkA beautiful location can quickly lose its appeal if the Wi-Fi is unreliable, the time difference is unmanageable or there’s nowhere private to take calls. Choose a destination based on whether you can do your job effectively, not just how it looks online.Before booking, confirm the internet speed, availability of cellular backup, time zone differences and whether the accommodation includes a proper desk and quiet workspace. Reliable power, access to equipment and the ability to join meetings without disruption should also factor into your decision.Many hotels are adapting to workation travelers by offering larger desks, ergonomic chairs, shared office areas and equipment such as keyboards and second monitors. A workation works best when the environment supports both productivity and the experience you’re hoping to have.Protect Confidential InformationWorking from a hotel, rental property or shared space can expose sensitive information in ways your home office doesn’t. Public Wi-Fi, visible screens and private conversations in open areas can all create unnecessary security risks.Use approved devices, connect through a secure network and follow any company requirements involving virtual private networks or multifactor authentication. Avoid discussing confidential information in public spaces and make sure no one nearby can see your screen.Managers surveyed by the Chartered Management Institute identified data security and compliance as one of their top concerns about workations. Treating security as part of your travel planning can help prevent a small lapse from becoming a much larger issue.Keep Your Performance ConsistentA workation is still a professional arrangement, so your availability, responsiveness and quality of work shouldn’t change. Plan leisure activities around your schedule rather than trying to squeeze meetings and deadlines between sightseeing.Be especially careful when working across time zones. Confirm when you’ll be available, attend important meetings and communicate progress before anyone has to ask. If your travel plans make it difficult to meet normal expectations, the trip may be better suited for PTO.You don’t need to hide where you are, but repeatedly emphasizing the vacation setting can create the impression that work has become secondary. The goal is to enjoy the flexibility without giving anyone a reason to question your reliability.Stay Visible While Working RemotelyWorking from a different location can make it easier to miss informal conversations and reduce your visibility with managers and colleagues. Remote work can also limit access to networking, mentorship and recognition, all of which may influence career advancement.While you’re away, stay connected to the work that senior leaders care about. Share brief updates on key projects, highlight meaningful wins and make your impact easy to understand. Continue contributing to important discussions and maintain relationships beyond your immediate manager so more people know what you do and why it matters.Visibility also depends on being easy to work with. Respond promptly, follow through on commitments and make time for occasional informal conversations with colleagues. A successful workation keeps your results and contributions top of mind.Set Clear Boundaries Between Work And TravelWithout clear boundaries, a workation can turn into distracted work during the day and unfinished tasks at night. Set defined working hours and decide in advance when you’ll be available for meetings, email and urgent requests.Use a dedicated workspace whenever possible and schedule sightseeing or other activities outside your normal workday. An overly ambitious itinerary can leave you tired, unfocused and frustrated that you’re not fully enjoying either part of the trip. The goal is to create enough structure to protect your performance while still making the destination feel worth the effort.Use PTO For Part Of Your WorkationA workation can help you extend a trip, but it shouldn’t replace real time off. You’re still responsible for meetings, deadlines and email, which means you may return home without feeling as though you had a break.Consider working remotely for part of the trip and then using PTO for the rest. That gives you the flexibility to stay longer while still creating time to disconnect completely. A workation can make travel more accessible, but recovery requires periods when no one expects you to be available.Know When A Workation Isn’t A Real BreakA workation can offer a change of scenery, more flexibility and a way to extend a trip. But it still requires you to stay available, meet deadlines and remain connected.When you feel unable to take real time off because of workload, guilt or job insecurity, working from a better location won’t solve the underlying problem. It may simply make it easier to avoid disconnecting. The best workation gives you more control over where you work without erasing the boundary between work and rest.Join 10,000+ professionals who subscribe to the free Corporate Escape Artist newsletter for practical guidance on layoffs, toxic bosses, job searches, career transitions and AI at work.