A SAVVY office worker managed to get a cheeky week-long break in Spain – without using up any of her annual leave.
Olivia Smith from London and Amy Irvine, her best friend in Marbella spent an entire week there in April.
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A digital PR firm allows its employees to work anywhere.
So Amy, the head of the firm, and Olivia, both 27, spent their days working from the balcony of their apartment which was just a stone’s throw from the beach.
The pair usually went out to drink in the evening after their lunch break.
Amy had used the firm’s policy to take two other trips around the UK – Kielder Forest in Northumbria for her mum’s 50th and Whitby in the North East to extend a holiday – but this was the first time she had gone overseas.
Amy, who lives in Kendal (Cumbria), said that after Covid they realized everyone can work from any location and the policy became official.
“If the job allows, then everyone should ask their boss if they can work remotely – and use the chance to head abroad.
You can probably work from anywhere in Europe with the same time zone as UK.
“I’d 100 per cent recommend doing it – it’s nice to get away, but not have to use up your holiday allowance.
To be honest, I wanted to get some sunlight. It was nice to work anywhere and have a change in scenery. Perhaps it would have felt more stressful in Britain.
The sunshine makes everything better. The evenings were spent with drinks, tapas and beach clubs.
“We went for a swim on our lunch breaks and it was so nice to wake up to sunshine and not the rain. It felt surreal.
Amy says that the combination of a working holiday and a new environment helped her to be more productive.
She says: “I certainly felt more productive, and my motivation increased.”
“It was nice to work with my colleague – who is usually in the London office – as well.
“I think if you work in a job where you can do that it’s a really nice benefit and leads to a better work life balance.”
Amy said she doesn’t have any current plans for a future trip but hoped to work abroad again in the summer and autumn months.
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