This is what a workation really is – the hard but hilarious reality

Extending a vacation with a workweek on location sounds like a dream, right? It is, but in the meantime, you have to stay sober enough. Because no matter how fantastic and constant you thought that wifi would be, it works just a bit differently on a summer island.

1. No matter how luxurious your stay is, you always end up with your derrière in the air looking for a power outlet in the corner of the room. And of course, you borrowed the extension cord at the last minute from your suitcase, even though you really need it.

2. On the day of arrival, you don't rush to the nearest bar, but you take out your technical equipment as a sort of sacred ritual to test the wifi. Meanwhile, you say a thousand little prayers for full coverage.

3. Did you know that there are very handy websites to measure internet speed? Never knew and honestly never wanted to know.

4. Even if your connection seems to work, you still don't trust it and you test Zoom by having your partner log in from another room with the door closed. True story.

5. You work while others are lounging in the sun, which you watch with a bit of jealousy. Life is far from sunkissed for you.

6. Of course, you can splash in the sea or the pool during lunch, but your bikini starts to itch uncomfortably while drying behind your laptop.

7. You stay up late and quickly drink one glass of wine too many due to a misplaced vacation feeling. The next morning, you immediately feel the consequences. The Aperol Spritz is still pressing a bit against my forehead as we speak.

8. An hour after arrival, you've also taken the whole apartment apart to see if you can work ergonomically. Read: a tray on books with a laptop, double cushions to raise your chair, and a table on the couch to type while on the phone. After all, I'm not 30 anymore.

9. Or if I could just apply some lotion on his back in between. Seriously?

10. With the time difference, you're adding and subtracting all day to see what time it is where. Life turns into one big math problem that can't possibly go right in all cases.

11. Of course, you (I) immediately make a mistake, causing your phone appointment to be an hour early on the line and you choke on your coffee. I almost didn't dare to pick up my phone.

12. The neighbors are of course on vacation, so they're enjoying themselves. Party by the pool holadijeee. Where is my noise-canceling headphones or should I just pop over to them? No no no, I have a deadline.

13. Your video connection is glitching despite testing it over and over, and you immediately need to get some oxygen. This was exactly why you tested everything that could be tested on a half Sunday. It feels a bit like a meltdown of all your connections to home.

14. You're also just tired from working, so you fall into a deep, dreamless sleep right after that stunning sunset, completely missing that sizzling evening.

15. Meanwhile, you receive messages from home that packages with fresh items are going to be delivered to your door while there are tenants in your house. And you had signed up for the mail forwarding service.

But then it's the weekend and in the end, you're just sitting with your butt in a fantastic location working, so you just have to keep your mouth shut. Noted, you won't hear from me again.