Summer vacation is an essential part of the warm season, at least that's what I think. Of course, you can escape winter's cold and autumn's gloominess in an exotic, warm country, but it's much more fun to be in sync with everybody else and enjoy what summer has to offer. This year I am spending my summer working on my PhD thesis, and with the deadline drawing near, I have no time to spare for a (much needed) rest and relax. Nevertheless, last week I managed to go to the seaside and tried to balance my work with relax (thus the term workation -- work + vacation). And this is the story of how it went.
Skipping Palanga, main holiday spot for Lithuanians, me and my husband chose Šventoji, which is located only 11 kilometers away from the previous one. Believe me when I say, that those kilometers do make difference: Šventoji is less crowded than Palanga, so that means that there's no problem in finding a good spot on the beach, or there's no need to wait in line to get a table at good restaurant. Yes, it's a bit noisy, especially on the evenings when all sorts of bands and performers start singing and all you want is to sleep, but the mornings are so quiet, that you can hear seagulls and rustling pine trees.
We stayed at guest house Jūros vila, and I was more than content with our choice: small studio type apartment suited our needs very well, it was clean, cool (I mean it literally), and quite close to the sea. They also let you bring your pet(s), just ask in advance! So this gig turned out first vacation with our dog too!
The main thing that I understood about workation is that you need to keep strictly to your schedule. I decided that after breakfast I'll be spending from 4 to 6 hours writing (with short 10-15 minute breaks and longer 30 minute break for lunch/power nap), and my afternoons will be devoted to catching some sun on the beach. Meanwhile, my husband went to swim in the sea or meet with his family (whom we joined in this vacation) and do some sightseeing. I admit that at the beginning it was hard to cope with the fact that you're sitting and working while everybody else are having the time of their lives, but later on I managed to remind myself that this is temporary and I'll be able to have as many proper vacations in the future as I like, and now I just need to get my sh*t together. It worked.
Having my time for the fun limited, I really wanted to enjoy myself and put that writing guilt aside. In those moments when I managed to forget that, I might say that I've got a full experience of what Lithuanian seaside has to offer. With hair full of wind, toes deep in the sand, and eyes watching most beautiful sunsets I had brief, but very condensed holiday. So if you ask me, if workation is possible, I'd say yes. Changing your environment does a great deal, and when you know that there's some new experiences waiting after you finish what you've planned, it already feels rewarding.
Photos © Things I Like
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