Finding balance when working away from home

Choosing the right accommodation is essential for a healthy work/life balance

At Arte Stays, we understand that when working away from home, the boundaries between personal and professional life can start to blur.Unfamiliar surroundings, a new routine and long working days can quickly affect mental and physical wellbeing. Achieving a healthy work/life balance isn’t just a ‘nice to have.’ It is essential. For many workers, especially those on long-term stays, choosing the right type of accommodation can help to combat the stress of living in an unfamiliar environment.

Our team sees first-hand how home-from-home, serviced accommodation can transform what could have been a stressful work trip into a manageable – even enjoyable – experience. Your choice of accommodation really matters and our thoughtfully designed rental homes in London can support your mental and physical wellbeing when working away from home.

A good work/life balance really matters. Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is essential for being productive, motivated, rested, and able to focus on work

When working away from home, you don’t have famil iar support networks – family, friends, locality - close to hand. Yes, you can video call, but it just isn’t the same. Without this comfort blanket, it becomes all too easy to fall into unhealthy habits such as working late, living on takeaways, or failing to appreciate what your new environment can offer.

How can accommodation choice affect wellbeing?

Unfortunately, not all business trip accommodation provides the right environment to support your wellbeing. For example, hotel stays can be great for a couple of nights, but they lack the privacy, space and homely environment needed to feel grounded during longer stays. A hotel room may offer a bed and a desk, but everything is in one room. You need room to breathe.

Serviced accommodation can help you to create a healthier routine. Having separate living, sleeping, and dining areas can help with the physical separation of work life and normal life. Having enough space helps to combat the ‘away to work’ mindset that can often take over during long trips, resulting in long working hours and little rest time.

Eating out every night isn’t sustainable for a long period of time, working away from home can be more stressful if you have to eat by yourself. It can reinforce feelings of isolation and homesickness

Having a fully fitted kitchen for meal preparation helps to establish a comforting routine of meal preparation and eating healthily, reducing stress, and boosting energy

Home comforts can also make a big difference to mental health, especially for contractors, who may work long, physically demanding days. Contractor accommodation with a welcoming atmosphere, comfortable furnishings and a cosy living space can make all the difference after a hard day’s work, helping guests to establish a routine and aid restful sleep.

The problem with hotels is that guests are often tied to schedules of when facilities are open or available – meals, conference facilities, gyms. All are only available between set times and there is little flexibility to establish an individual routine. However, self-catering accommodation with all the comforts of home provides the freedom to start work earlier or later, go for a walk in the local park when for a break, and shape your own routine, or team routine - essential for achieving that healthy work/life balance when working away from home.

A healthy work/life balance matters even more when working away from home

Finding the right accommodation and environment is more than just a tick box on a list. Pulling all the right elements together to suit your needs will protect your wellbeing, help you to be productive and make your time away from family and friends more enjoyable.

The Arte Stays team understands the unique requirements for maintaining a healthy work/life balance when working away from home. From contractor teams to professionals needing long-term stays, our serviced rental properties in London are designed to offer a relaxing stay with a homely environment.

Our goal is simple. We want all our guests, whether staying with us for work or pleasure, to feel comfortable, supported and at home. To discover how our friendly team can help you to find your ideal rental property for working away from home, simply contact us today to discuss your requirements.