For many, the option to travel without using up limited PTO is the biggest draw, a flexibility that is highly valued - so much so that three in five remote workers would consider switching jobs for a company that offered more workcation flexibility. Ultimately, workcations offer a chance to live like a local, allowing for deeper cultural immersion than a quick, traditional holiday.
While the concept is appealing, a successful workcation requires careful planning and discipline The primary challenge is maintaining the balance, as the risk of the line between work and leisure becoming too blurry is very real. The most common pitfalls include the Wi-Fi woe, as a reliable, high-speed internet connection is non-negotiable for a professional workload. Time zone troubles are also a concern, as working across significant time differences can be taxing, often requiring late nights or very early mornings to align with team meeting schedules. Furthermore, it takes self-discipline to log the necessary work hours when adventure beckons just outside the door.
For companies, offering workcation flexibility can significantly boost morale and retention, especially among younger demographics who prioritize experiences. Employers must, however, navigate complexities like international tax, insurance, and compliance, which is why many limit workcations to a set number of weeks per year
Ready to trade your cubicle for a cosmopolitan café or a coastal retreat? Experts recommend a few key steps for a successful workcation. First, always check and clear your plans with your manager and HR, outlining your work schedule and communication plan. Second, choose your destination based on practical needs first - reliable Wi-Fi, a comfortable workspace, and minimal time zone impact - and then on its leisure appeal Top global destinations like Lisbon, Bangkok, and New Delhi are already popular due to their blend of affordability, amenities, and culture Finally, set clear boundaries by establishing a nonnegotiable work routine; block out your work hours just as you would in the office, and dedicate the remaining time purely to leisure.
The workcation is more than just a passing trend; it's a structural shift in how we view the relationship between our careers and our lives, proving that you don't always have to choose between a thriving career and a full passport
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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DECLUTTERING YOUR DIGITAL LIFE
In a world where our lives are increasingly lived online, the constant barrage of notifications, overflowing inboxes, and endless files can feel just as suffocating as a messy room. Your digital world, much like your physical space, needs a good spring cleaning. A cluttered digital life can slow down your devices, drain your focus, and even contribute to stress. Ready to trade the digital chaos for calm? Here is your ultimate guide to decluttering your online existence and reclaiming your peace of mind.
Conquer the Email Monster! Your inbox is often the frontline of digital chaos. Taking control of it is one of the quickest ways to feel the benefits of a digital declutter.
Unsubscribe Ruthlessly: Scroll through your email and identify any newsletters, promotional lists, or notifications you rarely, if ever, read. Use a service like Unroll.me or simply scroll to the bottom of the emails and hit the "unsubscribe" link. It takes a few minutes now, but saves you hours of deleting later.
Embrace the Archive: Don't obsessively delete every old email Instead, archive anything you might need for reference later but doesn't require immediate action. Archiving moves the email out of your inbox view but keeps it searchable.
The "Two-Minute Rule": If an email can be dealt with in under two minutes (replying, deleting, or archiving), do it immediately If it requires more time, move it to a "To Do" folder and schedule a specific time to tackle it.
Tame the Files and Folders. From work documents to vacation photos, our hard drives and cloud storage accounts can become digital dumping grounds.
The Big Delete: Start by deleting files you know you'll never use again: duplicate photos, old downloads, and drafts of finished projects.
Be honest with yourself - if you haven't opened it in a year, you probably don't need it.
Establish a Logical Structure: Create a simple, hierarchical folder structure that makes sense to you A good example is a top-level folder for "Personal" and "Work," with sub-folders organized by year, project, or topic.
Consolidate Cloud Storage: If you use multiple services (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive), try to pick one primary service for each type of data (e.g., one for work, one for personal backups) to avoid file-searching headaches.
Clear Your Desktop: Your computer desktop should not be a storage area. It’s a temporary workspace. Treat it like one by creating a single "Triage" folder and moving everything off the background and into it, then sort those files later
Streamline Your Apps and Software. Excessive apps are the digital equivalent of hoarding, slowing down your phone and distracting your mind.
Audit Your Phone: Go through your smartphone screens and delete any apps you haven't used in the past month. If you need it for a very specific, rare occasion (like a travel booking app), you can always redownload it.
Turn Off Notifications: Notifications are the number one thief of attention Go into your phone settings and be brutal Only allow notifications for apps that involve direct communication from people (calls, texts, primary email). Silence all social media, news, and game alerts.
Manage Your Social Media Presence. Social media is designed to keep you engaged, but often at the expense of your time and focus
Curate Your Feed: You don't have to unfriend people, but you can unfollow accounts that don't add value, make you feel negative, or simply post too frequently. Your feed should be a source of inspiration, information, or genuine connection, not background noise.
Set Time Limits: Use your phone's built-in usage tracking tools (like Screen Time on iOS or Digital Wellbeing on Android) to set daily time limits for your most distracting apps. When the limit is hit, log off.
By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only free up disk space and speed up your devices, but you'll also create a quieter, more focused environment for your mind. Say goodbye to digital overwhelm and hello to a life of clear screens and even clearer thinking.
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5 BEDROOM HOUSE IN BEK
BAY
The best-run municipality in South Africa with a consistent
track record of 14 years
TheWestCoastDistrictMunicipalityhas officially been named South Africa’s best-run municipality for 2025, while two of its local municipalities, Saldanha BayandSwartland,tiedforfirstplaceas the top-performing local municipalities inthecountry.
This is according to Ratings Afrika’s latest Municipal Financial Sustainability Index (MFSI), which evaluates municipalitiesbasedonsixkeycriteria. Theseincludeoperationalperformance, liquidity and debt management, budgeting practices, affordability, and infrastructuredevelopment.
The index has been published annually since 2011, using audited financial statements to measure the financial sustainability of the country’s largest localmunicipalitiesandmetros.
Financial sustainability, as defined by Ratings Afrika, refers to a municipality’s ability to deliver services and maintain infrastructure without incurring sudden tax or tariff increases, while also being abletoabsorbfinancialshocks.
Some examples include natural disasters or economic downturns that can occur without requiring external financialaid.
The West Coast District Municipality’s performance stood out among South Africa’s107municipalities
Stretching from the northern edge of the Cape Town Metropole to the border oftheNorthernCape,thedistrictcovers over 31,000 square kilometres and is hometonearlyhalfamillionresidents.
It was recognised for achieving 14 consecutive clean audits and maintaining a 100% capital project expenditure record, demonstrating consistent financial discipline and effectivegovernance.
Western Cape municipalities once again dominated the rankings, highlighting the province’s strong record of accountability and service delivery.
At the National Good Governance Awards, held at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg, several Western Cape municipalities were recognised for their excellence.
Breede Valley Municipality received recognitionfortenconsecutiveyearsof clean audits and maintaining funded budgetsoverthesameperiod,whilethe Cape Winelands District Municipality was honoured for eleven consecutive cleanauditsandfinancialstability.
At a separate event, the mayors of Saldanha Bay and Swartland accepted awards at the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) gala after both municipalities jointly achieved the highest scores (74 out of 100 ) on RatingsAfrika’slatestindex.
Swellendam (73) and Hessequa (72) followed closely behind, also reflecting the Western Cape’s strong governance trend.
Saldanha Bay and Swartland fall under the West Coast District Municipality, further reinforcing the district’s reputation for sound financial management.
The Western Cape’s success was also reflectedinthemetrocategory,withthe City of Cape Town (70) once again emerging as the only metropolitan municipality considered financially sustainable.
No other metro in the country comes close to matching Cape Town’s financial performance, according to RatingsAfrika
Pierre Germishuys, a licensee for Seeff West Coast, said that the region’s good governance and efficient municipal management have contributed to its growingappeal.
“The small towns of the West Coast have become increasingly popular since the Covid-19 pandemic,” he told BusinessTech.
“Where they were mostly seen as holiday villages, an increasing number of people are now moving there permanentlyandinvestinginsecondor holidayhomes.”
Germishuys added that between 2021 and2023,theWestCoastexperienceda significant property boom, with Langebaan standing out as a top performer
Despite these standout examples, Ratings Afrika painted a grim picture of the overall state of local government in SouthAfrica.
Of the 107 municipalities measured, the national average score was a low 36 outof100,whichisunchangedfromthe previoustwoyears.
The report noted that this average is largely“proppedup”bythestrong
performance of Western Cape municipalities,whichcollectivelyscored anaverageof55outof100.
“The results of the latest MFSI once again confirm the very weak financial sustainability of South African municipalities under the leadership of thecurrentelectedcouncillorsandtheir appointed executive management teams,”saidRatingsAfrika
“The exception is the majority of the Western Cape municipalities and Midvaal in Gauteng.” According to the agency,mostmunicipalitiescontinueto suffer from severe financial mismanagement, poor governance, andcollapsingservicedelivery.
Despite this, the success of the West Coast District, Saldanha Bay, and Swartlandshowsthatgoodgovernance can still thrive in parts of South Africa anddeliverrealresultsforitsresidents.
MASTERPIECE VILLA IN SHELLEY POINT
STUDENT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
GARDEN OASIS IN THE HEART OF TULBAGH
BEAUTIFUL TUSCAN CHARM
SOPHISTICATED COASTAL RETREAT
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