Bleisure – This time I’ve nailed it!

In previous editions I’ve written about Work from Anywhere and Workcations. But what about the classic known as Bleisure?

Bleisure is part business travel, part leisure travel. It’s combining a work trip with an extended vacation before, during or after the work event.

We all had them. Flight vouchers from Covid-19 on the verge of expiry. I had one left and after spending winter in Melbourne I decided I needed an escape to where a sleeveless dress without any tights was a reality. Winter in Victoria is long and cold 🥶.

The Dilemma – With a Jetstar voucher worth $250 I wasn’t heading far. I also need to save my annual leave for family trips during school holidays.

The Solution – a midweek Bleisure trip to Brisbane. Staying with a friend so costs have been kept to a minimum on this self-funded trip.

I'm writing this while sitting in the sunshine by the Brisbane river. I'd like to share The Pros and tips for your next adventure into the land of Bleisure in this August edition of Mobility Matters.

The Pros

At KPMG we are lucky to have offices in all the Australian capital cities (and beyond). Taking a short trip to work in another location has innumerable benefits. Let me name a few:

• Getting to know your colleagues a little better. It’s probably easier to collaborate and connect on client matters in the future where you know each other beyond the small talk about weather. Spending a little time with your teammates creates memories and more common ground. You might also learn something about them beyond the four walls of work that makes you like them even more.
• Getting to experience the vibe in a different office. Being on the floor and with the team allows you to gather new ideas to ponder and potentially implement in your own zone.
• Reuniting with familiar faces is fun. Catching up for dinner with Anne-Maree Keane who was a big advocate for some of the culture initiatives we piloted with great success in Brisbane was a good time.
• Going on a morning run with Hayley Lock was a beautiful way to experience the river promenade. I don't know about you but I get different ideas in a new location and I could feel the energy as we ran alongside all the fitness enthusiasts out before 6am.

• Tuesday I accidentally walked down the stairs instead of up and bumped into some colleagues from other divisions with whom I'd worked on projects. You essentially double down on serendipity when you wonder further away from your usual desk. Great to see you Tim Wilson !
• If you are organised you can find out what's happening while you are in town or even plan your trip to coincide with a major event but don't under estimate the power of just being present. I've been able to enjoy the following by tapping into my network on arrival: - a get together with partners and directors where I bumped into Kymberly Dryden and Alana Peters . Both amazing women who I know from other cities. They have relocated to Brisbane. - Catching up with Cle-Anne Gabriel on all things decarbonisation- I'll get to join the local team on a tour of the new office they will be moving to soon on Wednesday.
• By definition a bleisure trip includes some pleasure. I am really excited to further a collaboration with an absolute powerhouse at the Brisbane Powerhouse on a project she will unveil in 2024.
• Due to remote working I have business development opportunities in Queensland too. As Australian companies embrace hybrid working employees are empowered to work from anywhere in Australia. I look forward to a coffee with one of them on Wednesday.

The non-Pros aka the Cons:

To ensure there were no issues on Day 1, I booked a 6:25am flight. The only sub-optimal component of my day was the 4am wake up call to get in my workout (who would want to skip leg day!) so I could catch the Uber to the airport at 5am. I checked my suitcase in with 1 minute to spare.

From the above you can probably tell that I am that traveller. The one that wants to maximise every minute possible of every day and doesn't want to waste a second waiting at the airport.

I've only missed a couple flights in my lifetime so the strategy is working well 🤣.

Fingers crossed for an uneventful return to Melbourne!

A Couple Tips:

1. Life is busy - but is always better with a well executed plan. I only had limited time on the ground in QLD but when I come back I think I will review my networks more thoroughly to set up more coffee catch ups. You're first in Kate Vuleta !
2. Check the weather - and bring a jacket anyway. It's warm outside but still cool under the air conditioning vent in the building. A dual purpose trip might require packing for two climates.
3. I'm in the middle of a wellbeing challenge and the thought of missing workouts and not having control of my nutrition was unsettling. So I reframed my perspective because I could do things ahead of time to stay on track like: - Preparing my food and bringing it as a carry-on to be placed directly in a fridge on arrival. I made lettuce wrapped kangaroo patties with melted lactose-free cheese. I also combined the ingredients for 2 of my green fibre protein drinks. - I planned my workouts. I went to bed early so I could get up early at 4am and workout pre-departure. I planned my run and a yoga session in Brisbane along with when I could take walking meetings.

Don’t forget the tax implications!

Constantly spending time in different states can create complexities for your employer’s obligations to payroll tax. My 3 day trip isn’t an issue but if you are planning on making the interstate Bleisure trip a habit or doing it for more than a couple of weeks tell your tax team.

If you are going further afield and need a passport for your journey checking in on the tax implications is 100% mandatory.

Would I do it again… yes!

This trip hit the right highlights with no dramas. This is it for me.

Working from Anywhere requires a longer term commitment to working away from home which often means creating a comfortable working environment outside of an office. This particular type of Bleisure trip where I went into the office made it easy. The domestic nature removed the biggest drama of big time zone issues from being a hindrance.

The biggest difference between Bleisure and Workcation was the boundaries and expectations I brought to each trip. I knew I was working 9-5 in the office in Brisbane and I travelled alone. During my Workcation, my family was with me and I felt guilt about working all day while they were off having fun being tourists even though that was the plan the whole time.

After a few days away I miss my boys and am looking forward to returning home. Distance makes the heart grow fonder which is also a sign of a great trip, business, leisure or both.

American by birth, Australian by choice. Ursula Lepporoli has lived experience. She brings compassion and understanding to the tax and policy expertise she provides to expatriates and employers. Sharing knowledge with the wider mobility community brings her joy. With 17 years of Global Mobility experience she brings a strategic and practical perspective to every interaction. She prides herself on making tax fun but takes the responsibility of cutting through complexity seriously. Follow her, and subscribe to the Mobility Matters newsletter here.

The views expressed above are mine alone and are not tax advice.