Remote work has firmly established itself as more than just a passing trend. What began as a temporary shift has evolved into a fundamental reimagining of how we approach our professional lives. For corporate travellers spending weeks or months away from home, this new reality brings both exciting opportunities and unique challenges.

At Urban Rest, we know all too well the struggle of the "hotel desk dilemma"—that uncomfortable compromise between balancing your laptop on pillows or hunching over a tiny side table squeezed into a corner. We believe your great work deserves great spaces. Let's explore four essential strategies to transform your remote work experience while working on the move.

There's a special kind of frustration that comes from trying to focus whilst sitting on a hotel bed, surrounded by sliding pillows and papers scattered across the duvet. It's not just uncomfortable—it actively works against your productivity and wellbeing.

Why it matters: Your brain excels at forming associations. When work and sleep occupy the same space, both suffer—your productivity diminishes during the day, and your ability to truly relax at night becomes nearly impossible.

The Urban Rest difference: We believe in the power of thoughtful separation. Every Urban Rest property features dedicated workspaces designed by people who genuinely understand how productive work happens. We provide proper ergonomic chairs (not decorative ones that feel terrible after 20 minutes), strategically positioned lighting to reduce screen glare, and layouts that create natural transitions between work and relaxation zones.

For finance professionals working long hours during reporting seasons, our apartments in Canary Wharf offer separate study areas where spreadsheets can live without encroaching on living spaces. Corporate executives appreciate our co-working amenities for those moments when you need a change of scenery without a complete location change.

Practical tip: Even in well-designed spaces, establish your own "opening time" ritual. Take three minutes each morning to intentionally arrange your workspace—position your laptop, organise materials, adjust lighting, and add something small that helps you feel centred. This simple practice signals to your brain that it's time to shift into work mode.

One of the greatest missed opportunities in remote work is failing to leverage your surroundings. Too often, corporate travellers find themselves trapped in a cycle of room service and streaming services, missing the chance to integrate into the vibrant neighbourhoods around them.

Why it matters: Environmental changes throughout your day aren't just pleasant—they're productivity tools. Moving between different spaces stimulates creativity, prevents mental fatigue, and creates natural boundaries between different types of tasks.

The Urban Rest difference: We're passionate about locations that add value to your workday. Each Urban Rest property is selected with the understanding that premium accommodation isn't just about what's inside your apartment—it's about what's outside your door.

Management consultants staying at Urban Rest Richmond appreciate the morning walk through nearby parks before starting video calls. Financial analysts at Urban Rest Dublin Docklands can step out for lunch meetings in innovation districts filled with potential connections. After hours, you're never more than a short walk from dining and cultural experiences that make work travel feel less like exile and more like opportunity.

Practical tip: Schedule at least one "location shift" into your workday. Perhaps it's a mid-morning coffee run that turns into an hour of emails at a local café, lunch in a nearby park, or an afternoon walking meeting. These environmental transitions boost both productivity and your experience of the place you're visiting.

When the line between office and home blurs, the most valuable skill becomes knowing when to draw your own boundaries. This is especially true when working from accommodation—where without careful intention, every space becomes workspace.

Why it matters: Without the physical act of leaving an office, digital boundaries become essential protection against work expanding to fill every available moment. During extended stays, the risk of burnout increases dramatically when these boundaries remain undefined.

The Urban Rest difference: Our spaces are designed with real work patterns in mind. Unlike cramped hotel rooms where your laptop remains perpetually visible (and silently demanding attention), our properties feature layouts that allow you to physically close doors on your workspace or store equipment out of sight.

Project managers coordinating teams across time zones appreciate our multi-room configurations, which make it possible to maintain necessary availability without surrendering entire living spaces to work. Corporate professionals can secure sensitive information in separate areas rather than having it spread across living spaces.

Practical tip: Create a digital shutdown ritual that signals the end of your workday. This might include setting an out-of-office notification with your local working hours, closing all work-related applications, and switching to a different device for personal activities. For those managing global teams, consider creating a communication system that clearly indicates when you're available versus when you're in "local life" mode.

The secret advantage of well-designed remote work environments isn't just about productivity—it's about integrating wellness throughout your day in ways that traditional offices make nearly impossible.

Why it matters: Sustained performance isn't about working longer—it's about bringing your best self to the hours you choose. Regular movement, proper nutrition, and mental breaks aren't indulgences; they're essential components of peak professional performance.

The Urban Rest difference: We believe exceptional stays should enhance your wellbeing, not compromise it. From full kitchens that make nutritious meals simple to prepare, to premium fitness amenities in many locations, staying with Urban Rest means your self-care doesn't have to take a back seat to your career care.

Finance professionals appreciate our properties near running paths for stress reduction after intense days. Corporate leaders consistently note how our accommodations support their ability to maintain wellness routines while travelling. Meanwhile, our business travellers love having spaces where creative thinking can happen outside the constraints of a traditional desk.

Practical tip: Schedule three "micro-wellness" moments into each workday. These might include a 10-minute morning stretching session, a midday walk to a local café for lunch rather than delivery, and an evening wind-down ritual that helps you disconnect. These small practices compound dramatically over the course of extended stays.

Let's be honest—most accommodation providers see remote work as an afterthought. They'll place a small desk in the corner of a room and call it "business-friendly." We take a fundamentally different approach.

At Urban Rest, we understand that for today's professionals—whether you're managing financial portfolios, coordinating teams, or developing business strategies—your accommodation isn't just where you sleep between meetings. It's where important decisions are made, ideas are developed, and some of your most significant work happens.

That's why we've designed every aspect of our stays around how real people actually work and live. It's not about choosing between a great place to work OR a great place to stay—it's about creating environments where both happen in harmony.

For your next extended corporate assignment, consider how the right environment might transform not just where you work, but how effectively you work. Across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, we're creating spaces for professionals who understand that exceptional work deserves exceptional spaces.

After all, the future of work isn't somewhere else—it's wherever you are. And we think that deserves some serious attention to detail.

Urban Rest specialises in premium serviced accommodations for corporate travellers, with 700+ properties across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Our spaces are designed specifically for professionals who need more than just a place to stay—they need a place to excel.