Remote work in your own country? Maastricht is the ultimate brain reset
We live in a hyper-nervous society. This is not a feeling, but a fact. In late September 2025, the Council for Public Health and Society (RVS) came out with an alarming message: performance pressure and acceleration are threatening our well-being on a grand scale. And honestly? When I read that, I nodded so violently that my coffee almost flew over my laptop. Because of course we recognise this. We all feel it, that constant pressure to perform, those endless to-do lists, those WhatsApp groups that never stop pinging.
The National Work Happiness Survey 2025 confirms it: our job satisfaction is under pressure. Young people in particular struggle with it. And do you know what the crazy thing is? We work extremely hard, we are available until late at night, but really switch off? We can't. Working from home used to be the solution, but now it also turns out to be the problem. Your laptop is on the kitchen table, your work e-mail bleeps between dinners, and the boundary between work and private life? That has long since disappeared.
About Josje Smeets
Josje Smeets is happiness psychologist and owner of psychological consultancy HelloBetty. After graduating from Utrecht University as a forensic psychologist, she worked at the Pieter Baan Centre. She then moved back to her hometown and started working as a psychology lecturer at Maastricht University. There, Josje discovered positive psychology, a field that focuses on prevention rather than treatment. Eight years ago, she founded HelloBetty. Since then, Josje has been active as a speaker, theatre maker and change facilitator. She also wrote the book Happy in 100 days and is still attached to Maastricht University as a lecturer.
Your brain has - in need of a reset
Here comes the good news: there is a solution. And no, you don't have to go to Bali for it. You don't even have to take your expensive holidays. The solution is called workation, and it's simpler than you think: work from a different environment for a few days. But an environment that triggers your brain, that stimulates your senses, that literally makes you recharge.
As a happiness psychologist, I know: a change of scenery does wonders to your brain. It breaks patterns, stimulates creativity and gives you a mental reset. Scientific research also supports this. Studies by MIT and others show that a better work-life balance can increase your productivity by as much as 40 per cent. Yes, you read correctly: 40 per cent! And Walden University discovered something fascinating: if you work part-time (up to 0.6 fte), you are as productive per hour as if you worked full-time. So working less is not lazy, it's smart.
Why Maastricht is the perfect workation city
And now for the punchline: why should you book your workation in Maastricht? I'm going to explain it to you, and believe me, after this blog you'll want to pack your laptop tomorrow.
First: Maastricht has that foreign feeling without having to leave the country. That mix of Burgundian cosiness, that architecture that reminds you of French towns, that friendly atmosphere where people take the time for a chat. It feels like a holiday, but you're just in the Netherlands. No plane ticket needed, no jet lag, no huge carbon footprint. I live in Maastricht myself, but work a lot in the Randstad. And do you know what happens when I return? Literally, physically, palpably: my shoulders drop. My breathing gets deeper. It's like driving off a motorway onto a country road. Everything slows down, and therefore you can actually speed up. Sounds paradoxical, but it's true.
Why happiness at work is crucial - (and how Maastricht helps)
Let's get technical for a moment, but in a fun way. Work happiness is not a luxury, it is a necessity. It not only increases your motivation and creativity, but also ensures mental resilience. And it prevents burn-out. We now know that an overly busy work schedule, where you cannot switch off, greatly increases the likelihood of mistakes and drop-out.
A workstation in Maastricht gives you back that crucial balance. You're productive during the day - there are great workplaces like de Brandweerkantine, the Dominicanen (recently voted the most beautiful bookstore in the world!) and co-working spaces like Centre Céramique. You have wifi, you have coffee, you have that fine buzz of people around you who are also focused.
And then, in between your work moments? Then you step outside and suddenly find yourself in a completely different world. You walk along the river Jeker, you cycle up the Mount Saint Peter (and yes, that climb is tough, but precisely that elevated heart rate gets you out of your head!), you browse through boutiques, you taste a wine at Apostelhoeve. Your brain gets new stimuli, new inspiration, new energy.
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Mount Saint Peter nature reserve
Mount Saint Peter nature reserve
Rest, relaxation and enjoying nature together can be experienced during a visit to this special place, a stone's throw from the city centre. More info on Nature reserve Mount Saint Peter (Natuurmonumenten)
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Vineyard Apostelhoeve
Vineyard Apostelhoeve
Atop the Louwberg lies the monumental 15th-century Apostelhoeve; the oldest and largest vineyard in the Netherlands! More info on Wijngaard Apostelhoeve
My tips - for your Maastricht workstation
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Start your day with a different workplace
Grab your laptop and find a spot in the Jeker Quarter or the city park. That new environment triggers your creativity and reduces stress. You will find that ideas come more easily.
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Plan active breaks
Discover Maastricht on foot or by bike during your lunch break. Movement and fresh air refresh your brain and increase your concentration. Bonus: Maastricht is so compact that you can cycle from the city centre to beautiful nature in 15 minutes.
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Find inspiration outside work
Visit a gallery, stroll the market, or just wander the streets. Give your brain something else to look at. Those shop windows full of unique items? They give your brain new ideas and energy.
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Reflect and celebrate small successes
Write down daily what went well or what you enjoyed. In Maastricht, that list gets seriously long. And that positive feeling? You take that back home with you.
It is time - for a new way of working
We tend to stick to fixed patterns. Work at home on Monday, office on Tuesday, and so on. But this rigidity does not make us more productive, it makes us tired. By moving your work to an inspiring environment, you give yourself a gift. You create a better balance, stimulate creativity, increase productivity and give yourself extra energy.
Especially now that autonomy and flexibility are increasingly important for young professionals, a work station is a smart move. For self-employed people, it's a no-brainer anyway, but also employers who want to support their employees (especially now that staff are scarce!) would do well to facilitate this.
Maastricht has it all: the peace to focus, the inspiration to create, the cosiness to enjoy. It is a slow city where you can effectively take your time. You come here to work, to recharge and to enjoy. And the beauty? You speed up by slowing down.
So grab that laptop, book a nice place (from boutique B&B to five-star hotel, Maastricht has it all), and give yourself that reset. Your brain will thank you. And so will your productivity.
