When you are in the position where you have to go on frequent business trips, it can be something of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, there can often be something exciting about it. Being able to travel the world – or at least the country – is always a big plus. However, travelling can be stressful even at the best of times. But when you are travelling for the sake of your business, it can be particularly stressful. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with business travel, and they often seem to just at the worst possible time. If you are in a new role where you suddenly have a lot more business travel ahead of you, then this article might help. In it, we will go through some of the most essential pieces of advice from many business gurus. Here is how to make the most of a business trip – and avoid some of the more stressful occasions.
Use A Checklist
One of the main difficulties with business trips is often that you forget what you are doing next, or where. No matter how simple or small the journey is, this can easily happen. It is essential, therefore, that you use a checklist to better understand what is going on. With a proper itinerary, you can work out what you are doing next and how long it should take. Knowing this is likely to help you hugely, so it is well worth giving it a go if you don’t already do it. The checklist doesn’t need to be detailed, it just needs to have the basic headlines for what you have lined up ahead. Being prepared is really the key to ensuring a much less stressful business trip.
Remember Basic Hygiene
There is nothing worse than travelling halfway around the world and rushing into a meeting. Only to discover that your body odour has appeared. This is the kind of embarrassment any of us could do well without, and it is also unpleasant for your hosts. Fortunately, the way to avoid this is actually quite simple. Although it can be all too easy to let personal hygiene slip, try your hardest not to let this happen on your next trip. This can be achieved by ensuring that you leave some extra time. That way, you can make your way to the hotel and have a shower first. Chances are, this will save you a lot of embarrassment. What’s more, being cleaner and more presentable might actually give you an edge in any discussions you might need to have.
Get A Good Meal In
It is all too easy to let your eating habits fall away when you are travelling for business. But just because you are busying jet-setting doesn’t mean you should abandon your basic needs. No matter what, make a concentrated effort to still eat properly on your trips. If you do not keep yourself nourished, it is unlikely that you will be at your best when it comes time to shake hands with your contact. Even if it is just airplane food, make sure you get your three square meals. It really does make the whole process a lot easier to deal with.
Stay Calm
You might be a veteran traveller who quite enjoys the process of getting around. But even those with plenty of experience can soon become quite stressed when they have to suddenly travel a lot more for work. Business travel is a whole other thing altogether, particularly when you are going to the busiest airports in the USA. This is no holiday, and it can be easy to find yourself getting a little overwhelmed. It is helpful, therefore, to have in mind various stress busting activities which you can use on your journeys. A good example of these is meditation. This is something you can do anywhere, even on the plane, and it will massively reduce your travel-related stress. Staying calm is likely to put you in good stead with your business contacts too. What’s more, you will find that you are much more able to make the right decisions for your business, even with all that rushing around.
Stay Connected
It can sometimes be tempting to pretend that the world has fallen away when you get into the air. But the fact is, your business still remains active, and so you need to too. Staying in contact with your business is likely to prove beneficial for both you and those back at base. Particularly if you are relatively high up in the company, you never know when you might be needed. So keep your phone on you and make sure that you are connected to those back at the business’ headquarters.
Get Through Security Fast
It is everyone’s least favourite part of the whole trip, but it has to be done. But is there a way to get through security as fast as possible? Well, yes, there are. Depending on your status, you might be able to get into the premier line. It is always worth a go, you never know what they might say. It is also worth asking the attendant which line they think will go fastest. You might be surprised just how good they are at knowing the answer to this. It is also a good idea to get in line with any solo male travellers. These tend to take much less time than, for example, recently married couples going on their honeymoon.
Be Clever With Your Luggage
When you start to live this kind of lifestyle, you begin to get used to just how important it is to pack light. But beyond that, you also need to invest in luggage which is likely to serve you well, and for long. Go for something which will fit into the holdall, and yet is big enough for everything you need. That way, you won’t have to routinely pay to take extra luggage on board. Over time, this will save you a lot of money – and hassle.
