5 Business Travel Tips
December 17, 2014
Have you ever heard the term “road warrior?” There’s a reason frequent business travelers have earned the nickname. From dealing with airport security and feeling pressure to land the sale to sleepless nights in a noisy hotel and eating poorly, business travel can be stressful.
If you travel for business frequently, you may already have a system down that helps in avoiding these common pitfalls. For those that don’t, here are some tips to help make your next trip productive and enjoyable.
1) Pack Smart
Learning to carry-on luggage can be tight depending on the length of your travels but, if at all possible, this is the way to go. Carry-on bags allow you to depart the airport much more quickly and the possibility of lost luggage is diminished. Travel-size containers, a wardrobe that resists wrinkling, and vacuum storage bags are essential to obtaining the most space your carry-on has to offer.
2) Request a good night’s rest
If at all possible, choose a hotel where you know you’ll be comfortable. When requesting your room, request to be placed on a quiet side of the hotel away from the highway or roadways, elevators, and stairwells. You may not always be able to avoid a noisy neighbor from beside you or above you, but if you stress the importance of a quiet floor and room the hotel should be accommodating in placing you on a floor with minimal guests. A continental breakfast and free cup of hot coffee will help start your day with convenience and eliminate having to find a nearby breakfast chain.
3) Communication is key
While you’re away, it’s important to stay in touch - both with the office and your family. Taking 5-10 minutes out of a hectic day every couple hours to check in with your boss will help keep you in the loop of top priorities or emails that need attended to by the end of day. Find creative ways to stay in touch with your family. If children are involved, you can read stories over the phone, record your message at bedtime, and leave a series of notes for each day you’re gone. This allows you to stay well-connected even though you presence is not physical.
4) Healthy choices
Poor eating coupled with zero exercise and low sleep can take a toll on your body especially, while traveling. Often while traveling you go for convenience - that quick sweet roll that looks delicious when in reality the oatmeal right it will provide you with more sustained energy throughout the morning. Drinking plenty of fluids will also increase energy and relieve fatigue while flushing out toxins and boosting your immune system. Packing healthy snack options and making good choices to fit some type of exercise into your day will increase your energy, productivity, and help alleviate common stresses that are typically carried over from traveling to home.
5) Avoid Delays
If you’re flying, book or request to be on the earliest flight. According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation, flights scheduled to take off by mid-morning are more likely to depart and arrive on time than those scheduled for later in the day. If you have a connecting flight or a can’t-miss appointment, traveling early will reduce the stress of potentially having a delay. Although arriving on time depends by city, airline, and weather, you’re most likely to get to your destination on time if you give yourself plenty of extra time between locations.
Packing Smart will help you a long way when you are on a business trip. Traveling on excess baggage will just take so much of your time as well as resources. A quiet hotel room is a must, and booking a room away from common traffic will increase your chances of sleeping well. Delays should be avoided, and you should also keep yourself healthy. Great tips, thanks for sharing!
Posted by: All Graduates | Chinese Translation Services | May 4, 2015 at 01:08 AM