Lately I have been traveling a lot for my day job, darting across the continent and back for extended periods at a time (2+ weeks). The one thing I can say about this kind of lifestyle is that being away from home up to 30% of the time for work is exhausting. With 12 hour days and not a day off in half a month, you begin to feel the effect of the hours you put in. But with all my travels in the last few months on this cycle, I have figured out a few ways to make business travel more pleasant which have really saved my sanity and well being on the last few trips.The following tips are highly unconventional and not for everyone as they are based on my own personal business travel preferences. Your work schedule and my work schedule could be completely different. A 2 day trip for work has far different dynamics than a 14 day trip, so the tips that suit your style may be reflective of that. In any event, the root of all of the tips featured in this post hold true for most all business travelers - relax, take it easy, and travel for work will take care of you as a reward. (Photo "Old Briefcase with Combination Lock" by Mattox)
1. Don't do work in the airport.
This is quite possibly the most frustrating thing I see about business travelers. When flying from A to B, there will be several hours when you are out of communication range with the home office, clients, or other parties. It is far to easy to resume connections when in communication range and use the precious layover minutes to crank out a report or call into a meeting. The best tip we can give? Don't do it. The airport experience is already hectic enough and adding in a fully loaded day of work into that 2 hour layover is going to make the entire experience all the more frustrating. Take a break, the following days of work are going to be busy enough as it is.
2. Upgrade to economy plus.
This rule applies to all those who only travel moderately for their job and don't get this type of upgrade for free due to frequent flier status (typical on most programs). In the USA especially, leg room is a commodity. Fly for more than 3-4 hours and you are going to be in for a rough time no matter how tall you are. If you're expected to be active for a long period of time in the following days, a cheap upgrade to economy plus may be exactly what you need. At less than most daily per diem rates in most airlines, you may not get shot down as easily as that request to business class would be.
3. Plan for ample hotel time.
When traveling on business, it is likely that you are going to be staying in a very nice room up to several hundred Pounds, Dollars, or Euro per night. Much like traveling for fun, it is silly to be paying so much for a nice room when you are never in there to enjoy it. In fact, never getting to enjoy my hotel room is my least favorite part about business travel. Even if it is just as simple as coming back from a night out early one night at your London hotels to get in a few extra minutes with my bed or going out and working out in the fitness center, taking time to enjoy the amenities of your hotel is essential to minimize the stressful days of a busy business trip. (Photo "Airport Travellator" by danc222)
4. Take time to relax.
If you are like me, getting time to relax on a business trip is a precious commodity. If you are traveling, you are traveling to work. Any free time is then spent eating or sleeping, with little else to do in between. You may not get a day off, even on the longest business trips, but finding a few moments to relax is crucial to keeping up with your best game amongst the countless hours of work. Whether that is enjoying your hotels in Amsterdam like in the previous tip, seeking out a local restaurant, or even something as simple as a few minutes each day to read a book or listen to music, relaxation is key.
5. Eat right and limit caffeine.
On most business trips you are most likely moving all the time and barely have a moment to sit. 12+ hour days, a per diem rate for food, and a number of great restaurant choices leads to opportunities for poor binge eating. Resist the urge! Several days of eating heavy foods catches up to you in ways we do not want to publish, and copious amounts of caffeine will lead to the inevitable crash. The last thing you want is this to be at your most crucial moment of the trip, and eating right will help you keep on going each day you are away.
Need an extra boost? We're fans of the one drink energy shots that are packed full of vitamins and have minimal caffeine compared to their larger soda-sized cousins. These aren't for everyone, but if you are going to go for the quick energy, try to avoid the jumbo sugary ones at all cost! The crash will end up being worse than when you started. (Photo "Business Lounge" by KayPat)
6. Dress comfortably when traveling.
The 1950s are long gone, you do not need to wear your suit while traveling. Traveling comfortably is the first step in making the whole experience more enjoyable. Not talking pajamas here, just what you would normally wear on your day off. Unless you are heading to a meeting as soon as you land or do not want to carry-on/check your suit, dressing up to fly will only drag the entire experience down the comfort scale. And don't even think about looking nice for an upgrade, gate upgrades are a myth due to most major airlines instituting status-based upgrade charts.
7. Get home as fast as possible.
In what may be the most controversial topic in this list may also be my favorite. When it comes time for your business trip to end, make it a quick one. The last thing on anyone's mind after working 7, 10, or 14 days in a row is making the travel process home even a single minute longer. Find the fastest route possible home and take it, whether that is a red eye or getting up at 4 in the morning at your hotels in Paris to catch a flight. After those many long days and nights of working, the best solution for the weary traveler is always the same - your own bed. Get to it fast, and stay in for a very, very long time.
Whether your business travels take you on the road for just a few days or even a few months, there are a few simple truths that tie everyone together. Business travel is tiring. You'll be working harder on the road than you ever do at home and have little time over the course of your trip to take care of yourself in the process. Resist the urge to crash on your bed each night and find a few minutes to unwind and enjoy the small perks that are available to you as a business travel. A bit of leisure goes a long way, and it is often the tiniest of things that keep you going when your trip begins to seem never ending.
