Business travel can be a grind. Whether you’re jetting to client meetings or meeting with team members in another time zone, everything about it can feel like torture. The answer, however, isn’t as bleak as you might think. Working from home doesn’t have to mean isolating ourselves and making every other aspect of our lives feel cramped and impersonal. In fact, creating the right environment for your business travel is one of the best ways to make it more like a spa day than a workday. Here are six tips on how you can create the ultimate business trip and make each next trip more luxurious than the last one:
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Plan Ahead
Before you hit the road, you’ll want to make sure that you have everything packed and ready to go. In particular, you’ll want to make sure that you have all your important documents with you. Make a list of all the paperwork that you’ll need, including any contracts that you’ll need to refer to or sign while you’re on the road. You’ll also want to make sure that you’ve got all the equipment that you’ll need for the trip in your bag. If you’ll be doing video conference calls, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got the right cables and adapters with you. If you’ll be flying abroad on a private jet charter, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got your passport and other important travel documents.
Bring the Right Stuff
While you may have the urge to bring the whole house with you on your business trip, that’s a bad idea. If you bring too much stuff, you’ll unnecessarily spend more time unpacking and repacking everything into your bags. On the other hand, if you bring too little, you may find yourself in need of items, like a laptop charger or a pair of shoes, on your trip. To avoid this, you’ll want to bring only the things that you absolutely need. Make a list of what you need for the trip and what you can get creative with. For example, if you know that you’ll be staying in an Airbnb, you can bring just toiletries, some clothes and a small fridge. On the other hand, you can bring a laptop when you know that you’ll be working from a hotel.
Dine on Site
Dining on site is one of the best ways to make your business trip luxurious. Sure, you can always dine in or order room service, but eating at the hotel where you’ll be staying is one of the best ways to make your business trip feel more like a vacation. On top of making your business stay feel more luxurious, it will also save you money. Dining on site will likely be cheaper than eating at a restaurant, so you may even end up saving money on your trip. To make this work, though, you’ll want to pick a hotel that has a restaurant that serves good, healthy options, so that you can avoid ordering something that’s too fattening or unhealthy.
Stay Flexible
If you’re used to rigid work schedules or meeting strict deadlines, you may find that you don’t have room to be flexible while you’re on the road. However, you’ll find that this trip is actually a great time to be flexible. When you’re out of town, you can spend your time however you want. You can go for a walk and take in the sights, catch up with family and friends, or do whatever else you like to do in your free time. Make this trip about you and what you want to get out of it. Don’t worry about fitting it into your work schedule or meeting any deadlines.
Be Prepared for Unexpected Events
While you might have the best intentions, unexpected events are a given when you’re on the road. While you might have planned to go to a conference or a meeting while you’re on the road, it’s possible that it will be postponed or cancelled. You can’t control many of these things, but you can prepare yourself for them. Make a note of any last-minute meetings or events that you need to attend. If you need to be in a certain place at a certain time, make sure that you’ve got a backup plan. You can’t control everything, but you can control your own reactions.
Don’t Forget to Relax
If you’re used to working nonstop, you might find that you forget to take breaks. On the other hand, if you take a break every once in a while, you’ll find that you’re more refreshed and ready to work again when you get back to it. Even if you don’t plan to meet with anyone while you’re on the road, you’ll want to make sure that you take a break. If possible, take a few days off and chill with your family and friends. You can also take advantage of free Wi-Fi wherever you are. This will give you a chance to relax and get some work done without feeling like you’re letting anyone down.
Bottom Line
A business trip doesn’t have to be a grind. Instead, you can make each next trip more luxurious by creating the right environment for it. Start by picking the right hotel, packing the right things in your bag and dine on site while you’re out of town. Make sure to take breaks and relax when you can, and you can make your business trip more luxurious than ever before.
