Business Travel Doesn’t have to be Stressful

We all travel for different reasons, but many of us have to travel for work and that can be pretty stressful. From booking flights to arranging accommodations business travel can be a pain in the butt, so how can we avoid the hassle? Along with the travel, these people have to do their jobs. Career stress aside, the annoyances of trekking anywhere can really pile up. Let’s look at ways business traveler can reduce stress and actually enjoy their trips.

Plan out the details

Traveling in general can be arduous, with airports being so crazy, hotels offering no conveniences of home and getting around in a new city. Maybe planning things out would help a little. In this go-go world we live in, a little help can go along way.   Try pre planning your trip form every activity to rides form and to the airport. Having everything set in place takes the worry out of travel.

Use apps to pre check into your flight and order a ride-share service from the airport. Technology can really aide in planning. Many hotel chains have concierge services online, so you can have things ready when you arrive.

Chill out

So you booked everything in advance, checked into your hotel online and have a ride waiting for you, so try and chill out. Grab a cocktail at the hotel bar, loosen your tie/belt and take a moment for yourself. Think about travel as just a long commute to work. This way of thinking will allow you to have more normal rituals and actually feel like your normal self. If you enjoy reading the newspaper in the morning with a cup of coffee, do that.   Take time out of your day for yourself and your enjoyment.

Be Social

Everything doesn’t have to be business, so try and fit some social aspects into your trip. Have a dinner with coworkers or friends and have a laugh or two. Maybe have some cocktails with the coworkers after a long day. Being social is something that people do in their day-to-day lives, so try and be normal. Just because you are traveling, doesn’t mean you have to work 24/7.

Grab receipts

Many times you are so busy that you forget to grab a receipt and you are stuck footing the bill. No more, take photos of every receipt with your phone. Keep these pictures in a file and give them to your financial department. No longer will you not be able to have bills covered.  

Have fun

Remember, you are only working for on average eight hours a day, so try and enjoy yourself for a little. We only have so many years on this planet and you have to have some fun. Stress can build up during a normal workweek, let alone one filled with travel annoyances. Take some of this stress off with some fun. Go out to a nice diner, see a movie, take a tour of the new city. Whatever you have to do to make yourself smile and reduce your stress levels will help.

Hopefully these simple changes to your normal business travel can reduce stress and make life a little bit easier.