Business travel is not nearly as exciting as it initially sounds. As a matter of fact, it can be one of the most frustrating aspects of working because you are “teased” with interesting destinations but you do not get a chance to truly explore them and savour the local culture. In fact, stress is the inseparable part of business travel for many people and it can be truly hard to break this mould. If you have had it enough with anxiety attacks before and during your work related trip, here are 7 tips on how to take the stress out of business travel.
1. Time is of the essence
Time is money and planning your trip in advance is a luxury. If you are lucky (and most of the time you will be unless you work in an environment where business travels are an intrinsic part of the arrangement – e.g. you’re a flight attendant) you will get a notice at least a week to a month in advance. Since time is of the essence, you need to use it to the best of your abilities to prepare. If you are prone to stress and anxiety, talk to your supervisors and tell them that it is absolutely crucial that you get enough time to prepare.
2. Plan and prepare
Now that you have enough time on your hands to prepare, you should use every opportunity to plan your business trip. The most important item in your hands is a checklist which you have thought through during a conversation with your supervisors and according to the destination you are traveling through. In fact, a checklist is probably the most important thing every experienced business traveller “develops” as they accrue experience. If you plan and pack everything according to this checklist, the preparation becomes a significantly smoother experience.
3. Discuss the important matters with your supervisor
However, a checklist is not the only a “sheet of paper” that is your business trip gospel. You should discuss the important matters with your supervisor and go into each and every item on your schedule at length. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how banal or extraneous they seem to you. During these conversations, you will create the next crucial list – of destinations and addresses you will require for this trip. You should also discuss medical insurance and any potential health issues you might have while visiting the new location.
4. Be brand-ready
On your business trip you are a representative of your company, so you should be brand-ready if you want to do your job properly. Without at least some company related items in your bag, several opportunities to raise awareness about your company’s brand might slip through your fingers. This can make you feel like a bad representative that is not up to the task, and this leads to frustration and anxiety. Whenever you are packing for your business trip, bring along some sleek promotional hats, and maybe a handful of pens with the brand printed on them, some squeezers and pamphlets. This should be enough to “satiate” the potential customers and colleagues that have a hard time remembering brand names.
5. Travel apps are a life saver
Trip Advisor, Yelp, even Airbnb and others – there are many apps you can install on your phone or a portable digital device which can help you immensely. In fact, travel aps can be a life saver. You should definitely head online and search for the lists of the most useful travel apps out there and see which ones are the most convenient for your needs.
6. Prep for documentation emergencies
The passport, visa, ID, drivers’ license, medical insurance – these are all crucial documents that do not only play a role in our business trips, but they define our lives. Losing any one of these documents, especially on a business trip in a foreign country, is a recipe for a nightmare. Create hard copies of these documents, place them in a sealed waterproof file and place it on the bottom of your travel bag. You can also upload digital copies of these files onto the cloud and “seal” them with several security measures. Having backups can prepare you for documentation emergencies.
7. Music makes all the difference
Finally, the best way to manage stress on your business trip is quite simple – you should always have a playlist of your favourite music and bands prepared on your portable device. With a pair of quality earbuds in your ears and several hefty albums and best-of editions, you can turn your business trip into a familiar, stress-free and soundtrack inflected experience.
If you organize yourself appropriately, your business trip can be something more than a chore that simply needs to be executed in the name of the company. The hardest aspect to overcome is definitely the physical strain this puts on your body, especially if you are flying to a different time-zone and climate, but even this can be “hacked” if you get to know your own biorhythm. If you are resolved to eliminate stress out of business travel, you will just need time and practice. At the end of the day, you will learn how to make the most out of such arrangements and mix at least some pleasure with your business.