If you’re reached the point in your career when international travel is necessary, then bravo! Expanding your company’s reach internationally or globally is a major accomplishment. Constant travel, though, might make you forgetful of both personal and professional matters. Thankfully, there is no reason that your quality of life should suffer simply because you spend so much time away from home. If you are new to business travel, here are seven tips to help you make the most of your time away from the office.
Remember the importance of family and friends.
The potential for separation from a spouse and/or dependents is a major drawback to business trips away from home. If you’re not used to being apart for long periods of time, it can be very hard on your relationship. Even though you don’t want to forget about your home life, it’s easy to get caught up in what you’re traveling for. This is not to say that business trips shouldn’t be taken. Think about the ways you may improve your business while still spending quality time with your family when on business trips.
- If you want to be able to see your loved ones as well as talk to them, you might consider using a video chatting service such as Skype or, if you both have iPhones, FaceTime. If you don’t have iPhones, you can now buy an iPhone 11 pro max refurbished for a very cheap price. It’s amazing how simply being able to put a face to the person whose presence you’re missing can make a world of difference in how you feel about being away from home. Talking to your loved one will help you recall why you’re doing it and will also make you feel less alone.
- If you want to give your kids something to look forward to every time you come home from a trip, it would be a good idea to buy them a souvenir. Even though it may not be the same as being at home, coming back after being gone is still a treat at the conclusion of each journey.
- You should make time in your schedule to read to your children via video chat so that you can spend some quality time with them even when you can’t be physically present with them.
- After returning home from a business trip, it’s important to have something fun planned. It will offer you and your loved ones something to enjoy when you get back.
Help your business even when you’re on the go
The most important purpose for you to travel is to assist your company’s operations. Your sales pitch at a conference or to potential investors is one example. But why waste all that time on the road for nothing productive? Use the time on the road to catch up on the paperwork that’s been nagging at you for weeks or to answer the hundreds of emails that have piled up in your inbox.
Attending events that can help your company is another option. If you were traveling in, say, the United Arab Emirates, you might decide to attend exhibition companies in Dubai that could provide you with information on how you could be organizing your very own events and further developing your company. Alternatively, you might choose to join exhibition companies in Abu Dhabi, which is also in the United Arab Emirates. If you are going on a long trip, chances are you will be away from home for several days.
Travel safely
Remembering that you are at greater danger when you are in a foreign country is one of the most essential things to keep in mind while you are traveling; this is especially true if you are traveling by yourself. In certain countries, the general populace is not particularly friendly, particularly if they do not have a lot of money and constantly have to deal with travelers and businesspeople passing through their town. To ensure a risk-free trip, consider the following advice:
- A GPS tracker should ALWAYS be in your phone. That way, if the worst should happen, your loved ones or the company can find you quickly. Make it a policy that if you haven’t checked in to a given location in a certain amount of time, someone will look into it to make sure you’re okay.
- Carry with you things that can come in handy if you find yourself in a difficult position. Items such as mace that can assist you in self-defense will never become obsolete. For obvious reasons, you should never carry a weapon.
- Make sure you have someone waiting to pick you up from the airport as well as your hotel before you travel. Because of this, you won’t have to worry about coming across any sketchy situations along the route.
- Always try to travel in pairs if at all possible. Not only will you have a better sense of personal safety, but the entire trip will also feel significantly less isolating to you.
Learn the ropes of your destination before setting out
Continuing on from the previous point, it is always a good idea to do some research about the location that you will be visiting so that you are aware of what to anticipate. Additionally, there are numerous countries all over the world, each of which adheres to a unique set of customs and beliefs. In order to ensure that you do not accidentally offend someone, you should educate yourself on these aspects. After all, it is their home, and if you disrespect them in any way—regardless of whether you are aware of it or not—you will have a harder time closing the transaction that brought you there in the first place. Always keep these things in mind when you travel:
- Religion. This is a significant one for the reasons that should be evident. Primarily because of concern for offending anyone in their hometown.
- The use of various mannerisms and gestures. In some nations, saying “no” with your head nod while saying “yes” by shaking your head is considered appropriate. Knowing how they live will make your life much simpler, even if it doesn’t technically get you into trouble. It just makes life easier.
- Researching crime rates and avoiding particular neighbourhoods can help you avoid becoming a victim of criminal activity.
- Find out where the finest locations are to eat, drink, meet, and everything else you could require while you are in that area. There is no better resource than Tripadvisor for learning more about unfamiliar locations.
- Depending on the airline or travel company you use, you may also be eligible for points.
- Make use of the time you spend traveling to prepare important presentations and to practise giving them.
As we’ve already said, you probably have a reason for traveling away. Typically, in order to strike a business deal with another company or to make a presentation to potential new investors. Take advantage of the time you spend traveling to not only complete simple chores such as administrative work, but also to practise giving presentations and prepare for those presentations. There are a lot of people who take advantage of the lengthy travel hours to buckle down, get their work done, and finish or polish their presentations and speeches. Alternately, you may find a way to phrase your offer in such a way that your customers can’t possibly refuse. If you are traveling with a colleague, it is a good idea to let them hear your presentation and get feedback on how you are giving it so that the two of you can be confident that it will result in a sale. If you are going to be traveling by yourself, you might as well make the most of the time spent commuting and the downtime you have at your lodging by getting some work done. In either case, you should put your spare time to productive use in order to preserve both your sanity and your business.
Think of it as a break
Why should you view traveling for business as something that needs to be a negative experience? You’ll be able to see the world and learn about different cultures. Try to view your business travel as a vacation in order to lift your spirits. Don’t forget to bring your camera so you can share the experience with your loved ones later on. Maintaining a healthy balance between working and relaxing while traveling is essential so that you don’t lose focus.
Enhance the comfort of your trip by embracing modern technology.
Today, with the help of the internet, we can keep the entire world at our beck and call by simply pulling out our phones. More places than ever can connect to the internet worldwide. Make use of this ability to make your departure from here much simpler. It is now simpler than ever to arrange mundane tasks like taking a taxi or seeing a client for dinner by using the internet and a booking service. You should try to simplify as much of your life as you can in order to make the dreaded work travels seem less daunting in the future.
When traveling for work, it can be a living hell, but if you put these travel tips into practice in your regular life, you’ll find that traveling isn’t nearly as stressful as you had anticipated it would be. Remember to take precautions to avoid harm wherever you go, and have the fun of your life while you’re at it!