Tips On Going Away For Business

tips on going away for business

There are many reasons you might have to go away for work on business. It could be that it’s something you will be required to do fairly often, or you might just need to go every once in a while. No matter the frequency of your trips, it’s important to be as prepared as you can so that when you go you make the most of it. Work trips can be tiring, but also rewarding and you can find they help you to progress your career and bring in new clients. Here we have put together some top tips on going away for business that should make it a bit easier.

Pack Smart

One of the first things you need to do before going away for business is to pack. It can be tempting to overpack, throwing in everything you think you might need but this can just be a nuisance. The less you pack, the most organized you can be. Plus, if you have a smaller amount, you can just take a carry-on onto a plane (if travelling via air) and you won’t need to worry about waiting for your case when you reach the other side. Think carefully about what you will be doing when you are on your trip. Will you be going to conferences and meeting with clients? Consider how many smart outfits such as suits, blazers or nice dresses you might need and accommodate for this, without packing too many choices. It’s also a good idea to pack some loungewear for when you are back in your hotel so you can wind down easily.

Ensure You Have Plenty Of Downtime

Being away on business, it can be easy to just work non-stop. Because you are away from your desk and normal duties, your emails and other work can pile up quickly. This might lead you to check your emails in the evening or lunch breaks, leaving you with little down time and making you feel burnt out. Instead, put your out-of-office on to manage expectations and ensure that in the evenings or on your breaks, you give yourself time out. Consciously do things that take you away from your work, such as going to the gym, heading out to get a bite to eat or even just walking around the block. This will ensure you go back to your job with a fresh head and ready to tackle the different tasks at hand.

Travel At Less Busy Times

Whether you are travelling by plane, car or train, it’s important to consider the best times to travel. By being flexible, you can save time by avoiding rush hour and having to sit in traffic for endless hours. If you are a driver, or you own a business where your employees are having to drive on business trips, you will likely want a fuel card to help make the most of their time on the road and save funds. It’s a good idea to research How To Choose The Best Fuel Card For Your Small Business to save money and ensure they get the most out of their journey. Fuel cards essentially enable drivers to pay for company fuel using the card instead of cash or credit cards and help to save money and keep track of what is being spent. By avoiding rush hour, you will use less fuel and the journey will be more economical as well as better for the environment.

Try And Eat Healthily If You Can

When you are dining out, it can be tempting to opt for the three-course menu each day, as well as indulging in beers, wines or other alcoholic beverages. While this is fine in moderation, if you are away for a long time or frequently heading on business trips, this can soon make the calories add up and the weight pile on. The last thing you want is to become really unhealthy when on these trips, so make a conscious effort to stop this from happening. You can eat things such as salads, swap high fat dishes for lean meat and veg and limit the amount of drinks you have. You could allow yourself one or two indulgent days, and keep the others a bit healthier! If you also pack your gym clothes, this can make it have less of a negative impact on your body too.

Check Hotel Reviews Before You Book

When you are away from home, you want to stay somewhere you feel comfortable. Check the budget you have for hotels, then be sure to look at the reviews online. Somewhere might look and sound nice from their website, but once you read the reviews you find it’s a very different story. By doing your research you can avoid staying somewhere questionable and make staying somewhere new that bit more comfortable. It might be you’re looking for certain facilities such as a gym, pool or on-site restaurant and you might need it to have certain transport facilities. Reviews and research can all help with this.

Sign Up For Reward Points And Schemes

When you are regularly on the road, you can soon collect things such as hotel reward points or air miles. These can add up for future trips which you could take for a personal trip, allowing you a complimentary hotel or room upgrade, or cheaper flights. Make sure to sign up for any loyalty programs, particularly if you are going away often.

Going away for business is something that most of us might have to do at one point or another. It can feel taxing, particularly if you have to do it a lot, but by being prepared and following the above points, it can help to make it that little bit less painful. Whether you are having to travel by car or van, air or train, keeping an eye on the travel conditions and packing cleverly can really reduce the stress that it might cause. Have you recently travelled for business? If so, what are some things you do to make it that bit easier? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.

With over 9 years of search marketing experience, Sandra is cross skilled between PPC and SEO. Her experience in search spans across different verticals including Technology, Retail, Travel & Automotive.