Traveling for business can mean a lot of lost time spent commuting to the airport, waiting for flights, sitting in your seat on the plane, and doing it all again at the other end. Here are some ways you can make the most of your business travel time:
Take a Project
If you’re not planning to work but you still want to be constructive, bring another project that you don’t often get to work on. Maybe you’re writing your memoirs or learning a new skill in your off-time or perhaps you’re hoping to learn a new language. Whatever it is, now is the perfect time to work on it and not feel guilty that you should be doing other things.
Relax
This may seem crazy, since business travel seems to be stressful by definition, but take the downtime to relax as much as possible. Take noise cancelling headphones and an eye mask so you can nap on the plane, make a list of your favourite podcasts which you never have the time to listen to, or start that book you’ve been meaning to read.
Keep Fit
Unfortunately traveling is no longer an excuse to not workout, and you don’t want to undo all of the progress you’ve been making at home do you? We all know that flying isn’t great for our health, and when we’re traveling for business we often turn to fast food and get less sleep than we should.
Many hotels and airports offer gyms which will allow you to get a workout in, and you’ll be able to have a shower afterwards to refresh. Even if you can’t find a gym there are plenty of ways you can workout, such as running the stairs in your hotel, bringing a jump rope or yoga mat and trying one of the many different workouts available on YouTube.
Explore the City
Business travel is the perfect opportunity to see a new city, and while it can be tempting to simply have a drink the hotel bar and fall into bed, consider researching the city before you arrive so you know what’s available in your area. A visit to a museum or a night at the theatre allows you to relax and soak up some culture even while busy with work.
Get Some Work in
With so many great apps available, it’s completely possible to work even if you don’t have wifi available. Google Drive has an offline mode which you can then sync once you have wifi, so there’s no reason why you can’t go over those reports or draft some emails. Filling your travel time allows you to have more time to relax on the other end, and you’ll feel more productive once you arrive. It also means that once you’re home you’ll have less to catch up on.
Many hotels and airports also offer business centres and wifi hotspots so you can find somewhere quiet to do your work calls.
