5 Tips for Frequent Business Travelers
Traveling is a fun activity but it can become very stressful for business travelers. Even the most seasoned of business travelers can still get frustrated with all the chaos that comes with traveling. If you’re constantly on corporate travel and want to have a peaceful trip for a change, here are five travel tips to help you out:
1. Only bring carry-on bags
The last thing you want to happen on a business trip (particularly on an international business trip) is dragging heavy luggage throughout the airport or even worse, losing your luggage that has appeared to reach another destination. Unfortunately, airport staff mishandling luggage and placing them on wrong flights is a common occurrence since airports usually handle thousands of bags every day. To avoid this situation, only bring carry-on bags especially if you’re only on a short trip.
Carry-on bags are very convenient since all of your belongings are packed in a single bag (or two) and the bag is placed in a compartment that you can check from time to time. Whether you’re traveling by plane, boat, or bus, you can always check your carry-on bags and won’t have to worry about transporting them from one location to another. Of course, carry-on bags aren’t helpful for longer trips and you will have to eventually shift to bigger and heavier luggage. Just make sure to pack all your essentials in a carry-on bag and stuff the rest in large pieces of luggage; you can always ask for help from a colleague or client to help you carry your bags.
2. Keep essentials at the ready
As previously mentioned, keep your essentials at the ready in your carry-on bag in case something happens to your heavy luggage while traveling. This allows you to easily grab hold of the most important items for your trip such as electronics and business documents as well as a few clothes and toiletries. Before traveling, list down every essential in the travel packing list to ensure nothing is left at home.
When trip packing essentials, make sure your bag doesn’t go over the required weight limit of the transportation you’ll be using. Air travel usually requires passengers to travel light, thus baggage needs to have lesser weight limits compared to other modes of transportation. Make sure to check beforehand to avoid paying more for unexpected luggage fees. Also, secure electronics and business documents as you’ll be packing them together with liquids such as drinks, perfumes, and sanitizers. As for clothes and toiletries, only pack a day’s worth of clothes and bath supplies that you can easily use when inside a public bath or restroom.
3. Charge all electronics beforehand
Keeping all your electronics nearby is useless if the batteries are drained. The situation becomes worse if you plan on finishing a report during the trip but can’t since you packed the power banks in the luggage or you can’t access your carry-on luggage in the middle of the trip. This dilemma can easily be remedied by fully charging all your devices a few hours before the trip. Charge your power banks as well in case you’ll be needing them during the trip. You need your devices turned on during the entirety of the trip as your boss may be communicating with you regularly.
Charging beforehand is very important especially if you’ll be stuck in a temporary city or area for a few hours due to layovers or flight delays. And with electronics never lasting for a full day (unless they’re brand new), make it a priority to charge your devices at 100%. Charging beforehand also prevents you from using devices while connected to a power supply. It has been reported that battery life is severely affected when a device (particularly smartphones) is used while being charged.
4. Find (or pack) healthy food
Traveling can be very stressful on the mind and body. It’s not just business travelers who feel overwhelmed but also tourist travelers. One way to combat stress and exhaustion is to eat, and it shouldn’t just be any type of food but healthy foods. The choices are numerous, from protein-rich meals (steamed or grilled chicken, fish, or beef) to snacks filled with energy-boosting vitamin B (green salad, cheese, yogurt, legumes).
Although travel has gained a reputation as diet-busting activities, it shouldn’t be the case for frequent business travelers like yourself since you’re active physically and mentally 24/7. It can be very tempting to eat junk foods throughout the trip, but if you are surrounded by healthy options then you have no excuse to fill your tummy with dishes rich in vitamins and minerals. And with food delivery now becoming more convenient these days, you can simply browse for healthy dishes and have them delivered to your hotel room. Enjoying munching on healthy dishes and snacks? Pack some for your trip back home.
5. Join rewards programs
Considered as one of the best travel hacks when it comes to business traveling, joining rewards programs can actually benefit your travels if you’re constantly traveling. By availing of rewards programs from airlines, hotels, or restaurants, you’ll be accumulating points which you can use later on for future trips. These points can either be converted to discounts or item purchases.
If your company is mostly spending for the trip, they’ll be relieved that their costs will be minimized eventually. Business travel can be very costly especially if multiple people are traveling from one location to another. Another benefit of joining rewards programs is you can convert the perks and privileges for your own personal use without having to ask permission from the company. If you’re lucky, you can book discounted airfares for yourself and your family.
In closing
Traveling as a business road warrior can be stressful but there are several ways to limit the stress and exhaustion that come with it. If you’re a business traveler yourself, the five convenience and safety tips listed above should help you stay relaxed throughout the entirety of the trip.
