People travel for business related purposes everyday, and for the most part all goes well. If enough notice is given to you, your traveling will be less stressful if you take time to prepare and organize. It is a given that you will be involved in meetings and have to meet with other people, so plan to take along appropriate files and information so that you will represent the company well.
Traveleing for business also means time away from home, maybe a spouse and children. To make this time away more enjoyable take heed to these business traveling tips.
What to Pack
A successful business traveler always has a good carry-on bag that can fit personal items, but also paperwork to sift through and a laptop to work on. Also, if your trip is short, your carry-on luggage will be your only luggage. This helps to make checking in and out more smooth and saves you time at the baggage claim because you already have your baggage with you. One of the most dreaded situations a traveler may run into is having their luggage lost. By taking only one piece of luggage and carrying it on with you, you will avoid this inconvenient situation.
If you travel for business, most likely this is a regular occurrence. To help make packing less stressful, consider keeping a duplicate of things like toiletries, so that you don’t have to pack and unpack them each time. Drugstores and grocery stores also carry trial sizes of toiletry items, which are perfect for a short trip. Those regular size bottles sure are bulky and take up a lot of space.
Because you are striving to only take one bag, try to save space wherever you can. By packing one suit with numerous shirts and ties that all go together, the bulk is cut down tremendously. By the same token, women can pack just one skirt or pair of pants, and pack a few matching blouses, scarves, sweaters, and jewlery that all match. Although it is important to look business-like, people are more interested in the work to be done than what you look like. This is an important rule to remember, and one that we often push to the back of our minds.
Another great space-saving practice is to pack socks and under-garments inside your shoes. Not only does this save space, but it helps keep the shape to your shoes as well. You can also pack your belts around the edges of your suitcase to cut down on bulk. It’s important when considering items to pack to think about whether these things are necessities or whether they will just make your traveling more comfortable. Sometimes it’s best to sacrifice full comfort to save a little space.
How Will You Get There?
When you are choosing travel for your business trip, consider the distance that you will be traveling. Although flying is the first choice of transportation when traveling long distances, for shorter distances this may just not be cost-effective and reasonable. Consider taking a train or driving the distance. Most likely, your company will reimburse you for any miles you drive. Often flying can be stressful and time consuming, considering time spent traveling to and from the airport, the amount of time taken to check in, time to board and disembark, and time spent trying to find transportation once you reach your destination. If you already have a vehicle available to you because you drove, think of how much time and stress is cut out of the picture.
Where Should You Stay?
When traveling for business it is important to always choose a hotel that caters to business travelers. There are many reasons for this, some being, the hotel will typically provide office space to work in, an internet connection, a fitness area and hot tub to relax, and conference rooms to rent for those important meetings. Also, you should stay consistent when choosing a hotel to lodge in. If you travel to the same place time after time, by choosing the same hotel, the staff will get to know you and what your needs are. This will leave you with less stress and more time to worry about what you actually came there for.
Miscellaneous Items
In this modern day that we live in, it is a rarity to see anybody without a cell phone attached to their hip or ear. This is especially true for business professionals. Most business is now done directly over the phone, so it is essential to have a reliable cell phone service provider. In conjunction with this, it is important to check with your service provider before you travel to make sure they provide service in that specific area. How awful would it be to get to your destination, only to find out that you can’t conduct much business because you can’t communicate over your cell phone. If your provider doesn’t provide service in the area, you might consider switching providers for this specific trip.
By following these simple business traveling tips, you are sure to be successful. After all, your purpose is to conduct business, so doing all that you can to cut down on stress is crucially important. Plan and organize before you leave, make sure your traveling is smooth, conduct your business, then return home refreshed and energized.