Some Tips to Make Business Travel Easier
May 27th, 2008 by Ted Liptak
Some people love to travel, even if it’s for business. But for most of us, business travel can really be a pain. It always seems to happen when you don’t think you can fit one more thing into your schedule or when you have just gotten back from another business trip. But there are some positive things about business travel.
Let’s start with what we can do to make the airport component of the travel flow more easily. Check in can be performed online with some airlines and by kiosk at the airport at others. Most of us bring PCs with us during our business travels so checking in online and assigning our own seats is easy. Of course you’ll need to print your boarding pass so as you check into your hotel be sure to ask about use of a business center where there are printers.
The first tip is to pack only what you really need, not what you want. Most hotels will provide many essentials like shampoo and conditioner and a hair dryer. No need to lug any of that from home. I like to pack sample sizes of other things like toothpaste and I buy a travel toothbrush for the trip – the one that folds up and takes virtually no room. Then I toss it and don’t worry about trying to pack a soggy toothbrush to take home. If you work at this you can reduce your packing to no more than an overnight sized bag and PC case (get a big one where you can stuff more items in it).
Never arrive at a destination completely ignorant of where you are at (the airport relative to the city). I often map simple paths out from Google maps and feel comfortable when I get into a cab that I know where I’m going.
Even if it’s a business trip – it doesn’t need to be all business. Enjoy a good dinner or two while you are there. Ask a the hotel front desk about good restaurants. Another idea is to indulge yourself in things that you usually don’t. For example, sometimes I spring for a massage which seems so decadent but if fun and takes a lot of the stress of travel away.
If you don’t have someone to escort you around town, don’t just have dinner in the hotel. Ask the hotel employees for suggestions, hail a cab, and get out on the town. Seeing the local sights and tasting the local fare can be once in a lifetime events.
Business travel can be inconvenient, but take the opportunity to learn something new and see another part of our great world.
by Resa Heart
