It is now possible to work from just about anywhere. There are many possibilities for client meetings and you can even reduce how much time you spend traveling. Personally, I would prefer to do multiple city flights as opposed to a round trip so that I could at least spend one night in my own home. Since we can work just about anywhere, we can even work in a hotel room. With that said, I ended up missing Halloween this year which was quite disappointing for my grandchildren, so I’ll definitely do my best to avoid that in the future.
- Logistics: Personally, I absolutely hate having to look through different flight reservations on my own. I usually get my support staff to make those travel arrangements for me. Even though there are multiple apps that can allow anyone to track and choose from different flights, I’ve never gotten around to using them myself. Once the flight is confirmed, getting a page with all the relevant information is simply all that I need. A business travel management app is a great way to keep everything in order.
- Weather: The weather difference between two cities can be world’s apart and even a potential 30+ degree difference. So, I have a weather app that lets me know what the temperature will be in the city I’m traveling to so that I can pack the right type of clothes according to the weather. This is especially necessary if it is very cold so that I can pack the right outerwear.
- Packing: When it comes to choosing and packing clothes, men definitely have a much easier time than most women. All men need are a couple of shirts, slacks, a sports coat or even a suit with a few ties. However, women on the other hand have more choices which makes it more difficult to create interchangeable work wear. One rule to follow is to stick to black clothing such as a black jacket, shirt, dress, slacks etc. Then, each outfit can be changed by using different accessories. When it comes to shoes, it is best to choose one or two pairs of comfortable shoes that can be easily worn with all of your outfits.
- Files: Next, in addition to packing clothes, you’ll need to thoroughly organize your work. Thankfully, it is easy to store most things online and all you need to do is take your laptop. With that said, if you’re using a combination of paper and electronic files, make sure that you have everything you need to work while traveling.
- Time zones: Getting accustomed to different time zones isn’t as difficult as it seems. All you need is your phone or laptop to figure out the time zone for you. They will actually adjust your appointments so that you don’t get mixed up.
- Health: When traveling on business, you will likely enjoy many extravagant business dinners that will not be so great for your waistline. As a result, you should try to moderate your intake while traveling and walk with extra gym clothes and shoes. If you don’t want to do so, then simply go on a walk every day and this will help to keep you healthy.
- Downtime: It is important to make downtime a priority and not just work all of the time. Personally, I love reading a book while I’m back at the hotel and relaxing before bed. Even though it may be tempting to work all day and night, it will increase your stress and make it even more difficult for you to fall asleep. So, make sure that you have a period between work and sleep time where you can decompress.
- Sleep: Lastly, it is important to get a good night’s rest. However, this is difficult if the hotel room is too claustrophobic or if the bed is uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I haven’t learnt out how to fix this particular problem as yet.
