The Secrets to Stress-free Business Travel

Living in an increasingly globalised world means that business travel is an inevitable part of life for the modern professional. Business meetings in far flung locations used to be the reserve of only the largest multi-nationals, but they are now the staple of any business, from the medium sized, right down to the ambitious young start-up.

With this in mind, it’s important to know the secrets that can help making business travel as stress-free as possible.

The devil is in the detail

When it comes to corporate travel, preparation is the watchword. As you will likely have had a third party organisation, or your personal assistant, make reservations on your behalf, it’s important to check that you have all the information you require before you travel. While email makes it easy sort out any problems, it’s best to pre-empt any troubles by doing your due diligence.

Make sure that you check your flight schedules, including which airports you are using - especially if there are multiple departure points in your home or destination city. Print out hard copies of any reservations, just in case; missing flights owing to mix-ups by the airline can happen, and this reduces the likelihood of such an occurrence. Read up on where you’re travelling to, including where all meetings will be held, as well as any other out of business hour’s events that have been organised by your hosts.

Pack sensibly. If you’re only travelling for a couple of days, try your utmost to travel with handheld luggage only. This will save you a lot of time and inconvenience on both the outward and return journey.

Don’t try to fit in too much

When travelling for business, it’s tempting to try and organise as many meetings as possible in a short space of time. Providing you can spare the time, consider leaving a day to relax and recuperate before your first meeting as it will ensure that you are fully engaged. At the same time, trying to fit a week’s worth of meetings into a few days will just leave you looking bedraggled and unable to make the impression that you desire.

Keep track of your expenses on the move

One of the most tiresome aspects of business travel can be keeping track of expenses. Fortunately, a quick search in the App store will see you find a whole host of apps that are excellent for keeping track of expenditure in foreign countries. A quick scan of a receipt, using the camera on your phone, will store all the information about a purchase, stopping you from needing to fill your pockets with receipts. These apps also make it much easier to keep a running total of your expenditure if you’re on a tight expenses budget.

Don’t forget to take time out

Business trips should not all be about business. To take the stress out of the equation, try and schedule time for relaxation and an opportunity to take in the some of the sights of your destination city. Getting a feel for a city before you meet any of your hosts and demonstrating a keen interest in their hometown and its culture, will make a greater first impression.

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