If you’re frequently travelling for work, then it’s all the more important to know the tips and tricks on how to make life easier for yourself. Here are a few ways to make your experience better when travelling for business.
Private travel
The best way to travel is to do so privately. There’s less chance of delays, less inconvenience, it’s faster, and it’s more comfortable. It’s possible to book your business flights via JetApp to charter a plane, which is certainly more affordable than it sounds and will mean mitigating many of the Covid restrictions and hoops you would otherwise have to jump through.
Besides flying, hiring a private driver is preferable to public transport. This way, work can be completed whilst travelling, freeing up your hands for phone calls, paperwork and using the laptop. It’s more than just comfort or luxury thing, it’s that private travel is far more efficient and can lead to higher productivity whilst travelling.
Carry-on bags only
Carrying a suitcase is truly a nightmare at the best of times. If it isn’t waiting much longer at the airport once your flight has landed, it’s trying to find it and hope it hasn’t gotten lost. Carrying a suitcase around a foreign country is no easy feat either, and it’s far easier if you can carry a duffle bag or similar instead. Being free of a suitcase makes you much more versatile when travelling solo, as you needn’t worry about where to put it when going to the toilet, and it won’t restrict you in what eateries you can go in.
Power banks and charging
It’s important to keep electronic items fully charged before packing so that they’re reliable whilst on your travels. Of course, it’s important to bring a power bank just in case, so there’s a backup to keep your phone alive, which is particularly important when relying on it for directions and business calls.
Another important consideration when keeping things charged up is taking an adapter. Whilst many hotels do supply USB ports directly into the walls, it’s advisable to have a world plug socket adapter that can fit any plug outlet you come across.
Airport lounge
If you’re taking private travel then this may not be a concern, but for those who are travelling on a commercial airline, it is worth considering a lounge membership. Having a membership will make it easy to gain access to lounges across various different airports.
The benefits of an airport lounge are that there will be plenty of food, power outlets, and quiet spaces. This makes it a much more appropriate working environment than sitting in the common areas, which can be difficult to get a power supply outlet and enough working space. Whether it’s for respite or productivity, a lounge will serve you well.
Dress professionally
Dressing professionally during transit may not sound ideal, but appearance matters. You will almost certainly receive better service when dressed to impress. You’re more likely to get free upgrades and have staff pay more attention to your concerns. Plus, you never know who will be on your plane – perhaps you have a networking opportunity or see someone you know. It’s wise to use non-crease fabrics when travelling.
Snacks and drinks
One of the hardest things about travelling is staying hydrated and fully fed. Delayed flights, poor service, and rushing between connections can all lead to missing meals. This can really deplete your energy and mental capacity for when you arrive, so it’s wise to take some food that can give you the vitamins and energy to keep going. For this reason, fruits and muesli bars are a good idea, having a good mix of fats, protein, and sugar, and plenty of nutrition.
Sleep essentials
Just as staying well-fed is important to energy and your productivity, so is sleep. Planes and trains seem to be doing their best job at making it difficult to sleep, so it’s wise to bring some of your best sleeping gear to combat that. Neck pillows are perfect for getting in a comfortable sleeping position, whilst an eye mask can help block out light preventing you from dropping off. Finally, instead of earplugs, take some noise-cancelling earphones or headphones. These will work better than earplugs as they use active noise cancelling, playing white noises to combat external sounds. Plus, you can use them to listen to the news, podcasts, and general entertainment.
Travel Rewards
Make sure to make the most of frequent flying benefits. Use your company travel to earn points for future airlines and hotels. Some companies aren’t very clear if they have a reward program, so make sure you ask – you never know when you will need to use that company again, even if future travel plans are uncertain. Points can rack up quickly, which result in heavy discounts and freebies down the line.
