If you are preparing for business travel, you may be in a quandary about exactly what you need to do and why. After all, preparing for a business trip isn’t quite like preparing for a pleasure trip. A business trip could be just the same as going to work with the added complication of being out of your office! Here are a few ideas to help you plan for your business trip in a way that reduces stress, supports productivity, and leaves a little room for fun!
When traveling, travel as light as you possibly can. If you can, avoid checking baggage. This will help speed things up when you’re getting on and off planes. The less you take with you, the less chance you have of something getting lost or damaged in transit. If you can, try and travel with only a carry-on bag.
Study up on the language of the area you are planning to travel to before you leave. Language barriers can be tricky. Obviously, you can manage in a foreign country without speaking the language. Even so, it is always a good idea to brush-up on important words like “police” or “hospital.”
Being careful about purchases while traveling will help you through customs. Remember anything you buy on your trip must pass through customs when you return home so exercise caution when you see street vendors abroad or other sellers who may be offering counterfeit or unsafe souvenirs you will have to surrender later.
If you will be out of town for a few days or more, consider having someone you know drive by your house occasionally to make sure that everything looks okay. You may also want them to go inside and turn lights on at night. This will let anyone watching know that the house is being cared for.
Ditch the fanny pack. Not only do you look the part of a tourist, a fanny pack is often easy pickings for a thief. If you crave the convenience of the fanny pack, consider getting a multi-pocket travel vest instead. These carry just as much but keep the items close to your body where they are safer.
The advice “don’t drink the water” if you travel to a foreign country is, unfortunately, accurate. However, you can also have intestinal upsets any time you drink water from a place other than where you live, even in the U.S. That’s because the bacterial flora that live in your gut (intestinal tract) are very sensitive to the composition of your own water, in your own area. It takes them a while to get used to water from elsewhere, and in the meantime, they want to push that unfamiliar water right through. So until you get used to the local water, wherever you are, sip slowly or stick with bottled H20.
So remember, avoiding rushing is the key to successful business travel. By planning your travel well ahead of your meetings and obligations, you will be able to save some money, relax and have a good time. See if you can take a day off before and after the trip to avoid feeling pressured and rushed. In this way, you will have a productive and enjoyable business trip.