For people who often travel for business, such trips can easily become something that you dread rather than look forward to. They might have been fun in the beginning, but being on the road can quickly become draining, especially if it’s jam-packed with conferences and other work the entire time.
With a little planning, however, you don’t have to hate all the travel you must do for work. To turn your business trips into something to look forward to, here are three ways to make work travel more enjoyable.
Take Care of Your Body
To put yourself in the best possible position to have an enjoyable trip, you have to get your body in the right place first. Even for people who normally take good care of their bodies, being on the road can bring out their worst habits.
So to combat this, David Lavenda, a contributor to Fast Company, recommends that you at least ensure that you’re getting the sleep you need and fueling your body with proper food. By doing that, you’ll provide your body with the rest and sustenance it needs to martial the energy to do more than just the bare minimum of the work you have to do.
You’ll be able to get out of your hotel room more and enjoy what the area has to offer.
Give Yourself an Extra Day
If at all possible, Kevin Daum, a contributor to Inc.com, suggests trying to take an extra day at the beginning or end of your business travel, which will give you a little break in the city you’re visiting. When you’re able to do this, you can spend that extra day exploring the world around you, visit any people you might know who live in that area, or just give yourself a little extra time to get adjusted before you start work at the new city or return to the home office.
And depending on what day of the week you’ll be traveling, you might be able to save yourself or your firm some money by making the flight on a different day.
Find Something Unique for Entertainment
Regardless of where you’re going for business, there’s at least one thing in that region that you could do for entertainment. To make the trip more fun, you simply have to find out what that thing is and then be willing to try it.
According to Lynze Wardle Lenio, a contributor to The Muse, this might include going to a local restaurant that was featured on TV, checking out some of the local attractions or landmarks, or just pursuing a unique experience there. Even if you’re only in the city for a day, you can usually find an hour or two to squeeze in something fun before you head back.
If you want to find ways to make your business travel more pleasurable, consider using the tips mentioned above to show you how this can be done.