Are you one of the many people that have to travel often for work? For some, it can feel as though they spend as much time out of the office as they do in the office. Whether your trips are short domestic travels or long-stay international trips, there are some tips you can use that will help you to stay organized, productive and stress-free. Let’s take a look at the best tips for those who travel often for business.
Be Picky About the Hotel Location and Amenities
Because business trips are far from relaxing and often include a lot of meetings and work done in your hotel room, the location of the hotel matters. You want to be located near your clients/customers where your meetings will be taking place so that travel time is kept to a minimum.
If you will be hosting any of the meetings, look for a hotel that has a small meeting space on-site that you can book or reserve. If there’s no meeting space available, the hotel restaurant can often be a good alternative. Some business travelers also like the convenience of being located near the airport.
The hotel should also have high-speed internet access throughout the entire space, and you may need a business center for faxing or making copies. In terms of your room, you’ll need a large desk for working at, and preferably a charging station for all your devices.
Should your stay be a longer one, look for long-stay accommodations. Many hotels cater to business travelers who need to stay for weeks/months at a time. They tend to offer better rates, and larger rooms and they may even be fully equipped with a kitchen and living room so that they feel more like an apartment – a home away from home.
Renting a Car Can Make Getting Around More Reliable
Depending on your schedule and where your meetings will be taking place, you may also wish to rent a car. Public transportation can be handy and cost-effective, but it may not be the most reliable or direct option.
Car rentals are great if you need to travel long distances, have many meetings spanned out across a city center or outside the city center, or you just want the freedom and flexibility that your own transportation offers.
If you plan on renting a car, make sure you book it well in advance. The pandemic continues to put strains on various supply chains and the travel industry is stretched to its limits right now. Car rentals can be hard to come by if you wait until the last minute.
Get a Virtual Mailing Address – Access Your Mail on the Road
For those who travel often or spend long periods on the road, it can be difficult to keep up with your physical mail. While much correspondence is sent digitally nowadays, postal mail still exists and still plays a role in a business’s operations.
Rather than letting the mail pile up until you return to the office, and potentially missing key information or sensitive timelines, it can make sense to get a virtual mailing address. The service found at https://physicaladdress.com, for example, can be ideal for those who need to read their mail while on the road. All the mail will be sent to a real physical address, opened by employees, and then scanned to your private virtual inbox. From this inbox you can view, forward, manage, sort, organize and shred your mail. You’ll have complete access no matter where you are traveling.
Learn to Pack Light – Use Only a Carry-On
This tip won’t apply to all business travelers, but if you’re only going on short trips, you’ll want to get into the habit of packing light. Ideally, you can fit everything into a carry-on bag so there is no need for checked baggage. Waiting for your luggage can be very time consuming and you run the risk of your luggage not making it to your destination.
Some packing tips business travels can use include:
- Roll your clothing to take up less space in your luggage and prevent wrinkling.
- Wear the bulkiest/heaviest items on your flight, such as your suit.
- Pick a color palette that allows for mixing and matching so you can take fewer items.
- Wear your business-appropriate shoes, and don’t pack another pair.
- Pack travel-sized toiletries.
- Opt for a Chromebook or slim laptop to save on space and weight in your bag.
Just be sure you weigh your bag before heading to the airport, as there is a weight restriction on carry-on bags. You can check the airline’s website for details on the weight allowance.
Each of these tips will allow you to be efficient, productive, and organized on your business trip which means they will be highly successful trips.
