5 Tips for Work Travel

I love traveling — I enjoy family vacations, business trips, long plane rides and staying in hotels. In reality, I also dislike traveling. My work mandates a lot of travel, so years ago I learned how to make my travel effective, efficient and enjoyable. Being away from home and family is tough, living out of a suitcase is inconvenient and being out-of-office is challenging but there are ways to smooth over these stressors.

I recently shared a few travel tips on Instagram (Follow me to see those videos and others about motivation, overall wellness and business advice.)

In this article, I highlight five helpful tips for travel. Enjoy!

To your success,

1 - Keep a Suitcase Packed

Having to pack a suitcase is one of the most frustrating parts of travel. Pro tip: Don’t wait until the last minute. Have a packed suitcase filled with essentials ready at all times. Yes, this means you’ll need to have a spare outfit or two, but trust me, it’s worth it. If you don’t feel comfortable wrinkling your jacket, blouse, etc., keep those items grouped in your closet until it’s time to embark on your journey, and if needed, there are irons or laundering services at almost every hotel. Another suggestion - consider purchasing a shirt from my Shark Tank company, Buttercloth. Yes yes, shameless plug inserted but I tell you, their clothes are comfortable, stylish for business and don’t wrinkle!

At the very least get a separate toiletry bag with those essentials ready to go. There’s nothing worse than arriving late and realizing you forgot cologne, deodorant or your toothbrush!

My strategy is simple when thinking of what essentials to pack. I look at my feet, and work my way up: Socks, shoes, belt, etc. Review and relive your daily routine. What might you be forgetting? Have all of those items packed, including an extra laptop/phone charger! Your future self will thank you.

2 - Stay Hydrated

It feels like hydration is often the solution for many things in our lives, and for good reason! It’s critical for almost every function in our body and truly improves physical and mental wellbeing. It’s especially important to stay hydrated on flights because of the dry, circulating air. Rather than just sip on water, I have a personal tip for you — Drink water, but pair it with an apple. The apple will not only help with hydration, but will also supply you with vitamins and healthy energy.

3 - Get Into the Zone

I’m a fanatic for showing up on time, so adjusting to time differences to stay on schedule is incredibly important to me. When we travel to other time zones, our bodies will eventually adjust, but oftentimes at the sacrifice of a few days of sleep adjustment. Want to know the tip I swear by? When I get to my destination, I immediately immerse myself in the new time zone. I go to bed according to the local time and wake up according to the local time. Now, depending on when you arrive, that could mean one night of little sleep, but have a coffee and get the next day going like normal — you’ll be better off that night I promise!

4 - Leave Your Hotel Room

A long time ago, Warren Avis (who started Avis Rent a Car) offered me a great piece of travel advice. He said, “When you travel, go out in public and be around other human beings.” So that’s what I try to do — I’ll go for a morning walk and get a coffee, I’ll work out of a meeting or shared office space, I’ll try a new restaurant for dinner. I don’t just hibernate in my hotel room. I get it - it’s tempting to work in your room and have food delivered, but I strive to work and eat outside of my hotel room no matter where I go. It’s much more refreshing getting back to your hotel room at the end of the day. I encourage you to do the same — Get out and interact with people around you.

5 - Leave Your Comfort Zone

As daunting as work travel may be, it also provides an opportunity to visit new areas or try new things. Whether you’re in a new city or somewhere you go often, carve out some time and explore the area. Commit to do one thing outside of work — Go to a museum, eat at a top-rated restaurant, visit a city park or drive by a famous monument. If you’re traveling alone and don’t think your outing will be fun, let me remind you, it’s good to do things outside of your comfort zone! Make traveling for work an opportunity to build your confidence and make new memories.