Travelling for work, whether you’re a model on location or a businessman attending a conference, can be very stressful. There’s none of the fun of jetting off on vacation, but all the stress of airports, booking hotels and navigating somewhere new. Here are some top tips for making work travel easier.
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Travel Packing
If you’re going to be flying for your work trip, try to pack only a carry on bag. If you don’t have any luggage in the hold, you can save loads of time not having to check it in and not having to wait at the baggage carousel when you land. Instead, just get off the plane and go.
If you travel a lot for work, consider keeping a bag of essentials pre-packed. Buy a set of travel toiletries and a spare toothbrush and have a ready packed wash bag that you can just throw in to your case and not worry if you’ve forgotten anything. You could add in things you’ll know you’ll need, like an extra phone charger, some business cards or stationery.
Pack shirts in plastic garment bags to prevent them wrinkling in your case. Don’t forget some casual clothes for the evenings too! Leave electronics and liquids easily accessible to make the security queue quicker.
The Hotel
Booking a hotel for work means you’re probably looking for different things than if you were booking for a vacation. Many chain hotels offer loyalty schemes that are great for frequent business travellers. Look for chains with offers that suit you, whether that’s better prices or faster WiFi.
Check the amenities list. If you’re there for work, it’s important that you have good WiFi. While WiFi is pretty standard in hotels now, it’s often poor and slow. Look for high speed internet, or somewhere that offers business hotel rooms with a wired connection for the internet.
Is there a safe in the room large enough for any electronics? If you’re travelling for work, you probably want to be sure that you can lock away any company valuables before you head out for dinner in the evening. Is there a concierge? They can help you find nearby laptop-friendly cafes if you want to get some work down outside of meetings, as well as helping you to find somewhere for dinner where you won’t feel out of place as a lone diner.
A hotel with an onsite laundry could be useful if you want to freshen up work clothes after being crammed in your suitcase. If you need to be well rested, see if the hotel offers different options for pillows, so you can choose something comfortable to help you sleep well and arrive for work refreshed and ready.
What sort of food options are on site? As a lone diner, you might feel less out of place in a hotel restaurant, especially if the hotel has a lot of business travellers. Look for somewhere with healthy options, so you’re fuelled for your trip in the right way.
