Smooth business travel tips
While away on an important business trip, you want your mind to be able to focus on the job at hand so you don’t want to be tired, stressed or unprepared. With a little bit of preparation and few tips, you not only will feel your best during your business trip away from Cape Town, you might even find yourself relaxed and enjoying yourself.
Before you leave
Get all your preparation out the way with good time to spare. Organise your paperwork and take care of any red tape you need for your trip. If you have to do research or finish any work in preparation for the trip, don’t leave it till the last minute, and don’t tell yourself that you will just do it on the plane or in your hotel room during the actual trip. You’ll feel far more relaxed if everything has been taken care of before the time.
Stay rested
Good rest is an essential element of a successful business trip to reduce stress and stay relaxed. Plan your trip beforehand so you won’t have to rush from one meeting or event to the next. Take an extra day off work if you have to. Then begin your trip already feeling rested. In other words, get a good night’s sleep the night before, which means no late night parties. If you are going to fly long distances, try to get some sleep on the plane. You likely will experience some jetlag, but there are ways to minimise this. Make sure that you get enough sleep before your trip. That means no last minute parties. When you land, try to have a nap at your hotel or at the very least a lie down. Do this even if you don’t feel like you need one.
On the flight
Don’t book your flights so that you will have just enough time to check in at the hotel and then rush to your first meeting. Leave a margin for error in case there are flight delays. In any case you can use that time to get in some extra rest. On the day of the flight make sure you arrive on time. Bring along something to keep you entertained while mid-air and whatever you do, don’t calm your nerves by drinking too much!
Pack well
When it comes to packing your luggage sets for your trip, you want to maintain a good balance between packing lightly and being prepared. Have a look at the weather reports to see what kind of clothing to bring along, while remembering the weatherman can get it wrong. Even if there are no social events in the itinerary, it’s a good idea to bring along something suitable just in case. A good idea is to plan outfits that are versatile for different occasion, like something that could work either for a meeting or drinks later just by changing the shoes. Don’t forget the things that everyone always forgets, like plug adaptors and cables. Make sure you fully recharge your devices before you leave, in case you don’t get a chance later.
Simply by being organised and rested you can minimise any discomfort you might have on your business trip. So relax, look forward to a successful trip, enjoy your jet setting career and look forward to returning home to Cape Town.