For those of you who travel for work on the regular, you may be ready to have a seat on your couch and order takeout when it comes to your two weeks of vacation time. However, would life not be so much more enjoyable if business trips and holidays did not have to be complete polar opposites? By following a few simple tips, it is easy to make each day of your business trip feel more like you are enjoying yourself and less like you are drowning in paperwork at the beach.
Separate Your Working Day From Your Play Day
When you are on a business trip, it can feel like you are on call 24/7. But make sure to delineate your day on the job from your evening, so that you can truly enjoy a well deserved break and a dinner or outing on the town.
Take this time away from your family to take some personal time just for you; take a walking tour of the town where you are staying, try out a new kind of ethnic food, or go catch a funny film! Being a tourist in the town where you are doing business can be fun and reenergize you for the working day ahead.
Take Time To Yourself Throughout The Day
Just because you are technically at work does not mean that you do not deserve to sneak a few minutes to yourself during the day. Between meetings, go outside and stretch, while taking in the new sights and sounds of your surroundings. At lunch, take a walk around the block and pretend to be on a sightseeing tour.
Enjoying the little moments throughout the day at work can make the difference between a ‘blah’ day and a great day. Even though you are on the job, you are still on a journey, and whether you are on the West Coast or enjoying the perks of professional Charlotte travel, that is reason to celebrate.
Just Say No To Working After Hours
If you would not work over time at home, there is no reason to read through the day’s paperwork in your hotel room, just because you are on a business trip. Make sure you do not overwork yourself simply because you feel like all you are there to do is work. When your working day is over, it is over — no matter where you are! So, turn off your business email alerts, kick off your office shoes, and enjoy a few hours of vacation each evening of your trip. You will be glad you did and come home refreshed and restored.
From now on, try to muster up a little bit of enthusiasm when your supervisor announces that you are being sent to Palm Springs for a big meeting. Framing your work trips as new opportunities to explore, adventure, and get out of your comfort zone will make both your time on the job and off sweeter. Plus, if on your professional excursions you find a cool spot that you think the family might enjoy, you can always scope it out and bring the whole crew along when it comes to real vacation time.
