Preparing for an Extended Business Trip

For most of us, business trips are short. A lot of the time we can travel to and from a meeting or event on the same day, perhaps occasionally staying for a night or two if we are travelling further from home or need to attend multiple meetings at the same location. But occasionally more extended trips are needed. You might be opening an office in a new location or trying to grow your own business in a different market. You might be spending a period working on something new or gaining more experience in a different area of your work.

These extended trips are usually fantastic opportunities. They can certainly be great for your career, or if you have your own business, a valuable chance to learn and grow. But if you’ve never worked away from home, or your previous business trips have been confined to overnight stays, you might want to prepare a little more carefully. Here’s a look at some tips to help you.

Consider Alternative Accommodation

If you are staying somewhere overnight your priority when choosing accommodation might be the location. You’ll want either somewhere close to the airport or station or in a good location for getting to work.

If you are going to be staying for longer than a week, you might want to give hotels a miss and find somewhere far more comfortable and homely. Take a look at roomclub.com for rooms to let on leases from as short as a week, in convenient locations.

Ask Yourself if You Need to Travel Alone

More of us are working remotely, at least some of the time. So, if you have a partner, ask yourself if they could come with you.

Research Your New Home

An extended business trip might mean living in a different city or even country for some time. Save time and make yourself comfortable by doing some research before you leave home. Look online for great places to visit, but also to make sure you know about important things like public transport and healthcare centres.

Pack Home Comforts

Homesickness is a common problem when we work away even for a short time. Limit this and improve the quality of your stay by packing some home comforts as well as the essentials that you need for work. This can include things like photographs, books, scented candles, pillows and blankets, and your favourite blend of coffee.

Plan Trips Home

Having trips home planned in can give your time away structure and mean that you’ve always got something to look forward to.

Make Plans for Your Home

If your home is going to be empty, and you have somewhere else to stay if you’d like to visit, could it be worth making some extra money renting it out while you are gone? If this isn’t an option, make sure you arrange for someone to feed the plants and check your post.

Get More from the Experience

Your trip doesn’t have to be all about work. Book some tourist activities, make plans to eat out and travel around the area, and get more from it. You never know when you might get this chance again.

Travelling for an extended work trip can be a great opportunity if you make the most of it. But make sure you are prepared before you leave.