Seven Tips For More Efficient Business Travel

Seven Tips for More Efficient Business Travel

The world may have become a smaller place but, for many professionals, frequent travel is still a necessity and one that can feel like a real chore.

However, with a little extra preparation and forward-planning, you can reduce the tiring effects of travel and even use your time to boost your workplace productivity.  

Try some of these top tips for more efficient business travel:

Make The Most of Travel Apps

The emergence of various booking apps and online tools has hugely simplified travel itinerary planning. TripIt, for example, enables you to send all of your reservations to the app where they are instantly organised into an itinerary on your phone, with all the relevant booking references and links conveniently to hand. Upgrading these travel apps often gives you access to further perks, including price drop alerts, booking changes and real-time travel data.

Travelling for business is all about making sure you get to where you need to be via the quickest route, for the best price. Sites like Matrix Flights allow you to enter a date range so you see both the cheapest airlines and the most economical days to fly.

When you land, it’s easy to lose valuable time navigating around a new city, but there’s an app for that too! Citymapper has worldwide coverage that directs you from A to B, including public transport options and weather-proof diversions for rainy days.

Prepare for the Worst

The nature of travel means that anything can happen; from delayed flights and overbooked hotels to poor Wi-Fi connections and lost luggage.

It’s a good idea to have an emergency company credit card with lots of headroom, just in case things take a turn for the worse. Pack a fully-charged power bank, essential medications in your hand luggage and always have local currency to hand. 

Upgrade your Travel

Having access to the business lounge is about more than just escaping the crowds, it can provide you with that quiet, connected space to work. Priority Pass membership gives you worldwide access to business lounges, where you can take a shower, hook up to Wi-Fi and enjoy some light refreshment. 

Everyone wants to know how to land the upgrade. The best way is to ensure you’re in the airline’s loyalty scheme and the higher the tier the more likely you are to be ‘bumped up’. Accruing miles also enables you to use them for upgrades in the future, which is usually much better value than using miles to buy economy tickets. A great site for learning how to maximise airline, credit card and hotel loyalty scheme points is Head for Points.

Catch up on Communications

Once you know your travel itinerary, you can plan where you’ll be able to log on and catch up on work. Sharing your plans with your team will also give them a window of opportunity to flag anything urgent with you that has happened while you’ve been out of reach. Taking a break to read your emails, listen to voicemails and make any phone calls will help you stay up to speed.

Prepare for your time offline by downloading documents you can read while on the move. Maybe you can draft a proposal or put some serious thought into a new business proposition? Business travel is about maximising every minute; thinking and resting time can often lead to those lightbulb moments that spark a new idea or opportunity!

Keep Active

Hanging around at airports or killing time between meetings can make you sluggish. Use the spare time to boost your metabolism and refresh with a brisk walk or quick stretch.

There’s been a recent boom in demand for luxury on the go, meaning that many airports are now equipped with the type of facilities you’d expect to find in a five-star hotel. In addition to quality restaurants and retail outlets, airport gyms are springing up all over the globe allowing passengers to pump iron, take in a spin class or even notch up a few lengths of the pool in between flights.

Entertain Yourself

Travelling can be a lonely and solitary experience so don’t forget to take a few home comforts with you that will help you make the most of your quiet time.

Whether it’s a pair of running shoes, a good book or a laptop with your favourite movies / tv shows downloaded on it, indulging in a hobby can help you de-stress at the end of a busy day.

Schedule Down-Time

Work and travel can be stressful in equal measure so when you’re away from home it’s crucial to switch off from work and find some all-important ‘you-time’.

Whether it’s scheduling in some sightseeing, catching up with friends or indulging in a gourmet meal, detoxing from the day’s work and getting a good night’s sleep will stand you in good stead for another busy day in the office – wherever in the world that might be.