I travel a bit for work and it’s great to get out and see this beautiful country of ours while helping companies with their safety and compliance needs. (I’m writing this from my hotel room in Mt Isa!) But I often get asked how I manage the travel, if I feel safe travelling on my own and how I stay healthy and energized to handle the full-on days.
Planning
Make sure you allow enough time to get where you need to be without stressing or rushing. I use Google Maps to get accurate information on driving times when planning, then update the information before I leave to get real time driving times and conditions. You can’t control traffic snarls and flight delays, but you can control how well you plan and react to these hiccups. Keep a list of your destination addresses handy and transport options to get there. Is there Uber or taxi service? Know before you go.
A bit of research into your destination will help with your planning and also give you an insight into the area, the work environment and the people you are working with.
Check in
Don’t just check in to your flight and accommodation. Have a communication check in plan with a colleague, family member or friend. Give them a copy of your itinerary. Check in with them on arrival to your destination and keep in touch until you get back home. Peace of mind for everyone with a quick text.
Accommodation
This is a big one for me. I choose a quality hotel with good reviews around security and location, generally with an in-house restaurant so I don’t have to venture out after dark for food. Keep a record of the good hotels so you can go there again. Free parking and WIFI is always a bonus too.
Take a break
Go for a walk around the area (don’t forget your walking shoes), check out some of the interesting features. Take photos to remember your trip! Stay well hydrated and eat well, meditate, use the hotel gym, whatever you need to do to decompress. Life is not all about work – as the great philosopher Ferris Bueller once said “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Loved it! I use booking.com for all my accommodation and Heart the good ones to a list to keep a record of them.
I always carry a hefty, very bright & blinding, torch just in case at night.
Loved your final quote but do the young ones know FB??? 😁
Thanks for the tips.
Thanks Theo! I tend to use a similar booking system unless I book direct with smaller town accommodation. Love the torch idea. And who doesn’t know Ferris Bueller? Bueller. Bueller Bueller 🤣