By Chloe Taylor
Often traveling for business purposes can make you feel like you are missing out in your personal life. Maybe you think you don’t get to spend enough quality time with your family or perhaps it is turning off all notifications and relaxing that you need more of. Whichever the case, you are probably looking for a healthy work/life balance that will allow you to feel fulfilled in all aspects of life. Keep on reading for tips on how you can achieve exactly that.
Decide on your priorities
In order to create some balance in your life, you need to decide what your priorities are. For example, if you’re doing this because you’ll be earning more money, keep that in mind as you pack your bags and leave your family behind. If there is a colleague willing to travel as well, perhaps you can switch every once in a while. If you are your own boss, maybe one of your employees can take care of the job instead. If not missing your kid’s recital is more important, ask someone else to fill in. When given the opportunity, prioritize your personal life over work commitments but understand that there might be important moments that you will miss due to work.
Delegate less important tasks
Once you are familiar with your priorities, you can start delegating all tasks that are not of the essence for your work/life balance. For example, perhaps your partner can wash the family car or your teenager can mow the lawn once you leave for your trip. That way, you might have more quality time to spend together. Or, if you live alone, you can hire someone to do the mowing for you so that you have some free time to relax. Use the same approach for your business tasks and ask your colleagues if they can take care of some minor assignments that you simply don’t have time for.
Create a schedule and stick to it
Whether you are at home or on the road, it would be best to have a schedule that you can follow. So, for instance, if you like to start your day with a good workout, try to look for a hotel with a gym that will allow you to do this even when on a business trip. Then, try to have meals at the same time as you would when you are home. Finally, it’s a good idea to schedule family time, so consider calling your loved ones every day at 7 pm, for example.
Include some tourist activities in your trip
Even though the purpose of your trip is business, maybe you can find a bit of free time to do some exploring and sightseeing. For example, by getting a reliable car hire, you can easily see everything that a city has to offer and potentially even go on a road trip to reach your next destination. What is more, maybe you can take a few days off and turn this business trip into a real vacation or bring your family along so that you can enjoy all the tourist spots of the place you are traveling to.
Keep in touch with your family
If you can’t bring your family with you on the trip, at least make sure you are constantly in touch with them. Thanks to technology, we can see loved ones who are half the world away and chat to them when we miss them or need a little pick-me-up. Schedule a time for video chatting and keep texting throughout the day. If your favorite part of the day is reading a bedtime story to your little one, various apps can easily make that happen so utilize technology to the max.
Think of your health
Our health often slips our mind when we are traveling but this activity can actually be really hard on our wellbeing. That is why you have to pay attention to what you are eating and do your best to eat a balanced diet even when on the road. Stopping at a fast food restaurant can be tempting but just a little bit of research can help you find a healthier alternative for lunch. Then, don’t overlook the importance of staying active. If your business trips consist mostly of sit-down meetings, set some time aside for the gym. Your body and mind will appreciate it. Lastly, remember to stay hydrated and always keep a water bottle within reach.
Use your time at home wisely
Finally, it’s essential that you use the time that you do get to spend at home wisely. Whether you like bubble baths and gardening or spending time with your family and eating your mom’s lasagna, really savor these moments you have at home as then it might be easier to leave when the time comes.
Traveling for work can sometimes be the last thing that you want to do, which is why you have to work on creating a healthy work/life balance that will make everything less difficult and allow you to feel fulfilled.
About Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor is a graduated journalist and a contributor to several online magazines. She loves writing about her travel experiences and connecting with those who are interested in exploring all of the gorgeous places around this planet. She is quite interested in environmental issues as well and loves giving simple tips about making our travels more eco-friendly. When she is not writing about her adventurous life, she is RV camping with her family and dog Leo.
