The idea of a business trip isn’t very appealing to many of us as although you’re jetting off to a new place you will be spending most of that time in meeting rooms or your hotel room. Although business trips might not be entirely enjoyable, you can always guarantee that they will run smoothly. Here are some ideas on how to make your business trip this year run without any hiccups.
Get Organised
Firstly get all travel documents like your passport, you will need to take a valid ehic with you to ensure your covered and anything else you will need and pop it in a folder as you won’t get very far without those. Next, a week before your business trip put an itinerary together of all flight information, transport details, your hotels address, and scheduled meetings – this will ensure nothing slips your mind. When going to another country you need to obtain the proper currency. Before leaving for your business trip you will need to find out if the bank and credit cards you’re using will be accepted to where you’re travelling, too. If you’re going to be using a company credit card to pay for expenses, try to be as frugal as possible as your boss will not appreciate an expensive bill. If this happens to be your first business trip socialising is fine, but drinking too much is not – so stick to two drinks maximum.
Pre-Packing
A few days before the trip make a list of things you’re going to pack so they won’t slip your mind at the last minute. If you have to travel a lot for work it’s always a good idea to have travel items that never leave your bag. Some items you should already have prepacked are chargers, Pj’s, socks, mini toiletries, and vitamins. These are all handy to have on any business trip – just make sure that when you return you wash and repack them in your case for the next business trip. When packing for a business trip always pack practically. Choose to pack dark, plain clothes that you can easily mix and match and that won’t crease. When you’re packing try to limit yourself to two different pairs of shoes that will go with every outfit you’ve packed. For the airport don’t forget to wear a pair of comfortable shoes you can wear on the plane.
Travelling
Never check your luggage at the airport if you can avoid it. If you’re going away for regular business trips you should invest in a large bag or a small suitcase that meets carry-on regulations. That way you can put your small suitcase or large bag in the overhead and have your laptop bag tucked under your seat. If you don’t have to check your luggage you’ll be first through customs and then there is no risk of your luggage getting lost. Always make sure your phone, laptop and any other devices are charged before the flight. If all your devices are charged before the flight you can work on the plane and once you land if you have to go straight to a conference you won’t hold up your boss, fellow employees or clients.
If your company requires you to go on regular business trips why not invest in a carry-on suitcase with four wheels as it will be far more mobile and easier to cart around. Each business trip will be different but you have the packing basics of what you need to make it a smooth trip- just don’t forget to wash and repack those essentials for the next business trip.
