The Unexpected Realities Of Work Travel And How To Cope

Another plane, another long drive — traveling for work can challenge any busy executive. You don’t always talk about the unexpected realities of work travel or consider them worthy of change. However, what happens now that you’re living “the busy life,” and the hours of travel leave you exhausted?

The first trip you took for work had an almost holiday feel. Now, after 10 of them, you no longer look forward to that time away or another new destination. A few unexpected realities finally emerged, and nobody warned you about them:

• The physical strain: Sustained travel is hard on your body.
• You miss your family: Many family milestones pass you by while you’re on the road.
• There’s no break from travel: You step from connecting flights to a taxi and back. With all that monotony, you feel burnout hitting and increasingly resent your work.
• You’re always on the clock: Because you’re traveling in what should be your downtime, you may feel like you’re constantly working.
• You’re disconnected from reality: Jetlag becomes prominent, and you feel disconnected from people and places.
• Your anxiety is under-managed: Poor dietary choices, lack of exercise and increased work stress make for poor anxiety management.
• The work-life balance is challenging: Constant work travel means it’s harder to maintain healthy relationships and your social needs.

When you signed up for work travel, your colleagues, mentors and HR staff may not have explained how to approach it. Between missed birthdays, anniversaries and social gatherings, you hardly see your family. Sitting in cramped economy or business class seats, rarely moving yet often rushing, has made you anxious about everything. You don’t know what calm is, but you’re sure it missed the flight from Houston.

It’s not all bad — there are amazing sights along the way and interesting people to meet. You enjoy great hotels, frequent flyer miles, and the pride and experience of working abroad as your career takes off. These all mean more travel is on the cards, but you’re up for it.

It’s time to pack your bag with more than extra PJs and another power suit. Here are some ideal ways to handle those unexpected work travel challenges.

Make sure you have some space to rest, catch a movie or explore a local attraction. Language barriers are often one of the biggest challenges of working abroad, so unwinding with a few app-based lessons on the local tongue could make your next day a little easier. Time to relax and recover ensures you can return to work fresh, no matter where you are.

Being away means missing your family and friends. Plus, you feel lonely in unexpected ways. Connections are essential parts of human life.

Make time to call your loved ones. Discuss the latest episode of that show you watch with your friend via Skype or Zoom. You can light a candle on both ends of the screen.

Focus on working the same hours you do at the office. Colleagues need to respect your hours, no matter the time zone. Set boundaries when you are on the clock and when you clock out.

Relieve physical strain with a regular exercise routine that helps you reconnect to your body while traveling. Pack your yoga mat or find local gym clubs you can attend. Take up running to let off steam — just remember to save your knees and back by bringing a good pair of sneakers.

The constant change of work travel can trigger anxiety. Ensure you take those long baths or early morning teas to revitalize you and protect your mental health.

Work travel can be magical, frustrating and empowering, all at the same time. With these survival tips, you can manage your next work trip better. Use the same efficiency you bring to your job while remembering to look after yourself.