Business trips can be tiring, time consuming and unproductive. A little planning and forethought, however, can turn travelling time into productive time. Here are our top tips for making the most of life on the road.
Plan your location
Think about where you need to be for your business meetings or events and book your accommodation accordingly. Book a hotel in the city centre or near to the motorway, airport or station, to cut down on travel time.
Ensure your hotel has in room business facilities – a desk with good lighting, easily accessible power sockets and wifi as a minimum, and preferably a hotel Business Centre.
Choose a hotel with leisure facilities, such as a pool and gym to allow you to reenergise after a hard day’s work and release creativity.
Check your dining options. If you’re likely to need to work whilst you eat, ensure room service is available and at the time you need it.
Plan your travel
If flying, book direct flights to avoid delays and extended journey time. Use airport club lounges where possible.
Research your destination in advance to reduce time wasting delays. Investigate transfer options, parking, what’s nearby, dining, how far you will be from meeting or conference venues, how you will need to travel when you are there – taxi, shuttle, metro?
Plan your time
Whenever possible use travelling time to get work done, rather than leaving it until you arrive. Use business facilities en route or find quiet areas in which to work. Noise cancelling headphones can be useful when having to work in crowded areas.
Make to do lists and allocate tasks according to facilities and time available. Some tasks need internet connection, others don’t. Use technology to help you – remember to pack chargers and charge phones and laptops at every opportunity.
Ensure your team knows how to contact you in case of emergency – set an ‘out of office’ message for your emails/phone before you leave. Contact your office regularly to keep grounded and to deal with any issues that arise. Be sure to set time aside every day to read and action emails.
Once in your hotel set up your workspace and ensure that you have sufficient light, plugs, chargers and coffee to hand.
Finally…
Remember to factor in some time for you!
Make time for some relaxation, exercise or sightseeing to keep both mind and body at its most productive.
For details of how our online accommodation booking portal Bvine can assist with your next business trip please click here or contact a member of the team for finding a productive place to stay on your next business trip on 01625 877776 or email us at sales@bvevents.co.uk