De-stress While Working Away from Home 

All opinions are mine and mine alone.

How to De-stress While Working Away from Home 

Many of us are fortuitous enough to have the luxury of working from home, but even then from time to time we find ourselves having to actually put on a smart pair of trousers and spend a few days away. It’s part and parcel of forging a career and, while no one really likes heading off for a business meeting that drags out over the course of a couple of days, it’s something that we have to do from time to time. 

If you are lucky, your meeting or other engagement is within commuting distance, meaning that you can still retire to your own bed in the evening. However, this isn’t always the case as you could even have to catch a plan to attend your business commitment and, without the comfort of your home surroundings, it can be a stressful time. 

Get to Know Your Colleagues 

When you are working away from home, you will find yourself with a lot of downtime that you would otherwise have filled with snuggles on the sofa. The easy thing to do is to lock yourself away in your hotel room until the morning in solitude, but that means missing out on the opportunity to get to know new people and explore fresh surroundings. 

Throw yourself into attending group activities in the evening, as most hosts will organise evening entertainment when hosting delegates and you will probably find that you have a good time. Getting to know one and other, sharing stories and experiences, around the dinner table can often open new doors – remember that socialising and networking go hand in hand. 

Familiarise Yourself 

If you have the opportunity to travel early then we certainly recommend doing so. This gives you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with new surroundings and explore the local area – who knows, you might find it a perfect place to bring the family when you are not on duty. 

When you are familiar with your surroundings, this can help to ease any stress that you may be suffering from not knowing where you are. Even small things such as finding your way to the venue and back again in advance can help to ease any concerns that you may have and, even if you do get lost, you won’t be the first or the last person to do it! 

Many businesses arrange all travel in advance, meaning that the only thing that you have to worry about is being ready for when the taxi/driver arrives. This is certainly commonplace on business trips with attendees from other countries. 

Make Time to Call Home 

If you are on foreign soil, it can feel as though you are a long way from home – especially if you have travelled on your own/with other people you don’t really know. Friends and family will want to know that you have arrived safely, as well as your progress. Make time to call home, as they will be missing you as much as you are missing them. 

In the digital age, communication is not limited to talking on the phone with the possibility of texting, messaging via social media and video calling. With many different avenues of communication, it has never been easier to stay in touch. 

Be Prepared 

Finally, if you are travelling for business then it means that there is work to be done. For this, you must be prepared and this can also help to alleviate any stress, because the last thing you want is to be travelling for something that you aren’t ready for. 

Prepare any notes, presentations or discussion points a good day or two before leaving as, this way, you don’t have to worry about cramming in last minute preparation in the hotel room, plane or service station. 

Once you get back home and are reunited with your family, back in your safe place, you will be thankful for the experience.