Last updated on December 22, 2015
Traveling for anything can sometimes be a lot of work and, at times, even somewhat of a nuisance. However, it doesn’t have to be either of these things. Proper preparation can make a huge difference between a smooth trip and a hectic one.
Some who travel for business in particular spend a lot of time away from home, and if they’re not organized, their trip can actually cause some unneeded stress, rather than being pleasant. Of course this can start to impact your company over time because you may begin to view your business travels as more of a burden rather than an opportunity.
To help you enjoy your business trips a bit more, we’ve put together a list of some important tips that can make your travels more efficient overall.
Secure Your Smartphone
Before heading out, you should consider securing your smartphone and any other device you plan on bringing that connects to the internet. Public WiFi isn’t very safe since it isn’t a secured network. That means that anyone using the same network can actually be spying on your online activities and browsing through your phone without your knowledge.
It takes under 15 minutes for someone to hack into your device over public WiFi and good luck pursuing charges or anything like that, as first you’ll have to figure out who they are, and second, it can be difficult to try to take legal action against someone who isn’t located in your hometown. In order to prevent this from occurring, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on your devices. It’ll encrypt your connection, allow you to unblock websites and even hide your location.
Only Pack What You Need
It can be easy to get carried away when packing your bag, but when traveling, bringing less is usually a good idea. No need to pack your whole closet for your trip, and if possible, consider packing well in advance or even keeping a pre-packed bag at home ready for your travels if you tend to go out of town often. Always keep an extra phone charger already packed in your bag so you won’t be without one if you happen to forget it as you’re walking out the door.
Be realistic about how many changes of clothes you’ll actually need for your destination too, as they can quickly take up most of the space in your bag, leaving you more chances to forget or exclude something that may be important. Sometimes it might even be a wise idea to purchase your personal care items after you arrive at your destination in order to save you some space.
Check Out Local Businesses In Advance
Planning in advance is one of the easiest ways you can make your travels more efficient. No need to waste time looking while you’re there, as you’ll probably have plenty else to do. Instead, look up local businesses on websites such as Yelp in order to plan where you’ll be eating or visiting.
It would also be a good idea to check out some of the popular travel sites for information on hotels and car rentals too, as you can book these in advance and usually receive a discount by doing so. You can then plan your trip around your hotel accommodations since you’ll know where it’s located compared to other businesses in the area.
Yelp is especially useful since it has a ton of reviews you can look through and also tells you the hours of operation of restaurants, as well as what forms of payment they accept, whether or not they offer take-out or delivery, and you can even take a look at menus on their site.
Use Apps
The use of apps can actually make your business trip more efficient. Try Tripit for starters. You’re able to store all of your travel plans in the app and even view maps, directions and the weather information for the area. All you need to do is forward your confirmation emails for your travel plans to Tripit, and they create an easy to understand itinerary that’s always available.
Efficient Business Travel
The key to making your travels more efficient are ultimately going to rely on two things: organization and preparation. Planning in advance will help a lot, as things can quickly become hectic when you aren’t sure where to go or what to do when you arrive at your destination. Also, you may not have the time to figure out the extra details while you’re there on business.
Most importantly, don’t forget your credit cards, passport and/or travel visa!
Do you have any tips about traveling for business? Let us know in the comments below.
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