You’re about to embark on a grand adventure, whether you travel for business or pleasure. You may want to visit a national park, or you may want to go on a road trip to see many amazing cities and natural wonders in one go. Even if you go on a business trip, you should have some fun along the way. But no matter what kind of vacation or trip you’re going on, you probably have an undercurrent of stress polluting your excitement.
Travelling shouldn’t be about stress; it should be about enjoyment and relaxation. So before you ride or fly off on your adventure, use these 5 tips to minimize your stress.
1. Make a Packing List Ahead of Time
Ever run out the door only to realize that you forgot some vitally important item on your coffee table or kitchen counter? If you make a packing checklist ahead of time, you’ll decrease your chances of leaving anything behind. If you don’t know what to pack, use this sample checklist for ideas on creating your own: Clothes
One pair of socks and underwear for every day you’ll be travelling
One extra pair of socks and underwear for emergencies
A shirt for every day of your vacation
Three pairs of pants per week of travel
A light jacket, even if you’ll travel somewhere warm—the nights could be quite cool
Comfortable walking shoes—not sandals, not high heels
Formal wear for meetings—you’ll need a blouse and skirt, slacks, or dress if you’re a woman, and a button-up shirt and slacks if you’re a man
Glasses (if you own them)
Toiletries
Toothbrush
Travel-sized toothpaste
Deodorant
Travel-sized soap, shampoo, and conditioner
Brush and/or comb
Razor
An extra pair of contacts with travel-sized contact solution (if necessary)
Miscellaneous
Cell phone
iPod or MP3 player
Pain medication
Travel-sized laundry detergent
Driver’s license and/or passport
Copies of addresses for hotels, fun areas to visit, etc.
Umbrella
2. Check the Weather
You don’t want to arrive and find out that you packed the wrong clothes. As you make your packing list, check the weather in your vacation area and see if you’ll have to pack warmer jackets and socks. Plan your wardrobe accordingly, especially when you travel for business. You don’t want to forget a jacket or boots and arrive at a business meeting with soaked clothes and messy hair. However, the weather constantly changes, so make sure you prepare for poor weather even if the forecast promises warm, sunny days. If you go on a business trip, you have to make a very professional impression, and you can’t do that if the weather ruins your appearance.
3. Contact Friends and Family in the Area
Friends and family always get upset if you visit an area and then leave without contacting them or seeing them. You’ll post your pictures on social media, and then they’ll know you avoided them during your trip.
Before you leave, contact the people you know in the area to tell them you’ll be there. You can offer to meet with them if you wish, or you can simply make your excuses. You should also post online about your very busy business schedule, which will tell your friends and family that you simply have no time to visit them. Just make sure you don’t hide your vacation or business trip from anyone.
4. Find Fun Things to Do
If you go on a road trip or travel to a national park, you already know what kinds of activities you want to do. You’ll go sightseeing. You’ll hike and walk around. But what if you go on a business trip? You don’t want to go to a city only to meet with partners and investors and sleep in the hotel—you’ll need to ease the stress of your meetings through recreational activities.
Find famous museums and parks in your area, or find shopping centres and restaurants. Just do your research ahead of time so you already know where to go to blow off some steam.
5. Find a Hotel Close to the Office/Convention Centre or Attractions
When you travel for pleasure, you know to find a hotel close to the attraction you want to see. You should do the same when you travel for business. You’ll save on public transportation costs or car rental fees if you do.
6. Arrange to Have a Reputable Driving Service Pick You Up
When you arrive at the airport, you’ll probably need a driving service to take you to your hotel. Make your arrangements ahead of time so you don’t have to wait at the curb for a long time. Don’t settle for just any transportation service either—find one that offers you quality services. Most cities have several driving services in them. Research these businesses ahead of time and find one that not only gives you a fair price, but gives you quality, comfort and professionalism as well. Call a driving service today!