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10 Tips to Make Business Trip as Boring as Possible
By and large, business travel is boring. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A boring business trip means that nothing has gone wrong – no inconveniences, no nasty unexpected surprises and no extra expenses. So here are some tips to make your business trip as boring and hassle-free as possible.
1. Make the most of your carry-on luggage. Travelers will often resort to extreme measures to avoid paying for checked baggage. However, many people go about it the wrong way. Many business travelers will lug a big roller bag (one that only just fits the maximum size dimensions) and a briefcase. The problem with this is that the roller bag often takes up too much space in the overhead locker. If your flight is full and you’re not one of the first on the plane, you might have to gate check your bag at the last minute. A better tactic is to take two smaller-sized bags of equal size. One bag should be the maximum size that will fit under the seat and the other should be versatile enough to fit into any odd space available in the overhead locker. This tactic will save you time and money as you will not have to worry about the extra charge and time taken to check-in your luggage. Furthermore, you will not need to pay an additional fee to ensure you board first to secure space in the overhead locker for a big roller bag.
2. Pack the right clothes (for men). Bring one color of trousers and a matching jacket. This way you will have more room to pack accessories. Ensure that you also bring matching shirts and socks so you can reuse any of the items if you come up short. If you plan on exercising, you’ll also need to throw in a pair of lightweight trainers that will only take up a small amount of room in your luggage. Wear the heaviest items on the plane in order to maximize available weight and space in your luggage.
3. Store your items in a set place. Ensure that the items in your carry-on bags have a set place. This makes it is easy to locate items such as cables and adapters which can easily go missing. A quick “pat down” inventory check will give you the reassurance that you haven’t left anything behind.
4. Bring the right plug adapters. Bringing the wrong plug adapter is a mistake that you’ll only ever make once. So if you haven’t made the mistake already, make sure you never make it again by ensuring you bring the correct plug adapter.
5. Sort out voice and internet access before you leave. The reliability and strength of internet access varies depending on where you are travelling to. Hotels can often charge exorbitant fees for internet usage. It can sometimes be cheaper to take out an international data plan on your mobile device and use it as a data hotspot. Make sure you research pricing and check with your local mobile carrier or an international carrier before making a decision.
6. Recharge via USB. Many devices can be recharged via a USB cable. Rather than bringing a tangle of cables, you may be able to get by with just one cable which you can use to charge your gadgets via USB ports on your computer.
7. Choose the “best” security line. Beware: the shortest line is not always the best line. Before selecting a line, examine the efficiency of the staff manning the line and the mix of people ahead of you in the line. Avoid lines with small children, people with unconventional luggage that will likely be inspected and anyone who looks they don’t know what they’re doing. Selecting the right line can literally save you hours if you’re a frequent traveler.
8. Have an on-board routine. Having an on-board routine will help you remain organised and will make your flight that little bit more pleasant. This especially applies to long-distance flights. Good practice is to place any items you require on your person during the flight in a smaller bag within your carry-on luggage before you board the plane. This way you can easily remove the smaller bag before storing your carry-on luggage in the overhead locker or under your seat. Not only will this save you time, it will save other passengers time. There’s nothing worse than being stuck behind someone who blocks the whole aisle to rummage through their carry-on luggage to find the items they want with them on the flight.
9. Have a routine for sleeping and eating. The goal here is to maximize the amount of time you can sleep, especially on long-distance flights. Not all flights will allow you to get a full night’s sleep so it’s important that you make the most of the time you have. Eat, brush your teeth and get into comfortable clothing before your flight. This way you can go to sleep as soon as you take your seat. Furthermore, securing a window seat will prevent other passengers from disturbing you if they need to visit the bathroom during the flight.
10. Don’t drink alcohol on the plane. Avoid drinking alcohol on your flight. Alcohol can make you feel drowsy when you arrive at your destination and compounds disruptions to your body clock when travelling across different time zones. Stay off the booze to ensure you get off your flight feeling as fresh as possible. There you have it – 10 tips to make your business trip as boring as possible. I hope your future business trips are as boring as possible!
James Chatman is the E-Marketing Executive at JC Travel Professionals, a leading Australian Corporate Travel Management Company.
