Making the most of your business trip

Enjoying a work trip can be a balance between fulfilling your professional responsibilities and making the most of your time away from home!

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your work trip:

Plan ahead

Do a bit of search of the city where you are heading too: search for the things to see and do and mark these places on a map (while moving around in the city you might have the chance to see these places).

Ask your company If you can extend your stay to spend the weekend in the city where you traveled to (although you start to feel a lack of sleep and you want to rest, now is the time to go explore the city! So use the map you did with the places to visit and go explore them!)

Tell your family about your work trip and share your travel information (flights, accommodation). Consider sharing a contact of a colleague in case something happens.

Useful applications:

Download helpful applications such as Uber, Bolt, Lyft and Google Maps to move around the city. Wise and Revolut are a must to don’t pay additional fees. To organize your cards and tickets use Apple Wallet or Google Pay. Xe-Currency is a must if you’re travelling to a country with a different currency! Google translate is very useful. To find restaurants use Trip Advisor.

Extra tips based on my experience:

Save the location of your hotel and the event venue ahead. Make sure you also download the application of the event you’re attending. Make sure you confirm all your meetings that you scheduled ahead and review the notes.

Search for the typical foods (while during the day you can’t try typical foods, you can do that for dinner). That’s why I did when I was in Lille (in three days I tried 3 typical dishes at dinner: carbonnade flamande, flammkuchen and welsh).

Pack wisely

Take only the essentials with you (the more you pack the more you have to carry)!

Make sure you charge your electronic devices and take a power bank.

Bring your travel-size products (we all know the shampoo of the hotels is not the same as your shampoo and won’t make your hair smell so good).

Stay organized

Keep your necessary documents (tickets, hotel reservations, passport, etc) in one easily accessible place.

Take pictures of all your receipts and ask for an Invoice with a VAT number. Consider using an application to write down your expenses (I use Spending Tracker application and I love it!)

Network and collaborate

Use the opportunity to network with colleagues or industry professionals, both at work-related events and in more casual settings. Building relationships can be beneficial for your career in the long run.

Practice the languages that you know

By incorporating language practice into your work trip, you can enhance your language skills while also enriching your overall travel experience.

Engage with Locals: Use the opportunity to interact with locals in their native language. Whether it’s ordering food at a restaurant, asking for directions, or striking up conversations with locals, engaging in everyday interactions can help you improve your language skills while also immersing yourself in the local culture.

Speak the local language and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. People will understand you and correct you (that’s how you learn!)

Collect magazines, flyers, and books in the language you’re learning.

Thank you for reading!

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