If your parents went away for business or you knew others who traveled around the world as part of their job, you probably had a glamorous vision of their adventures. You might have pictured them traveling first class, drinking champagne on the plane or staying in the best hotels. You may have envisioned them seeing the best sights in faraway lands. And though those things might happen on occasion, it’s not really the norm for business travel. In fact, most of the time, it’s tiring, redundant, and filled with moments of stress and homesickness. If you must travel, it’s important to find ways to avoid homesickness while away on business.
Avoid Homesickness While Away On Business #1: Considering Your family
When you’ve got a family waiting at home, traveling for business can be difficult. Even if you frequently work away from home, being gone for a longer period can make you feel homesick and sad, which can have a negative effect on your work. Young children are harder to walk away from and doing so can create anxiety and even stress-related illness. You may even feel the stress of missing your spouse or other loved ones. The key is to take care of yourself and keep in touch with your family.
Avoid Homesickness While Away On Business #2: Stay in the Right Hotel
It’s important to be comfortable during your stay away from home. Many hotels specialize in making your experience as quality as possible. This means comfortable beds, useful amenities, and convenient locations. Large chains like Marriott have hotels all over the world and are easily located and booked. Even international locations like the Courtyard Guayaquil are quality and offer comfort and convenience.
Spending time eating and drinking in luxury, working out in a top gym, working from your room or just lounging around offers a pleasant distraction from any loneliness or homesickness. You’ll still miss home but won’t spend your time dwelling on it more because you hate where you are.
Avoid Homesickness While Away On Business #3: Add Some Home Comforts
We all have things that we miss when we are away from home. Some of us miss our pillow; others miss their favorite brand of coffee or the smells of their house. Think about what this is for you and take a few things with you. Take some scented candles that you use at home and some of your favorite treats and luxuries to help you relax. You could even take some photos of your family.
Avoid Homesickness While Away On Business #4: Unpack
If you are only away for a few days, it can be tempting to live out of your suitcase. But, this will make it much harder to settle and get comfortable. I recommend getting unpacked and organized first thing after your arrival at the hotel. This gives you a sense of control and convenience for the remainder of your stay.
Avoid Homesickness While Away On Business #5: Get Out
If your trip is going to be busy, you might not have much free time. But, when you do, try to get out of the hotel. Spend some time outdoors, seeing some of the area’s sights and landmarks. Take some photos of each town you visit for your family to see where you’ve been. Make sure to share anything exciting or adventurous that happens on your trips. And, don’t forget to take home some souvenirs for yourself and your family.