In 2020, with the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions, travel dramatically dropped domestically and internationally, with business travel down by 90% at the lowest point in the year. Now, as more and more individuals are returning to the office, work travel is coming back. But it’s not all clear skies. As a time management coach, I’ve seen that returning to business travel can be almost as disorienting after a two-year hiatus as the sudden lurch into fully remote work was. My clients are having to remember how to pack efficiently, adjust to time zone changes, and modify their meeting schedules when they’re now on the road for work.
How to Ease Back into Traveling for Work
Transitioning back into business travel after the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t as simple as buying a plane ticket. Individuals are having to remember how to pack efficiently, adjust to time zone changes, and modify their meeting schedules — and that’s on top of monitoring differences in travel restrictions, quarantine requirements, and Covid risk levels throughout the world.
Use these strategies to transition back into work travel. First, evaluate the benefit. Think carefully about where you believe travel would add the greatest benefit versus working remotely. Second, right size the investment. Even as you’re able to fold more business travel into your schedule, question whether all the travel you used to do really needs to be added back in. Third, pace yourself by starting small, and then building up after you see how you feel. Finally, leave margin. If you’ve got important business travel, give yourself more flexibility than you used to do, and make sure you have access to everything you need, like food and car rentals.