Whether you’re traveling for work or pleasure, be sure to make the most of it. Here are some tips to make your travel more seamless. Bon voyage!
Pack appropriately.
Look at the weather before you go, and don’t bring too much stuff. Having a packing checklist is key to not leaving anything behind. (Pro tip: just like everything, these have been digitized and you can find premade ones for free online.) If your suitcase or carry-on is stuffed with tangled cords, you will love the cord taco, a simple, yet highly necessary invention that keeps your cords organized in an adorable way.
Don’t forget to exercise!
Traveling for events such as conferences can mean a whole lot of sitting followed by more sitting. Add plane travel to the mix and you have a recipe for stiffness, which at the very least is uncomfortable and at the worst, can lead to chronic pain. Many hotels have fitness centers, but you don’t have to hit the gym for hours to make a big difference. Simply walking between conferences and a few light stretches will go a long way. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes!
Try to eat normally.
Okay, if your job sends you to Tokyo, you should definitely splurge on sushi. But if your job’s sending you to a mid-sized city in a neighboring state, this is not an excuse to eat every meal at Applebee’s. If your hotel has a kitchenette, use it, even if just to refrigerate some simple items that will make the travel less taxing on your body, like the yogurt you’d normally eat at home.
Maintain a routine.
Stay organized by keeping your meetings, plans, and schedule on paper or in your digital calendar, just like you do at home. There’s no need to throw organization out the window just because your surroundings have changed. Do your brain a favor and write it down!
Know what’s deductible.
If you’re traveling on behalf of a company, be sure to reach an agreement about travel expense reimbursement before you go. What companies can legally reimburse you for while maintaining your independent contractor status varies from state to state. So if reimbursement isn’t possible, you want to know before you go, and negotiate rates accordingly. The ICBA has partnered with Hotel Engine, offering exclusive corporate rates averaging 26% below average prices.
Keep your business and personal expenses separate.
If you’re traveling more for self-employment reasons, be sure to keep your business and personal expenses separate. You’re only allowed to write off expenses that occurred for your business, so if you book a hotel for two extra nights after a conference, those extra nights can’t be written off. It’s a good idea to have a separate bank account or credit card strictly for business expenses so you’re never stuck trying to separate everything out at tax time. Keep record of your transit costs, meals, lodging, and other business-related expenses such as shipping and printing. Here’s a more detailed list of write-offs for the self-employed. The ICBA has partnered with Lili Bank, an online banking app designed for contractors like you, that can help track your expenses and help keep your business and personal expenses separate.
While you’re there:
In often-visited places, find a favorite spot, such as a coffee shop where you can feel familiar and be surrounded by other people working. Go here to catch up on emails and handle the things you may be tempted to put off until you get home. This will keep your actual life in balance and afford you a sense of belonging. Plus, it’s always nice to be able to relax when you get home and not be bombarded by hundreds of unread emails.
Know your energy threshold. Just because a city has many famous museums doesn’t mean you have to visit them all. Realistically, how many hours can you stroll around inside a museum? Look online ahead of your trip and find a couple of things that interest you and fit into your budget, such as trying food unique to the region, like Cincinnati chili, or finding an activity a city is famous for, such as live music in Nashville. But be sure to allot some down time as well. Traveling can be exhausting – and yes, there’s even a term for that, too. It’s travel fatigue.
Did you know many cities have travel apps? Downloading a tourism app, like this one for Charlotte, NC, is a great way to browse what a city has to offer, and can often save you some money by offering free audio tours. If you’re traveling in a metropolitan area that relies on public transit, be sure to download the app for that, too. These apps are helpful for navigation and also have real-time updates about line closures and anything else you need to know.