I am a Plain Language Expert who travels the world teaching, speaking, and consulting on better written communication. I am also a busy mother of three kids in their tween and teenage years.
When I am away on business, I miss my family. Tremendously. (And yes, I also miss them on the rare occasion I am away for fun!) But I can also focus on my work.
I was recently asked about making the most out of a business trip, I realized that I approach a business stay-away the same way I approach writing: I plan, then I draft and adjust.
The planning: When I arrive at the hotel, planning involves setting up the room “on purpose,” so I’ll know what side of the bed I’m waking up on, where my paperwork will live during my stay, how to turn lights on and off, etc. I also find a makeshift yoga mat, like a towel or extra blanket–or ask for a real one (some hotels offer them!): every night like clockwork (although the time may vary between 9 pm and 1 am in the morning), I’ll do a quick yoga stretch. Sometimes it’s 5 minutes; sometimes, 20. Really fast, but grounded. It realigns my body, so I can sleep better and perform the next day. My last setup step is finding drinking water if the room doesn’t offer it. Keeping hydrated is paramount!
The drafting and adjusting: In writing, a core aspect of meaning is what happens between the sentences. Of course, sentences have to be spot on for the reader to want to keep going, but the in between moments are magical. And you have to do a good deal of adjusting to get those right.
During a business trip, I have to be ready for my presentations, classes, or sessions. Sharing with others brings me joy. But what’s incredible about being away from home is also what you can learn and experience in between the pre-scheduled times and after hours. I do one of three things:
- If time is limited, I simply roam the space and greet people. Sometimes, serendipitously; others, trying to find those I want to network with. If I’m at a conference, for instance, it’s easy to tell who’s attending from badges. If I’m at a client’s facility, there’s usually a hangout spot or a nearby café where I can meet people who work outside “my department.” I have met fabulous new friends and colleagues this way.
- I look for built-in opportunities to sight-see. I was recently in Oslo, and while I did not have a lot of free time, I was able to stretch a lunch break to two hours and take a walking tour of the city. Once, in Rome, I had to wait hours for my flight, and although I know the city quite well, I decided to hire a veteran driver who gave me a unique view of the places he grew up in! The first time I went to DC, I hopped on a city touring bus, and although I didn’t get to do a lot of hopping off, it gave me a birdseye view of the city and I could take mental notes for places I wanted to return to.
- I am a tango enthusiast, so I bring my tango shoes wherever I go. Many times, I’m exhausted at night and dancing is the last thing in my mind. But I push myself to find an opportunity to dance a little, and, boy, does it pay off. It recharges my soul and clears my mind. In a recent trip to Palm Springs, after a packed day of work, I heard a guitar playing in the lobby of the hotel before catching my elevator. As it turned out, among the people enjoying the music was a fellow tango dancer, and a good dancer too! The guitar player took a break, we turned on tango music from our phones, and tangoed away!
Also, at some point during the day, which varies depending on time zones, I call home and drink up the voices of my kids and my husband. If time is tight, because I can only catch them in between activities, I try to ask one or two specific questions about their day. What was their last class at school? Do they have plans with a friend? How did the business call you were preparing for go?
