Business trips and fun are almost contradictory in the common belief. But you know me, as a huge adept of making the best of any situation, I always try to have a little fun while I am traveling for work. When you picture a business trip you imagine grey suits and fancy cold business hotels, but it is totally up to you to brighten it up a bit and make adjustments to manage quick escapes after your meetings. Of course, you have to stay professional and respect your working hours and your business planning. These are my tips to do so:

#1 Book your trip yourself

Negotiate with your company to organize your business trip yourself, respecting the daily per diem obviously.

#2 Check the weather

Check the weather and adjust your traveling dates accordingly, traveling in the pouring rain is not productive for your professional meetings either.

#3 Stay the week-end

Stay the week-end or take extra days off. The transportation fees equal zero, since it is already paid by your company, just ask to book your flight tickets accordingly. Usually it isn’t a problem for companies since it doesn’t add any extra cost. You can also take advantage of your company’s hotel bulk prices for the extra nights, hotels are usually flexible in those cases. Morality: Just ask! Maximize the fun by having your partner or your friends joining you.

#4 Plan ahead

Prepare your trip ahead, plan your business meetings, check out the places you want to visit, and the restaurants you want to go to. Download on your phone, a Tripadvisor or a Google map of the place, just like when you travel for leisure.

#5 Choose accommodation wisely

After achieving tip No 1, choose a centered hotel in a busy and walking-friendly area. As you know location is priority Number one for me when I am booking accommodation. Business hotels are generally far from the center and a little cold for my taste, so I usually go for “touristy” hotels.

#6 Pack light and fun outfits

Pack casual clothes and a swimsuit eventually for a holiday feeling after working hours. I recommend packing colorful suits for your business meetings as well, it helps boosting your mood and consequently increase your productivity.

#7 Travel with great company

Travel with a fun colleague if you can, and share business expanses while cracking jokes on the road.

#8 Early birds are more productive

During the business trip, wake up early and plan ahead (you can catch up on your sleeping hours on the plane or once back home :p). Go through your urgent emails while you have breakfast, and plan your daily meetings the earliest possible, so you can have the rest of the day to visit and walk around. I usually get back to my emails after dinner, exceptionally when I am on a business trip of course #worklifebalance.

#9 Choose trendy cafes to catch up on your emails

Between meetings, choose a trendy Instagram-worthy cafe as a work space. They usually have a good internet connection. You can check your emails and do your phone calls while sipping a latte or a healthy juice, with great Instagram pictures as a bonus.

#10 Take pictures

Some people claim that Instagram addicts and bloggers do not live in the moment while traveling and stay obsessed with pictures. I totally disagree, I never enjoyed my travels as much as when I had an Instagram account, it makes you more aware of the beauty surrounding you, and improve the travel experience. You are never tempted to stay in a hotel watching TV when you have Instagram. You are on a duty of sharing beauty (it rimes yeeeey!). But don’t keep your nose sticked into your phone the whole trip and don’t take pictures frenetically either. Have a conversation with your colleagues and business partners during meals and choose your pictures wisely, when the place and the light are pretty enough to worth a snap.

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