Travelling for work can be exciting… Or it can be a nightmare. From the general stress of travel to employers overloading your schedule, there’s a lot to deal with and it’s common for your motivation to plummet when there are about a hundred other things you’d rather be doing.

Unfortunately, optimising your productivity is even more important than usual when you’re on a trip. If you have some business travel coming up, here’s how to make the most of it.

Make Sure You’re Comfortable

It’s a lot easier to cling to our focus when we’re comfortable in our surroundings, and nobody really likes spending days or even weeks on end in cheap hotel rooms with bad room service.

If you’re taking an extended trip, you can rent corporate housing, Toronto, or any other area you frequently work in for long periods.

Schedule Everything in Advance

Planning ahead helps to ensure you don’t leave any margin for error. When you’re travelling for work, make sure that absolutely everything is scheduled: from the flights to the meetings and even your lunch breaks and free time.

This will help you to be as productive and present as possible, as well as allow you some leeway for scheduling fun and downtime on your trip.

Don’t Book Too Much

Scheduling too many tasks and meetings can cause serious stress when you’re travelling for work. Not leaving enough time in between your meetings can lead to chaos when things run longer than expected, or you might end up in a mad rush to get to places on time.

Nobody needs that kind of pressure. Make sure you’re mindful when planning meeting times and don’t forget to include breaks in your day.

Maintain a Normal Routine

Sticking to the status quo of how you behave at home can really help you stay focused and in the zone and prevent you from treating your business trip like a vacation.

Having a morning routine can help drive success and increase productivity in your day-to-day life, and maintaining that same routine will only be beneficial for keeping you on the ball when you’re away and facing different circumstances.

Eat Well and Exercise

Though it might seem hard, it is possible to maintain your fitness routine on a work trip. Since you’re already making an effort to maintain a normal routine away from home, the same rules should apply to how you eat and exercise.

Try to keep up with your workouts, even if they have to be modified since you’re away from home, and make healthy choices when it comes to mealtimes and snacks to keep your mind sharp.

Make Time to Rest

Contrary to popular belief, rest is productive. Nobody can keep working indefinitely, and if you’re pushing yourself beyond your limits, your capabilities will start to waver sooner rather than later.

Make sure to clock off at a reasonable hour, and allow yourself some me-time to have fun, explore, meet up with a friend in the area, and most importantly, get a good night’s sleep.