There’s a lot that comes with business travel that feels like, well, work! From late nights with clients, to lots of overtime hours, it can sometimes feel one leaving worn out and craving some “me” time. This makes it all the more important that you treat yourself on business trips.
If you’re traveling, it’s likely you heard the flight attendant remind you that in the event of an emergency, you need to put on your oxygen mask before assisting anyone else. This also serves as a reminder of the importance of taking care of yourself first. How great can you be to your co-workers if you’re feeling tired, stressed and burned out?
We’ve put together a list of 11 ways to treat yourself on business trips. They’re some of our favorite pieces of advice, along with tips from I Want Her Job readers. Do you have some of your own to add? Tweet us @iwantherjob and use #TraveLikeABoss to share the ways you treat yourself.
1. On-Scene Dry Clean
As businesswomen, our to-do lists can get long. Sometimes, it’s tough to get to the dry cleaners, so you let your dry-clean only dresses hang in your closet never to be worn. When you travel, break out your dry clean favorites. Many hotels offer same-day laundering services or dry cleaning. So, wear your favorite silk dress, and then get them cleaned on-site at your hotel. (Or drop off your laundry so you can come home, unpack, hang and say “so long” to your washer and dryer for at least another week.)
2. Breakfast – At The Hotel!
It’s a luxury we look forward to for a reason. Delicious breakfast – like Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ iconic golden waffles! – and coffee made by someone else is a perk for any busy business traveler. That sounds like our new favorite way to start the day!
3. Uninterrupted Reading Time
The next time you pack your bag, throw in your favorite magazines and latest Gilly MacMillan thriller. Or, if you don’t want the bulk download your favorites on your iPad or Kindle. “I save up magazines to read on the plane and at the hotel,” says I Want Her Job reader Laura. “This way I really get to enjoy them.”
4. Mani-Pedi On The Fly
It can be hard to squeeze in a manicure during a normal workweek. And it can be downright impossible to get one in while traveling. This is where our new favorite airport amenity comes in – mani-pedis on site. So, whether you’re at SEA or JFK, the next time your flight gets delayed, don’t get stressed, get polished.
5. Looking Toward Rewards
Use your business trips as an opportunity to bulk up on rewards points. Our favorite hotel chain, Best Western, offers a rewards program with points that never expire and worldwide free night redemption. This makes it easy to earn your next vacation stay while you travel for business. (Hello, perks!) Sign up for Best Western Rewards.
6. Please The Palette
Instead of grabbing the quickest meal at a sandwich shop across the street, plan out your meals in advance. Find places you’d love to eat from your favorite food blogs, Food Network or online. “I always Yelp places to eat in advance,” says I Want Her Job reader Darlene.
7. Book A Relaxing Hotel
Although we try to keep up with them, we’re not the Kardashians. Most of us don’t have swimming pools in our backyards. (Especially those of us living where it’s frigidly cold half the year.) But when you’re staying at a hotel like many Best Western Premier locations, you can combine your workout with relaxing by taking a long swim with on-site pools.
8. Coffee And Conversation
Many of us wake up and have kiddos to feed or dogs to walk. When we travel for work though, we have someone back home taking care of business. This gives us more time to savor the morning alone. “I enjoy waking up in the morning, drinking my cup of coffee and watching The Today Show while I put my makeup on. I do get that kind of “me” time on the road, since I’m not helping the kids get ready,” says Tammy Lucas, Best Western’s Vice President of Marketing.
9. Get Your Gram On
If your Instagram feed has felt more than a little stale, search for the city you’re staying in via hashtag. Check out beautiful places others have taken photos in front of, eaten at or simply said can’t be missed. Book your return flight for later in the day, and use that extra afternoon or evening to play tourist! And on that topic …
10. That Bleisure Life
Business, meet leisure. “I try to extend my business trips into a leisure trip if possible,” says I Want Her Job reader Stephanie. Work like a boss during the week, and then fly your spouse out to meet you for a long weekend. We call that amazing work-life balance.
11. Go Ahead, Hog The Bed
We won’t tell anyone if you love sleeping in the middle of the bed with HGTV softly playing in the background. That snoring husband? He’s back home! Your roommate who never learned to “walk softly”? She’s back home! Take advantage of your alone time and sleep the way you love to sleep best. No other opinions allowed!
We enjoy business trips for the many opportunities they provide, and the opportunity to bond more with our colleagues. But, working from the road can also mean time away from loved ones. Kick any guilt work travel brings on by promising your family to a vacation with a free hotel stay at your favorite Best Western anywhere in the world using the points you’ve earned on the road. We do it, and we’re already well on our way to that next free night! Sign up, and join us!