Traveling for business combines all of the confusion of traveling for fun with the stress of a big business meeting. In other words, it’s often the opposite of fun. A little organization ahead of time, however, can make a big difference.
CNN Money asked 10 women business leaders for their travel tips, and got 64 priceless pieces of advice. Here are few to get you started:
1. On avoiding jet lag…
Katie Stanton, vice president of international sales and development at Twitter, says, “I avoid doing the math to figure out what time it is back home. It’s too stressful! I try to adjust immediately to the local time and work through the day until at least 10pm. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I try to resist the urge to check the time or read emails. I also try to be extra healthy by working out, eating well and drinking lots of water.”
2. On looking presentable while traveling…
Denise Morrison, president and CEO of Campbell Soup, says, “I always carry my ‘meeting’ shoes with me and wear comfortable shoes when I travel. I also will not wear my jacket on the plane — I’ll hang it when possible. I’ll wear a sweater and change. While both things keep me relaxed, I find that by changing into my ‘official’ garb once we land gets me mentally ready for the upcoming meeting.”
3. On keeping healthy relationships with your family when you travel a lot…
Alyse Nelson, cofounder, president, and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, says, “We have a saying: LIFO: last in, first out. I try not to travel longer than I need to, even when traveling to really interesting places — the good news is, I will most certainly be back. Stay in touch and bring back little gifts so that those in your personal life know you are thinking of them even while traveling and doing fascinating things for your professional life. I really try to limit weekend travel. I am a big believer in having a personal life, connecting with family and friends and rest on weekends.”
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