One of the biggest perks of working in business is the international travel opportunities – it’s only the luckiest among us that actually get to travel and be paid for it! However, just because it can be fun doesn’t mean it’s a stress free operation, and some actually end up dreading their business trips because the stress levels are just that high.

Whether it’s the tight schedule or the travel itself that’s stressful, complications can turn a simple trip into a fraught experience for the weary traveller. In addition, you don’t even have to be the one travelling to find it stressful – if you’re the one organising the travelling arrangements or leading the activities and timetable when you reach your destination, then you end up being the most stressed of all.

So what are some ways in which you can reduce the stress of business travel overseas?

Ensure you have a bag ready to go

If you travel a lot for business and have a busy life, the last thing you want to do is find out about a last minute trip and have to run around finding clothes to take with you. Every time you get back from a business trip, why not wash and press all your clothes and put them back in your case ready for next time you need to go.

Ensure you have a detailed itinerary

It’s one thing to have a timetable, but it’s much more useful to make yourself a print out with the details of each event you[re going to to hand, so that if you’re moving especially quickly from one event to the next you can change your headspace and get names straight en route rather than waiting until you arrive to fully get in gear.

International Workforce Management

If one of the reasons you are repeatedly travelling overseas is that you have to go and put out fires and solve problems in person with international teams, then you could look into using assignment management software which enables you to manage teams remotely and therefore minimises travel. While there will always be situations where you have to go and share a physical handshake, life gets a lot less stressful when you find an artful solution to reducing unnecessary trips abroad for work.

These are just a few tips for managing the stress of business travel which can make your next trip go more smoothly.