Business travel can be challenging—even stressful. You’re away from home, with a new team and a new job. Your plans change frequently and you have to leave sooner than you’d like.
But at the same time, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences in your career. Business trips are a great way to stay connected with your team and your customers while still getting the work done. They offer a great opportunity to learn from others and yourself at the same time.
If you’re new to business travel and don’t know where to begin, this article is for you! It contains everything from necessities like toiletries and hygiene products to essential gear such as backpacks, briefcases and tech accessories.
How to Pack for Your Business Travel Trip
Some people think that they don’t need to pack for a business travel trip because they won’t be away from home for too long. However, you’re going to need to pack for your trip whether you’re going to be away for a week, a month or a year. You never know when you’re going to need to bring your own toiletries and other personal items, so it’s best to have everything ready to go when you’re away from home.
There are many ways to go about this, but the most effective method is to use a suitcase or backpack organizer. Organize your items by colour, type and item so that it’s easier to find what you need when you’re finished travelling. You can also keep a list or diary while you’re on the road to record what you do and don’t need, what time you’re arriving at your destination and how long you’ll be gone for. This way, you’ll know exactly when to pick up your things and where to find them.
If you’re not used to packing quite as much as you go on a trip, it’s important to consider what you’ll be doing during your trip. If you’re used to taking only light international flights, you may want to pack more during your first visit to a new country so that you have room to relax and unwind after your day job is done.
What to Pack for a Business Trip
Clothing – This includes workout clothes, casual wear, business wear and more. You don’t want to overload your suitcase with tons of clothes. Just make sure that whatever you purchase, you can wear comfortably without having to take any clothes off or on.
Shoes – You’ll likely be wearing shoes most of the time, so it’s important to have comfortable shoes that you can wear for long periods of time.
Socks – You don’t want to wear cotton socks in an all-day business trip, so go for the polypropylene option if you’re in the Business attire
Business Attire- Remember that business attire is formal. Even if you’re meeting with executives from other companies, you’ll always feel a little bit like a guest when you don’t wear a suit. Avoid wearing shorts, jeans, or other casual clothing while traveling abroad. Business attire should be smart and formal, but not immodest or distracting.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that some countries are more conservative than others when it comes to dressing. Take care not to wear revealing clothing while traveling abroad.
Take Toiletries
You should consider bringing along several travel-sized toiletries that you can easily replace during your trip. These include toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, razer, deodorant, body wash, lotion, eye cream and sunscreen.
Phone and communication requirements
When you’re traveling for work, you may not have access to the same level of communication that you have at home. That is why it is essential to have a plan for how you will stay in touch while you are traveling. You need to be sure that you have your phone with you and charged up so that you can make and receive calls while you are on the road.
While it is likely that you will be able to take advantage of data plans while in some parts of the world, it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan in case that particular data plan is not available where you are staying. You also need to make sure that your network connection is up and running when you are traveling. That means having a data plan, or being able to connect to the Internet through a computer or mobile device.
Travel Documents
You may have heard that you should bring your passport, travel insurance, birth certificate, and social security card/ PR Card, but what about your passport and travel documents? Do you really need them? We recommend bringing two copies of your passport and two copies of your travel insurance along with you.
You will also probably need a credit card, driver’s license, and health insurance card during your business trip. Having more than one copy of each of these pieces of paper can help you track your travel history and show your insurance provider if needed.
Wallet
Do you have an organized wallet or purse that you can take along with you on your business trip? We recommend having at least one credit card, driver’s license, money, and some identification in your wallet or handbag.
Laptop or Tablet
If you’re using your laptop or tablet a lot, it’s a good idea to invest in a good travel laptop bag or backpack. This bag will keep your laptop safe from damage and will also easily hold a variety of other items such as your notebook or tablet. It’s best to have a separate laptop bag for your work laptop so that your personal computer stays organized. Most travel laptop bags are designed to hold both computers and other items such as your passport, frequent traveller’s card, boarding pass, and much more.
Chargers
If you’re like most business travellers, you will also have your laptop or tablet computer with you most of the time. Having this equipment charged and connected to a power source is always a good idea. It’s also a good idea to have a travel wallet or bag that you can take along with you that is specifically designed for this purpose. This way, you won’t have to worry about carrying around an extra bag or having something fall out of your pocket.
If you’re going to be charging your devices a lot, we recommend bringing along power bank. This way, you can provide yourself with a “second” charge should the first one run out of energy. We also recommend bringing along multiple type of chargers such as a plug-in wall charger, car charger, and a dual purpose charger that can be used as a universal charger. Having multiple types of chargers can prevent you from running out of battery power.
Business Card
If you’re going to be working with others a lot, it’s a good idea to bring along a business card. This is the perfect opportunity to meet new people and make new contacts. Having business cards can help you build stronger connections with other business professionals and make future business opportunities easier to access.
Conclusion
To maximize your business travel experience, you should have everything you need with you when you’re travelling. A reliable phone, laptop and a couple of hours of internet are essential for any business traveller. To keep your travel routine as simple as possible, attempt to keep your business travel experience as minimal as possible. You don’t want to be dealing with long train rides or taxi journeys where you end up getting distracted or stuck in traffic.