4 of the best practices and 4 of the worst mistakes employees make when traveling for business

14.03.2024 - 00:43 / insider.com

Business travel continues to rebound from the early stages of the pandemic as employees take more work trips.

A 2023 US Travel Association survey of 2,379 business travelers found that the average number of monthly trips the respondents expected to take was around three — a slight bump compared to two trips a month the previous year.

With professionals traveling more for work, Business Insider talked to three frequent business travelers about their successful habits and a few things they avoid when on the go.

While this might seem obvious, Donzella Burton, the owner of a center for assisted-living healthcare and training, said that if you're going to be taking frequent business trips, it's important to prioritize your health by practicing good hygiene.

"I travel for business once or twice a month, depending on the season," she said. "I wash my hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating or touching my face. If soap and water are not available, I try to make sure I have alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content."

While business travel can disrupt your routines, eating healthier meals and drinking plenty of water can help you feel more energized. Michael Murray, the CEO of the electronics manufacturer Kopin Corp., travels at least twice a month for business and said that eating healthy meals could be tough, especially when his flights arrive late at night.

"By the time I arrive, many hotels have shut down room service at 9 p.m.," he said. "If it's late, I tend to order from a food-delivery app while I'm en route to my hotel and focus on ordering from places with great ratings, natural food, and decent salads."

Carving out time to exercise on the road is also important because exercise has the potential to boost immune responses and keep energy levels high.

"I invested in some lightweight running/workout shoes which are easy to pack and some workout gear that is light and breathable so I can use it often," Murray said. "When I travel, I choose hotels for their gym equipment, access to walking paths, or access to a nearby fitness chain that offers day passes. I've also downloaded several fitness apps if I need to work out in my hotel room."

If you know you'll be flying often, look into signing up for an airline security program to save time before your flight.

"I recommend utilizing TSA PreCheck or Clear," Anneleah Williams-Bridges, a hospital executive and healthcare consultant who travels weekly for her job, said. "These are options to help fast-track your security-check-in process during high travel times and are a valuable time saver that will help you bypass the heavier foot traffic of all the other business travelers."

Both TSA PreCheck