It's something few people ever really stop to think about, but working away from home can be a real emotional rollercoaster. Sure, it's great to get away from behind the desk or spend a few days off site, but thrown out of your usual surroundings, your routine tipped on its head and the prospect of not seeing your loved ones for days, or even weeks…it's not always easy. Here are five emotions you're likely to feel when working away from home and some advice on how to keep them in check:
EXCITEMENT – If you're usually stuck in the office or on the same site for most of the year, working away from home can make for an exciting change of scenery and pace. Packing your bags for a few nights on the road – or even longer – can feel like a holiday. Remember the vast majority of jobs don't involve working away for business, so no matter what the reason for your trip…it is pretty exceptional you're getting to travel. That's cool and you shouldn't forget to stop for a moment and enjoy the pleasure of it.
See how you can have more fun on the road right here. INDEPENDENCE – As well as the feeling of excitement, you'll also experience a strong sense of independence. Free from the confines of HQ, the fact that you're out on the road shows your company trusts you to represent them out in the big wide world. Chances are there's no boss looking over you, your family is back at home and the decisions you're making are all off your own back. It's a good feeling...breathe it in. But remember to act professionally at all times – a good testimonial from a client you've travelled to do work for can do wonders when it comes to future salary negotiations.
DISORIENTATION – On the road, it's easy to lose sight of the time. You often end up waking earlier and working later. Plus, as you're sleeping in a different bed and changing up your morning and evening routine, you can soon become more than a little disorientated. This is made even worse if you're travelling abroad and different time zones come into play. The trick is to get into a new routine (as close to your usual one) as soon as possible. Though it's tempting to let things flow like you would on holiday, it's going to make work a whole lot harder.
FOMO – What on earth is FOMO? Well, it's the 'fear of missing out' and it's a feeling that can easily creep up on you while you're on the road. It's that anxiety you get when you think something better might be going down somewhere else and you're not a part of it. If you're on a two-week site visit on the other side of the country for a meeting while everyone else is still at HQ preparing for Jim's leaving drinks, you can soon start feeling you're out of the loop. It isn't nice. Be sure to communicate regularly with your colleagues and keep up to date with what's going on back in the office.
LONELINESS – Worse than the fear of missing out is the plain old feeling of being a bit lonely. It's nothing to be ashamed of and it's something everyone who's ever worked away from home has experienced. For longer trips, it's worth seeing if you can arrange some time for your partner or family to join you on the road. A weekend of leisure between two busy weeks away working can make a real difference. Otherwise, you should make sure you keep in regular contact, using FaceTime where possible. Plus, if you're travelling with colleagues, use them too. Don't spend too much time isolated in your room – go for a drink, a meal or arrange to visit a local attraction together. Staying social all helps to keep the loneliness at bay. Providing you stay active, stick to a routine and keep in touch with your loved ones and your co-workers, there's no reason you shouldn't have a great trip every time you travel for work. And to make everything that little bit easier and help keep your emotions in check, there's nothing like having one of our travel assistants on hand to help in any way they can. Call us on 0330 090 41 42 or email us at info@rapidtravelgroup.com to find out how we can make sure you don't have any problems and do have a great time on your next business trip.
