The effect of business travel on stress:
Traveling is a very stressful thing to do. Airports, delays, transportation, packing, money, different languages, food, and culture can all be overwhelming for travelers, especially for those who are not used to doing it so often. Many things are out of our control when traveling, which can also add to the stressful experience. Even with all those things which can make our traveling difficult at times, it is still definitely worth it. But for those people who are traveling for business, sometimes the number of stressors can increase as well. As hundreds of millions of people travel for business each year, it is very important to recognize some of the unhealthy consequences it brings so that travelers can recognize this and make an effort to improve their business travel experiences.
On-Call international created a survey in which they asked 1,000 frequent business travelers about their experiences and found that more than one-third of those surveyed believed that their constant traveling was creating the most stress in their lives. Being away from home for so long means spending time away from their families, not being able to exercise as much as they should, unhealthy eating, time zone differences which keep them awake at night, among many other things which together create stress on the traveler and negatively impacts their lives.
More than sixteen percent of those surveyed also admitted to engaging in unhealthy habits like daily alcohol consumption and smoking. Many of these habits are a result of an increased amount of stress which only worsens underlying health conditions and faster deteriorates the health of those who are traveling.
A very important tip to mitigate the amount of stress when traveling is understanding how to use your technology to your advantage. Sometimes technology can be one of the very reasons that create stress, although it can also be one of your best friends, especially when going abroad. It is very important to plan ahead and prepare for some of the inconveniences that will come your way. For example, finding Wi-Fi can be a big hassle when going out of the country, which is why an application like WiFox, which finds and stores airport Wi-Fi passwords around the world, could save you some valuable time, effort and money.
A study conducted by a corporate traveling agency called Carlson Wagonlit Travel found that the largest triggers of stress for business travelers were due to unexpected ‘surprises’. This includes flight delays, lost luggage, and breaks in routine like exercise and diet. The only way to reduce the amount of stress created by these surprises is to be mentally prepared beforehand and to have a plan. Planning and taking advantage of airport programs such as global entry and TSA Precheck before an important trip will greatly reduce the amount of inconveniences.
Also, using a travel assistant such as our partner GoZenner, will come to your advantage during your trip. By being able to get quick notifications about flight delays, weather, hotel or car rental discounts can be very useful to reduce the amount of stress when on a trip. By being able to become familiar with those certain aspects of traveling which you know to give you the biggest headaches and preparing for them, you will be able to have better experiences when traveling abroad, which will not only make you feel better, but it will also result in better corporate performance and achievement.