How to Have a Smooth, Stress-Free Business Trip
Do you have an upcoming business trip? Whether you are traveling across the country to showcase your product to a potential supplier or meeting with manufacturers in a different continent, it is paramount to do a bit of pre-planning for your trip. This will help ensure that your travel experience is well-organized, streamlined and, most importantly, enjoyable. The last thing you want to do is take a business trip that causes you nothing but stress and aggravation.
Here are some of my own tried-and-true tips for a smooth and stress-free business trip:
Less Time, More Structure
To make the most of your valuable time, plan a short but highly efficient business trip. To make this work, organize your days strategically, such as by scheduling meetings for each meal (for example, a breakfast or coffee meeting, a lunch meeting and a dinner networking session). This makes business trips extremely productive, and you should still have some time in between to rest, exercise or catch up on other work.
Book Comfortable Accommodations
As a business owner, you are likely always thinking about your enterprise’s bottom line and may therefore be tempted to just book a cheap hotel. After all, you won’t be spending much time there. However, staying in uncomfortable accommodations can make your trip a lot less enjoyable and prevent you from getting the deep, rejuvenating sleep you need to be on top of your game for the next day’s business activities.
Because of this, spend a bit extra to ensure you’ll have a truly restful place to recuperate, whether it’s a hotel or Airbnb. This way it’s also a treat to head back to your accommodations to recharge in between meetings. Obviously, location is essential too, to save time and energy shuffling back and forth.
Book Pleasant Flights
What’s the point in exhausting yourself with various connections and stopovers if you’ll not only lose time but also be less fresh for your business trip? Even though it’s pricier, always go for nonstop flights when possible. Maximizing your own time and energy (and minimizing travel time) is a worthwhile investment.
Organize a Thorough Itinerary
There’s a time and a place for just winging it, and a business trip is not it. You don’t have to make a spreadsheet if that’s not your thing, but at the very least write out your schedule for each day in your phone’s notes app or even on paper. Think about your day in chunks: on certain days, it may make sense to plan down to the minute, while on others you may just schedule fewer, longer meetings.
Walk yourself through each day and think about logistics, too. Will you need a rental car? Make sure to rent one well in advance. If you’re driving from place to place, will traffic be an issue? Check Google Maps at different times of the day, and give yourself some buffer time. If you’re scheduling meetings at restaurants or coffee shops, don’t leave it to chance: make reservations when possible.
Enjoy Yourself
Business trips should also be enjoyable: meeting guides and local experts, checking out hotels and restaurants and exploring cities, etc. Break up meetings with other fun activities to make the most of your trip and keep you relaxed. For example, see friends where possible, splurge on a massage, go kayaking after your trade show, check out a local street fair or do something else to take a break from pure business. You will leave your trip much more fulfilled!
TAKEAWAY
Pre-planning is absolutely essential for a smooth and stress-free business trip. To make the most of your business travels, plan for less time and more structure, book comfortable accommodations and select pleasant flights. Also, put together a thorough itinerary and bring along helpful travel gear. Finally, add in some leisurely activities so that you can enjoy yourself! Following these tips should help you have a relaxing, hassle-free and delightful travel experience.
How to stay motivated as a hospitality worker
When working in hospitality you can have productive days where you’re keen and on a roll, other times you just have bad, ugly days. However, the key thing that gets you to show up on either occasion, is your level of motivation.
As motivation is a limited resource, it’s important to make the most of it, and importantly, understand how you can find your own drive to keep you going at work. This applies to any role you have in hospitality – whether that’s a front of house staff member, or the Chief of Operations.
In the long term, strong motivation can help with your personal growth and success. Here are seven ways to stay motivated when working in the hospitality industry.
1. Focus on the now
With hospitality being so fast-paced, it can be easy to lose track, particularly when there’s often an expectation to multitask. However, if you focus your attention on what’s going on right now, your work won’t feel so overwhelming, and it’s likely you’ll be too motivated to complete tasks.
It helps if you break your day up, focus on priority tasks. For example, handle your dinner customers one at a time, even if there are another three customers who are trying to get your attention. If you’re a manager perhaps delegate tasks to other team members who aren’t as busy.
Unless your future work responsibilities need to be completed now, take things day by day. This will help boost your productivity and to stay motivated to come into work.
2. Work on self-development
As Michael Gold, Head Manager at Essay Geeks, comments,
“It doesn’t matter what job you’re working on right now. What matters is that you keep developing yourself. Build knowledge and skills in different areas of your life.
By doing so, you will create a lifestyle balance that will keep you motivated no matter the circumstances you’re in. Individuals who are enrolled in a consistent self-development process will always do more and better in life and at work.”
For example, if you’re a server, you can always improve your skills by learning how to upsell cleverly or improve your customer service skills to increase your tips. If you’re a hotel manager, you can do your best to develop a great team of employees that’ll heighten the reputation of your hotel.
3. Learn from others
One of the most significant benefits you’ll get when working in hospitality is the opportunity to meet and learn from many people. In fact, you’ll be surrounded by people on a consistent basis, and that can be a great advantage.
For example you can get great mentoring from people on your team. You could learn how your restaurant manager moved up from being a waiter, how your bartender learned how to make speciality cocktails, or what your CEO did to get into their position.
Surround yourself with people who are positive and like-minded, their influence on you can make a difference on your motivation. Learning from others mindsets and behaviors can not only help with your self-development, but will also encourage you to be motivated and strive for success.
4. Develop healthy relationships
Use this opportunity to develop long-lasting relationships and friendships at work, these will serve you well in the future. Some of your workmates might become useful connections later down the track, or just someone you can turn to when you’re having a rough day.
They could even be someone who encourages you to go to work, and be a face to look forward to when you’re there. It’s also possible to meet your love interest, so be grateful for meeting new individuals each day. Instead of thinking how you can be more motivated, focus on learning and building relationships with the people around you.
5. Don’t take things personally
If your customers are rude or they disrespect you, try your best to avoid taking it personally. It’s really not worth it. When someone puts you down because they had a bad day – that includes your boss or colleagues – you should understand that their behavior is not a result of something that you did.
You are not the cause, so you should not take anything personally. If you manage to do that, nobody will be able to distract you from working at your highest levels, and nobody’s going to take your motivation down.
But if you do get caught up, it helps to try and take a step back from the situation and try to get perspective, have a clear head before reacting.
6. Pay attention to your sleep and nutrition
Pay very close attention to your sleeping habits. If you don’t get enough sleep, your motivation levels are proven to decrease.
Small changes such as naps or determining your sleep schedule can help make sure that you get enough snooze time. Additionally, ensure that you’re eating and drinking the right things – it plays a big part in maintaining your overall health and wellbeing.
7. Find interests outside of work
Having interests outside of work helps you with your life balance. It means that you’re not constantly doing work or thinking about it. It could be anything from hitting the gym regularly, or having a side project that you’re passionate about.
Activities that keep you stimulated outside of work will help with your self-development (see point 2) and could even be a good outlet for destressing and re-energizing. Overall, hobbies will contribute to your motivation because you have something to look forward to that’s not related to your work.
7 Reasons Why Small Business Owners Need Serviced Apartments
The serviced apartment industry is continuously booming with more and more business people opting for this choice of long-term and short-term accommodation during corporate duties. Unlike the convention accommodation hotels, serviced apartments give you the home away from home vibe, and this makes the environment convenient and motivating when handling business tasks or when relaxing. The services are also super beneficial for small businesses looking for corporate spaces such as studios at a much affordable cost. They are life-savers for startups that are yet to afford to buy a space investing in furniture and everything else required for running a business.
More and more business owners now realize the benefits that come with corporate spaces, and this has led to a constant rise in demand for the services. Take your time and look for a reliable space that will meet both your needs and budget to enjoy all the benefits that come with the services. If you are considering serviced apartments, but you are not sure if this is the right idea, here are some reasons and benefits why you should go for it.
Enjoy more space and comfort
One of the reasons why business owners prefer corporate spaces over conventional hotels is because the serviced apartments are about 30 percent bigger than the hotels. This means that you will have enough space to carry out your errands, sleep, and even dine while enjoying maximum comfort. With this, it is much easier for you to entertain clients without intruding on your personal living space. If you are looking to enjoy space, comfort, and more functionality, you should consider serviced apartments.
Convenience
Other than comfort and functionality, these spaces have been designed to provide you with total satisfaction as you go about your day. They have everything you need so that you will feel more at home, and doing business gets easier. Serviced apartments are equipped with laundry facilities and office spaces where you can do everything you need without the need to go out. They are more like an all-in-one stop. This eliminates the need for extra services that could cost you more or even harm your business finances.
Maximum flexibility
In this case, you will love the fact that serviced apartments allow you to do whatever you want at your schedule. The apartments are equipped with all sorts of facilities meaning that you can cook whenever you want, sleep when you feel like, and work when the time is right for you. There is also enough space to entertain your guests without feeling like you are disturbing the rest of the tenants.
Suitable location
Corporate apartments are found in great locations for convenience and easy maneuverability. You can select one that meets your needs and preference depending on the kind of environment that you are looking for. For example, you can choose one in the city or busy areas based on your type of business or go to a quiet space if you are looking to enjoy some peace and calmness. All you have to do is determine your preferences, and you will find something that matches precisely that. Serviced apartments come in handy when you are on a business trip and looking for an ideal space to relax and work, and you can also rent one purely for work until you feel you are in a position to rent or buy an office. Whichever the reason, select one that is located at an ideal place to make running your business easier.
Provide privacy
Serviced apartments provide you with maximum privacy compared to traditional accommodation. The goal is to make you feel at home and as comfortable as possible. They also offer discrete cleaning services meaning that you will always have the space clean, but you still get to retain your privacy and enjoy minimum interruptions. This is a plus since you can entirely focus on working or even hold a meeting without having to deal with disturbances from service providers.
Value for money
One of the reasons why business owners chose serviced apartments is to help them save money. They are a great deal if you are looking for a conducive working environment and also a place to relax and plan for your business. They are also a solution for small business owners that feel like they cannot rent or buy an office. They can rent a studio at a much lower price and have as much work done as possible. The best part about serviced apartments is that you get to pay a flat fee for all the services you will enjoy while there. This includes parking space, entertainment, and internet services. This is unlike conventional hotels that charge hidden costs for any extra service that you use while there. The fact that the apartments are equipped with essential facilities is a plus as you do not have to spend more than you can afford. You can cook and do laundry in your room, which will significantly help you save.
Additional services and facilities
It should not be all about work without play. You need to work out and have fun to increase your productivity. That is what serviced apartments are all about. If gyms, restaurants, bars, or pools are a part of your needs, then serviced apartments are an excellent choice for you. You can always go out and have fun while still within the facility and then get back to work after re-energizing.
From these benefits, it is evident that serviced apartments are the best choice for business owners to look for suitable working spaces and also have some fun. They are convenient and cost-friendly, not to forget that they offer maximum flexibility. Take your time and look for one that meets your needs and preference and get to enjoy these and more.
6 Fun Ways to Entertain Your Houseguests
Are you expecting houseguests soon? If you’re like most people, you love having people over to your house. But sometimes it can be tough to come up with ideas to keep them entertained. Whether you’re looking for something low-key or something a little more adventurous, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of six fun ways to amuse your guests.
Play Poker
Playing poker is a great way to beat the heat or chill. Not only will it occupy your guests’ time, but it’s also a great way to socialize. You can start by investing in a poker table and some chips. For instance, a circular poker table will allow everyone to sit around and face each other while playing. If you don’t have a lot of space, you can also buy a folding poker table that can be easily stored away when not in use.
Besides a poker table, you will need other supplies such as cards, chips, and maybe even a poker clock if you want to keep things organized. Of course, you can always play without these things, but they will definitely add to the experience. Ensure that you have enough chairs for everyone to sit comfortably too.
Listen to Music
This is a no-brainer but often overlooked. When you have people over, put on some tunes in the background to set the mood. It doesn’t have to be anything too heavy – just something that will create a nice ambiance. If you’re unsure what to play, try making a playlist of your guests’ favorite songs. This way, everyone can enjoy the music and sing along if they like it.
Hiring a live band or DJ could also take things up a notch. This is perfect for larger gatherings or if you want to throw a party. Just make sure that you have the space to accommodate them. Also, ensure that the playlist is appropriate for your guests. You don’t want to play songs that are too loud or offensive.
Watch a Movie
Watching a movie is always a fun option if you have a big screen TV or projector. You can either pop a DVD of everyone’s favorite film or stream something on Netflix. If you go with the latter, ensure you have a good internet connection. No one wants to watch a movie that keeps buffering every few minutes.
You can also make it a themed movie night. For instance, you could choose a particular genre or director and watch all their films. This is a great way to bond with your guests and learn more about their taste in movies. Ensure that you add some snacks and drinks to make it a complete experience.
Organize a Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a great way to get everyone moving and exploring. You can either do this indoors or outdoors, depending on your preference. If you want to keep things simple, hide some objects around the house and give your guests a list of things to find. You can make it more challenging by setting a time limit or adding clues.
If you’re feeling creative, you can organize a themed scavenger hunt. For example, you could hide objects that are related to a particular topic or subject. This is a great way to get everyone thinking and having fun at the same time. Ensure that everyone is in the mood for the game before starting. No one should feel left out or pressured to participate.
Have a BBQ
If you have the space, fire up the grill and cook some burgers or hot dogs.
Of course, a BBQ isn’t complete without some cold drinks. Make sure you have plenty of water and soda for everyone to stay hydrated. You can also set up a bar if you want to serve alcoholic beverages. Just be sure not to overdo it, as you don’t want your guests to get too drunk. If possible, have some music in the background to create a party atmosphere.
Organize a Tournament
Whether it’s board games or video games, everyone loves a good tournament. This is a great way to get everyone interacting and competing with each other. Depending on your preference, you can either have individual tournaments or team tournaments. Just make sure you have enough prizes for the winners.
If you’re unsure what games to play, try to choose something that everyone is familiar with. This way, no one feels left out or at a disadvantage. Adding some twists to the rules can also make it more interesting. For instance, you could reverse the order of play or add a time limit.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. With a little imagination, you can come up with many more ways to entertain your houseguests. Just make sure that everyone is having fun and enjoying themselves. After all, that’s what hosting is all about.
