A lot of us may find ourselves feeling restless, always left with this insatiable urge to travel. Travel has countless meanings for each person. It could mean travelling for a break from everyday life for one, or travelling to experience something new for the other.
But travel, in general, does not include any kind of work. It’s a planned journey that has set itineraries and destinations. For instance, a cruise or escorted tour, where the traveller is simply along for the ride. On the other hand, it can be those unplanned journeys without a plan and a roadmap.
Travelling is a great way to map your road to self-realization and self-discovery. Believe it or not, travel changes you and how you view the world. All the new places and people give you a refreshed and rejuvenated version of yourself.
While travelling, you loosen up, explore, discover and most importantly, learn many new things. You get to immerse yourself in the new culture, try out new foods and even come across unexpected situations.
The ever piling up work and responsibilities have made it harder to fulfil our bucket list for travel. We’ve always had a tough time maintaining the perfect work-life balance which includes having fun and being productive at work at the same time.
That’s exactly why we label our trips as ‘getaways.’ Most of the times, we travel to get away from things – a bad job, a stereotype or just a nagging sense of adventure.
You would be surprised to know how much stress can be relieved by just exploring an unfamiliar city for a short while. Today, we’ve somehow managed to merge business and pleasure to satisfy the idea of a healthy work-life balance.
Ever heard of ‘Business Travel’? Business Travel has created quite the buzz in our lives recently but not many people know what it actually means. Is it just another word for going on a work trip with your laptop? Is it similar to a Staycation? Not really.
The meaning of Business Travel is not as complicated as it seems. It is not much different from travel either. It is more like a modified version of travel where your work time and leisure time join forces and you’re away from the office.
Business Travel is less of a term and more of an idea where you’re on a vacation away from your regular work location but not from the actual work.
Business Travel has many types. It could be a trip extension, abroad travel, a stay with family and friends, or visiting anyone who lives far away.
When you think about it, the two terms – work and travel, contradict each other, because it’s said that those who work do not take a holiday, and those who take a holiday do not work.
However, that’s not true. People on a trip do read and respond to emails on a vacation, attend video conferences in hotel rooms, make business decisions while having breakfast or on a walk to the beach.
Many firms have implemented this idea mainly because it boosts employee well-being and productivity to a new high.
As work culture keeps changing and growing, new ideas take flight. Business Travel has gained popularity largely due to the culture and improved tech. Eventually, making remote work a huge success.
What are the benefits of Business Travel?
Think of how you’ve been working right now in the middle of the pandemic. Now think that you’re up in the mountains or on a beach, you’ve got comfortable clothes on, a cup of hot chocolate or a refreshing, cold iced tea. What do you choose?
Going on a Business Travel trip gives you a change of scenery, without using your precious vacation days. You still get to enjoy a fun new place and spend time and reconnect with your loved ones during weekends.
The best part is that you don’t have to necessarily deal with the stress of preparing for, missing, and recovering from a week off of work. They are designed to be temporary trips, not to be mistaken for a lifestyle.
With people working from home during this pandemic, this concept has become a desperate need for escape and an opportunity to take work on a holiday.
Business Travel is good for companies that offer unlimited holidays. It’s better to send someone for business travel than have them disappear for weeks. That’s a good thing for companies.
The trip is much longer than a regular holiday and you get to see the world while earning money. It is likely to give you a new routine and refresh your creativity too. It’s a great bargain.
Are there any downsides?
Surely there are downsides? Most of the times, there are downsides to everything.
Many people think that Business Travel can be a loss of one’s personal lives. A fair amount of people would find the idea of Business Travel absurd, calling it a waste of an exotic location by working all day.
Travelling while working can refresh you but it can also be a burden to your cognitive capacity of adapting to new surroundings. Sometimes, coming back and working at a regular spot can be good for productivity too.
It can be difficult to enjoy the sun on a beach in Goa and respond to constant pings on your phone. Business Travel can be a lovely dream for multi-taskers but not so much for the people who like to do one thing at a time.
To conclude, there is a thin line between work and leisure and Business Travel can make both possible. It can work in some situations and sometimes it can completely backfire. You have the choice for whatever works best for you.
You can either draw a line between travel and work or you can just fuse them together. Either way, you get to fulfil your travel needs which is what’s most important.
Business Travel seems tempting now more than ever due to the pandemic. It is bound to be the next big travel trend.