Travelling for business can be stressful and draining, as we struggle to deal with hours spent travelling, time zone changes and any number of delays and inconveniences.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with aromatherapy specialists Scentered. They’ve written this guide for all the women who are bossing it on the go.
Scentered co-founder Lara Morgan knows all about the drain of business travel; during her last year as CEO of Pacific Direct she spent over two hundred nights away from home, and on more than one occasion had to open the hotel curtains to figure out which country she had woken up in. Waking up in different time zones, attending meetings, struggling with jet lag and exhaustion and trying to also maintain a normal home life can take its toll.
Scentered is a brand born from the need to remain “Scentered” amid the chaos and fatigue, and to claw back just that little bit of time and space for oneself. Here are our tips for staying Scentered when travelling for business:
- Stay hydrated. When we’re out of our normal routine – or if we don’t have a regular routine – drinking water can be the first thing that slips. Air travel in particular can really dehydrate us; a typical cabin has around 10-20% humidity, compared with a typical level of 30-65% at home. Being dehydrated can leave us feeling even more tired and drained. Try to keep a bottle of water with you at all times, and aim to keep up that magical two litres per day even while on the road.
- Travelling for business can be exhausting, and heading to the hotel gym is often the last thing on our minds after we finally check in. But staying active can be key to staying on top of things. If you can’t bear the hotel gym, do some bodyweight exercises in your hotel room or even just head out for a quick walk before breakfast.
- Bring an Ultimate Survival Kit to help you unwind. This 100% natural aromatherapy balm kit was created by Lara to help her stay calm on a really hectic schedule. We recommend using Sleep Well while on a flight – not just to sleep, but also help you to remain calm. Sleeping in hotel beds can be strange and uncomfortable, with unfamiliar surroundings and noises. Often we’re so wired from the journey that it can be hard to unwind and relax, especially if there is a time difference to take into account. Again, Sleep Well balm can work wonders here. Our Love balm is great for those moments when you’re missing home and want to feel comforted. For that all-important meeting, some Focus balm on your pulse points can really help you stay concentrated despite the effects of jet lag. And the Escape balm is perfect for winding down after a long day in a strange place.
- Keep a regular schedule. If you’ve arrived late or your first meeting is not until the afternoon it can be tempting to sleep in, but this won’t work well for you in the long term. Our bodies function best when we stick to the same routine daily, so set your alarm any way, and you’ll find you adjust more quickly to the time zone you’ve just arrived in.
- Avoid alcohol. You might feel like a party pooper if everyone else is heading to a bar after a meeting, but alcohol can really intensify that groggy feeling you get from hopping time zones or from extended time spent travelling. You might feel like having a drink will take the edge off your stress level, but in the long run it will make you feel worse. And nobody wants to get up the next day for a meeting – or worse, to travel home – with a hangover.
- Avoid watching the in-flight movie. It’s tempting to just zone out in front of a screen while on a flight, especially if it’s a long one. But all that time looking at a screen can leave you wired and unable to relax when you arrive at your hotel. Read a book or listen to music instead.
- Bring your own food for the flight. You’re never going to get a gourmet, healthy meal on a plane, and once you’re up in the air the choice is either the microwave meal they put in front of you, or nuts. Come prepared with a salad wherever you can; you’ll feel the benefit, especially if you travel regularly.
- Schedule in time for you. If you’ve a meeting on a Monday, fly in on the Friday so that you have time over the weekend to acclimatise, and to relax. You can use this time as a relaxing break so that you’ve had time to yourself before you have to attend a meeting and then fly out again.
If you travel a lot for business, there will always be times when you feel run down and fed up. Lara’s experience has taught her that the answer to frazzle-free business travel is prevention rather than cure: small things that can work together to help you perform your best and return home ready for the next challenge.
Further Reading
It’s not all business, and after a long week we all deserve a little R&R. So if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in London, and you have your beloved pooch with you, we have something extra special for you to do this weekend… how about a spot of (doggy) afternoon tea?
The Egerton House Hotel is already a certified female-friendly hotel (and a Maiden Voyage favourite!) so it seemed only fitting that we send our London ambassador, Yvonne Reay-Scott, and her pug Poppy to try the mouthwatering pet-friendly menu.
As the London Ambassador for Maiden Voyage, I am often asked to recommend venues to our members. When the Red Carnation Hotels Group invited me to bring my pug, Poppy to try a dog-friendly Afternoon Tea at their Egerton House Hotel in Knightsbridge, I jumped at the chance. It was the perfect little treat to share with my canine companion and the location couldn’t be better: on the doorstep of Harrods, the perfect shopping pit-stop. The power of a good cup of tea and cake is timeless, and being able to enjoy it with my dog, who is very much a member of our family, is marvellous.
Exterior
The hotel has an intimate, quaint, quintessentially English feel and we were made to feel so very welcome on arrival. Poppy was delighted with the VIP welcome she received on arrival in reception and the warm greeting from the waiting staff in the drawing room where afternoon tea was being served.
I took a traditional English Afternoon Tea and was offered a wide selection of teas and herbal infusions. The afternoon tea finger sandwiches, scones and cakes were presented elegantly on tripod stands and a similar tripod for the doggy tea offering.
Poppy enjoyed a feast of homemade chicken and beef meatloaf, biscuits and delicious banana and carrot ice-cream which I was delighted to note was gluten free (in common with many other dogs, Poppy is gluten intolerant). The waiter looking after us even dabbed her “ice-cream moustache” off with a napkin – how’s that for 5-star service! Offerings on both stands were wonderfully fresh and delicious and so very beautifully presented – almost too pretty to eat!
So if you are in the area or fancy a little trip out with your four-legged friend – do go along and try this out for yourselves. I have given it a 5 star rating: excellent value and service, and delightful food in a divinely elegant setting.
I guarantee you will have a beau-TEA-ful experience!
Would you and your dog love a trip out for afternoon tea? To find out more about Doggy Afternoon Tea, as well as other pet-friendly services Egerton House Hotel offers, click here.
Don’t have a pooch to pamper? That’s not a problem! Check out the range of afternoon teas on offer. We guarantee there will be one for you! Click here to choose your ideal afternoon tea.
Check out our review of a night at the Egerton House Hotel: read it here.
Further Reading
A business trip can be tricky enough – but what about in another country and another culture? For the latest installment in our Doing Business In… series, Gabriela Castro-Fontoura – Maiden Voyage ambassador for Montevideo, Uruguay – shares her wisdom for business travel to Latin America.
Latin America is a vast region that covers countries in South America (such as Uruguay, where I live, but also Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile, to name a few), Central America (think of El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica, for example) and North America (Mexico). There are 600 million people and 20 countries in the region, so how do you cover business travel across Latin America?
Bad news first: it isn’t cheap. Unless you’re in the US, travelling from any other part of the world to Latin America will be expensive. And travelling within Latin America is not cheap either.
Also, bear in mind the distances. Flying from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Mexico City can take 12 hours. I’ve been on a very long 9-hour flight from Panama to Montevideo that left me exhausted.
Talking about exhaustion: keep hydrated. Particularly if you’re not used to altitude. Cities like Bogota and La Paz can be a challenge. Check the weather, too, as it can be very hot in some places while there’s snow in others!
If you’re debating what to wear, keep it simple and discrete. The usual Western (European) business attire is your safest bet: blouse/shirt and trousers/not-too-short skirt with flats or heels.
In most countries people will greet with one kiss on the right cheek (two kisses in most of Brazil, starting on the right), though shaking hands might also be accepted. We’re fairly tactile people so expect the odd pat on the back or even a hug if you know your contacts well enough.
Remember that there are 20 counties in the region and while some have the highest murder rates in the world, some are extremely safe. So check your destination carefully. There are no issues regarding women travelling on their own, but usual common sense applies. What I also recommend is that you check your vaccinations well in advance; I’ve been asked for my yellow fever certificate a few times (in the north of South America and Central America).
Travelling on business within Latin America will almost unavoidably mean flying. There are hardly any trains and I wouldn’t personally choose coaches while on business. There are lots of regional airlines that you can trust, such as LATAM Airlines, Avianca, Gol, Copa, Aerolineas Argentinas, and there are also airlines such as Amaszonas, BQB and Azul for certain routes that can prove handy. Expect regional flights to be quite expensive (I was recently quoted USD 500 for a Montevideo to Rio de Janeiro return flight…) and infrequent, but they might surprise you with their service. Always get official airport taxis, too.
20 countries means (almost) 20 different currencies, so be prepared. We’re getting there with using credit and debit cards, but they’re not always accepted, particularly at corner shops (when you’re painfully thirsty at 3000m above sea level, been there!) and taxis. Most countries don’t take foreign currency (Ecuador and Panama use the US dollar).
You’ll find the usual international hotel chains in Latin America, which I find are good for the first time you visit a city. Check with a local contact whether a certain location is convenient or not. In huge cities such as Sao Paulo, Mexico City or Bogota, landing on the wrong side of the city might result in a 2-3 hour commute!
With respect to language, Brazilians speak Portuguese and the rest of us speak Spanish. Some business people will speak pretty good English but don’t expect everyone to be fluent, so come prepared with translated marketing materials. Videos that you can show on your tablet are also pretty good to overcome the language barrier.
Latin America is historically a Christian region, particularly Catholic. There are more liberal and more conservative countries but most won’t be terribly used to dealing with people from other religions, particularly Muslims, so if you have any specific religious needs you need to be very upfront and clear about them.
You’ll also find that, particularly as a woman, you’ll get asked a lot of personal questions right away: age, marital status, kids, you name it. This is bizarre for someone not used to it (took me 4 years to get used to it after returning from 13 years in the UK) and you can disclose as much as you want, and when you’ve had enough, just smile and say something like “wow, that’s a lot of questions!”. I find that usually works. Latin Americans in general have a very good sense of humour. Regional passions include football, food, family and music, which are all great ice-breakers.
Travelling to and across Latin America on business can be truly memorable and I hope you have a wonderful experience. If in doubt, just ask! We’re very sociable people and you’ll always find that your local contacts will want you to be safe and will be very hospitable – we feel very proud of our region and we want you to have the best possible experience!
Gabriela is the Maiden Voyage ambassador for Montevideo, Uruguay – read her city guide here.
Gabriela is the Director of Sunny Sky Solutions, a Uruguay-based (but Yorkshire-born!) international trade consultancy specialising in supporting British businesses across Latin America, with services such as market research, distributor recruitment, market visits, training and more.