How to deal with loneliness when travelling on business

How to deal with loneliness when travelling on business

You can consult with anyone who travels and stays away from home for their job, and they will tell you that it isn’t as exciting and adventurous as it may seem. Stay in hotels is a nice novelty, but like all novelties, they wear off after a certain amount of time and it’s only made worse by the fact that you have to spend your time alone.

It can get lonely if you’re constantly having to leave home and loved ones, or even just friends, particularly if you are missing plans or an occasion.

In 2015, researchers found that there are a host of deficits to your life when you frequently travel for work. These include:

·   Physiological

·   Psychological

·   Emotional

·   Social

In order to assist business travellers, who feel lonely during their time out on the road away from home, we’ve compiled some of the best and most-effective ways to overcome, or at the very least, ease the feelings of loneliness.

Avoid doing work in your room

It can be an enticing idea to remain comfortably tucked away in your room, but getting out is a much better choice if the option is available to you. Lots of hotels now offer a space for you to sit and do some work, or even the lobby area will do; you can grab a snack and a drink while you’re there.

Alternatively, pop out and find a nice coffee shop or something similar that takes your fancy and allows you to work away from the seclusion of the room you’re staying in. Just like at home, the bedroom should be associated with sleep and rest only, the sleepadvisor.org writer, Sarah Cummings recommends, so working there won’t help with this.

Think about what you eat

Don’t let your work trips descend into a mad flurry of eating all you possibly can with no regard, just because it’s on the company card! Overindulging is easy to turn to, but it’s more important to be in better shape health-wise than to enjoy naughty treats.

You might wonder what this has to do with preventing the feeling of loneliness while you’re away, and the answer is that it isn’t directly associated, but research has found that junk food can cause people to have loss of memory, diabetes and ‘sugar crashes’.

It’s these health issues that bring on heightened levels of stress, which can lead to increased feelings of anxiousness when you are by yourself. This isn’t healthy, and so, it’s advisable to avoid the burgers and opt for a sensible meal choice instead.

Don’t forget to factor in some ‘you time’

It doesn’t have to be all work, work, work, and it shouldn’t be either. When you travel by myself, consider scheduling in some simple, relaxing activities such as going for a walk in the morning to get your mind and body ready for the day, or perhaps you can see a visit a landmark or use the leisure facilities at the place you are staying.

Essentially, the choice is yours, do whatever helps you to unwind and forget about work for a while. The relaxation will help you stay motivated and focused when it is time to do your work.

Flying? Utilise flight time

Catching a flight or boarding a train, can offer you the perfect opportunity to clear your mind and focus on what’s important.

We’re all pretty good at putting things off if they aren’t of immediate importance, but this to-do list isn’t going anywhere, so use this time where you aren’t going to be disturbed or distracted to get a few things ticked off of the list.

Use tech to stay in touch

People tend to miss their loved ones while they are away, but one of the beauties of technology is that you can stay close to those who mean the most to you and prevent loneliness from setting in.

You can be anywhere on the planet and still FaceTime, WhatsApp video call, Skype, etc., and that way you get to have some downtime and stay in touch with whoever you want.

Of course, you can also take advantage of apps that allow you to remain in contact with your colleagues, should you need to. Using apps like Slack means this tool gives you the ability to interact with everyone all in one place.

Either way, being able to interact with other people you know, from the workplace or home can avert you from feeling lonely.

Know that loneliness is just a feeling not a fact

It’s perfectly fine for you to feel homesick from time to time and even feel alone; it’s natural for most of us.

These feelings typically arise from stressful situations, and this is normal too, but it’s about taking a moment to realise that loneliness is simply a feeling, it will pass and you’re not alone. You can choose to respond to these types of feelings by having the capacity to embrace this rare downtime to catch up on sleep and you’ll be fresh and ready for what life throws at you in no time!