Monday, July 25, 2011
Make Your Next Business Trip an Opportunity for a Family Vacation
It used to be that mixing business with pleasure was taboo. The family stayed home and you flew off to your business trip. Maybe you stayed in a lonely hotel, did what you had to do for work and watched the late movies in the hotel room.
Thankfully it’s become more acceptable, even encouraged to take the family on some trips. If you feel like you’re neglecting your family that kind of stress isn’t good for you and it’s not good for your business. Studies show that business travelers make many more medical claims than others in the office.
While not all business trips are conducive to taking the family, you can turn many of them into a nice family vacation with just a little imagination and planning. With that in mind, here are some suggestions on how you can combine your next business trip with a family vacation:
- Business conventions are often held in great places and are planned with family activities in mind. Do some research on that area and find out what your family wants to see and do.
- Some people choose to drive rather than fly to the business destination. If you plan well, you and your family can visit many attractions along the way. In time, your family will get to explore much of the United States.
- Extend your stay past the business part of the trip and take a few days with the family. Just remember the flight for your family and the personal expenses are coming out of your pocket. (Be careful not to include personal expenses or you’re leaving yourself open to an unwanted audit.)
- Why not meet your spouse half way for a romantic get-away? Many airlines have hubs in great destinations. Sure you’ll have the expense of that extra flight for your spouse, but if you search for a great deal you’ll end up with a fairly inexpensive vacation. Then you can fly home together after a refreshing couple of days.
- Ask your boss if it’s okay to make a detour and fly home by way of your relatives’ home. It may tack on some extra expense to the flight that you should cover, but the bulk of the travel expense would be already covered by the “business trip.”
You can combine a business trip with a family vaction but it does require a balanced attitude. Just make sure that during the business part of the trip, you take care of business and don’t ignore it. And when you’re out doing activities with your family, try to keep your focus and attention on them, not on your work.
Nothing dampens the enjoyment of a trip more than returning home to a mess. We at Simplify can give you peace of mind – knowing that your home is well taken care of while you’re gone. That way, when you arrive home to a sparkling clean house and a well-manicured lawn, you’ll keep those happy, relaxed feelings intact a little longer.
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