Travel Like a Local

For many of us, our business travel schedule is rushed and compact. We leave little time between flights, meetings and other commitments – and spend our downtime in a hotel room catching up on emails that have been piling up while we were in transit.

In many cases, we are so focussed on optimizing our agenda and minimizing our time away from family that we forget to enjoy the destinations themselves. While the purpose of the trip may be for work, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy ourselves.

Accept the fact that you are away from home life for a few days and try to find ways to explore the destination and see life from another perspective. Rather than going to biggest tourist attractions, hop a subway to a neighbourhood away from the business district and go for a walk. Forget five-star dinning and look for a local diner or café to grab a bite while you watch life.

This simple change of perspective will allow you to destress from your day, but will also help you understand the local people and culture better – all of which will help you perform better at work.