What’s your “Personal Travel Policy”?

I have a love-hate relationship with business travel. I love the travel; I hate being away from my family. My introduction to business travel came shortly after starting my first job straight out of college. I have been traveling, at various frequencies, ever since. Recently I have established my own “Personal Travel Policy.”  This policy helps me make stronger decisions about my travel and ensures that I am making them in a way that honors both my family and professional commitments.

• Limit business travel to instances where it’s required by a specific purpose – I don’t travel for the sake of traveling. If the job requires travel, I’m the first to go. If I can send someone else, then that’s the most prudent thing to do. If I can take care of business by conference call, then it’s a waste of my time and company dollars if I don’t. Sticking to this policy optimizes my resources and gives Teresa comfort that when I say I need to travel, I really do need to go.
• Limit trips to the minimum duration needed to get the job done – Some people think I’m crazy for spending a day and a half flying to India only to turn around after only 3 days. My goal in travel is not to adjust to the new time zone or spend time in a new city. My goal is to get a job done and get back home as quickly as possible.
• Maximize productivity by using flight and hotel hours diligently – Watching an in-flight movie, for example, is a waste of time. If I’m not sleeping in order to be fresh and rested, I use plane and hotel time to catch up and get ahead. These times provide uninterrupted time that is highly productive. Wasting these moments away is irresponsible. Leveraging them ensures that I am not neglecting my responsibilities while I’m on the road and that I have time to catch up with my family upon my return.
• Build airline and hotel loyalty points – Earning airline miles and hotel points significantly increases my productivity and helps make travel more predictable. When I stay at Courtyard by Marriott I know exactly what their checkout policies are, how to access the free wifi, and what time I can go down for my complimentary breakfast. My elite status with American Airlines ensures that I’m not the first to get bumped from an oversold flight and the upgrades I get make for a more productive and comfortable flight. When you’re on the road a lot, these things add up and save quite a bit of time. Of course, every once in a while I also get to treat my family to a trip with all the points I’ve racked up (though, I must admit that it takes a while with a family of 8!). This helps them feel as though they get a little something out of all my time away.