While on a press tour in May, my client and I found ourselves with about five hours of time on a Monday morning in Washington, D.C. I suggested we find a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi and catch up on work and email, but my client had another idea. He suggested we do a bit of sightseeing around the Capital. We visited the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial and the National Cathedral. It was a wonderful break, taking us well out of our normal business routine and giving us a chance to relax some before a series of intense meetings.
Given this recent experience, I was intrigued by a blog post by Peter Shankman, creator of “Help A Reporter Out” (HARO), about “How to get some fun out of a business trip, no matter how little time you have.” Peter’s busy schedule requires him to spend as many as 300 days on the road for business, and he is able to handle this because he makes certain to have fun on every trip.
Peter says, “People ask me the last time I took an honest-to-goodness vacation, and I can’t remember. I think it was a few years ago? No idea. My last business trip, though? Well, I’m on one right now.”
Whether you have a spare hour or a few extra days, Peter has suggestions for how to make the most of your surroundings and have some fun. His suggestions range from booking spa treatments, to walking tours to take in local sites, to visiting museums or parks. When you have 12 or more hours that you can fill with something fun, he strongly urges doing some planning. A good plan will enable you to do side trips and plan other more elaborate fun activities and ensure you maximize your time.
It is excellent advice to build in some time for fun while on the road for business. Having down time is important. It can help road warriors manage stress and enable them to be more effective when working.
I am now a convert to Peter’s philosophy. If you need ideas for your next trip, I highly encourage you to read his full post and check out the comments. A number of people chimed in with some excellent suggestions for cities around the world. What is your philosophy around combining work and play? What is the most unique experience you had on a business trip?