Conference Travel tips to Stay Stress-Free

 

You've secured your spot at a conference, booked your hotel and made your travel arrangements. Is there anything else left for you to do to reduce your stress level? A flight-tracking app will tell you if your flight's on time and how far you'll need to walk in the airport to catch your connection, but there are still a few other hacks you'll want to put in motion to keep things running smoothly.

 

Make Advance Preparations

Take time to clearly define the goals you have for the conference. If you plan to meet with representatives from other companies, set up those meetings ahead of time, so they don't get sidelined during the conference's busy schedule. Prepare for meetups by researching other companies and making an outline of what you want to communicate. That way, you’ll be confident and purposeful during your time with other attendees. Pack plenty of business cards and prepare a brief verbal synopsis about your business—and yourself—for those impromptu elevator introductions.

Know Your Way Around

Check whether the conference you're attending has a website or mobile app that can help you to pre-book transportation between your hotel and conference events, print transit vouchers, determine transit times and locate restaurants. You can also enter details of the conference into your phone's scheduling app to keep track of topics, locations and start times. Arrive early—the day before, if possible—to familiarize yourself with the conference location, nearby eateries and local transportation options.

Eat It Up

It's easy to ditch healthy eating in favor of comfort or convenience foods when you're attending an out-of-town conference, but eating right goes a long way toward feeling less stressed. Check out online menus from nearby restaurants before arriving at the conference, then make a list of eateries and menu items you'd like to try that adhere to your dietary goals. If lunch isn't provided at the conference, circumvent long time-wasting lines by ordering lunch through an online app—such as The Hunger App or Grub Hub—and have it delivered or ready for pickup.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Sitting all day in a conference room chair can make you feel achy and stressed. Make sure to get up and move around at least once every two hours, or stand in the back of the room for a while. Better yet, take a quick stroll on one of your breaks—move just enough to get your lymph system moving, but not enough to break a sweat. If you do happen to break a sweat and realize you may be a bit aromatic, you can grab a lemon slice from the water station and duck into the privacy of a restroom for a paper-towel and soap cleanup, followed by a wipe down with the bacteria-killing lemon.

Explore more business tips and destinations.