Six Rituals of My Business Trip

Thank God, there is always the bright side of business travels. I still can remember the feeling on going on my first trip to Bandar Lampung in 2000. I took the bus and ferry to get there and it was amazing. I was thrilled by the night stars I saw from the deck. The sea breeze was touching my cheek while I smiled for some high schoolers, cheering and celebrating their youth and freedom. So, in normal case... I do love business trip.

Despite of the load of the job, I found the trips somehow liberating. Unconsciously, I also developed certain pattern and rituals during a business trip that make it a personal pleasure as well.

#1. I usually came to the airport a bit in advance, mostly because I don't enjoy being in hasty situation. This arrangement would allow me to have a sip of Starbucks' frapps (or the likes) and a glance of good memories triggered by the scent of the beverage in no rush (seem that my brain is best stimulated by scents). I practically did nothing else than checked my cell or watched people come-and-go.

Then #2. I entered some bookstores available in the airports and treated myself some easy-and-good English books. It was a kind of bonus, spending freely some cash not part of our family monthly budget on books. The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Happiness Project, and The Helper are my three favorite books among ones I bought at the airports.  

#3. After the hotel's welcome drink I usually skipped, I inspected the room and bathroom then spent around 10 minutes admiring them (I was lucky to stay at some great hotels). In the last 2 month, my new routine was checking the health club or gym before making decision to use the facility later. If the stay is 3 days or less, chances are I'll work out at least once to make my birthday resolution work well. I am in the middle of a tailor-made program that combines walking and running. In 12 weeks, hopefully I am developing healthier life style.

#4. Another ritual is trying at least one signature local culinary, of both old and new taste. I am not adventurous in this subject but surely would happily enjoy the great food. The latest I had this month is "Ayam Goreng President" at Jl. Tidar, Surabaya. So... yummy !!!

While my daily-mode of social interaction is as plain as savanna and limited to less than 10 people regarding intensity or quality of the connection, I believe some of recent business trips I made have provided me good chances to know people better. That's my #5 resolution. I once stuck in a trip with one of my colleagues who appeared to be annoying, too persistent, and hard to be with. It turned out she was friendlier, more fun, and a bit easy going during our two days trip compared to her daily state. So, yes... people might act differently in different situation, settings, or environment. In a recent occasion, I bumped into a senior mid-level executive in my office while we were in SHIA airport lounge. I knew her from our yoga class, and apparently she recognized me as a part of her yoga-way-of-life. The rest of the two-day trip was filled with her story: her passion of healthy (and fun, unstressed) living, her love for soccer, Louis Vuitton's bags (of course), and her desire for traveling. Well being for her means: eat good food, work out + yoga, have good quality bags, and travel a lot. I couldn't agree more. Especially on the bags.

Last but not least, I introduce one new thing as #6: more writing and it’s for fun. Writing is a form to express myself in more natural way. I konw it's not easy for me to talk about what is in my head. As an escape, I could pour a blank paper with thousands of words in a very short time. Although it's only applied to fun writing which means write nothing except about my selfishness: ME, my life, my world (I'm seriously selfish).  

These rituals, of course, by no means could boost the business trip into more productive and economically profitable activity for the company as suggested by some posts or articles about managing time or work-life balance. Working more on travel means more time with family when people return home. Usually it's recommended to make the most of business travel away from home by catching behind-schedule-tasks, sorting the never ending emails, sealing some deals with clients through Skype, or drafting reports/proposal; all have been enabled by the advance of technology.

In contrast, all these things I did on the opposite of the pro-productivity list above, have pumped up my mood and spirit in delivering my trip's mission. Whatever happened, there should be something I would be grateful about. Even if it is only a piece of feeling, just like I had when I was in the ferry 12 years ago, smiling for the restless hearts that I found in me, too.