It’s not just you: Business travel is extra exhausting now

Pre-COVID-19, business consultant Gordon Simmons would travel to the airport each week, to California, Washington, Florida, or even Canada. But when the former president of Service Credit Union returned to the airport in July 2021, he found that 18 months of Zoom calls had left him temporarily depleted of the skills needed for business travel. Each step of the journey now felt like a hurdle. “I found myself feeling anxious about navigating airports, managing jet lag and re-establishing those in-person connections,” says Simmons.



Simmons isn’t alone. According to management consulting company Global Data, international business travel dropped by 75% during 2020. This is how it remained for many professionals until recently. Corporate travel has picked up again in recent months. According to Deloitte’s 2023 Corporate Travel report, business travel grew two-fold between from the beginning of 2022 to the end of 2022. People are now returning to life on the road as they are to the office. Yet, while everyone knew that travel would be different post COVID-19, many are saying the return to business travel has left them feeling disorientated and washed out.



Work psychologist Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier says that traveling post-pandemic isn’t just different; it’s more demanding on your brain. “When there is too much information to process, you may feel cognitive overload,” says Pelletier. Dealing with additional travel uncertainty, navigating COVID-19 protocols, brushing off rusty social skills, and wondering whether you could have done this in-person meeting remotely all take up additional space in your brain, says Pelletier.



While Simmons knew what to expect when it came to wearing masks, filling out forms, and getting vaccinations, he says he had concerns about fellow travelers not respecting social distancing.



He found that one way to take an element of stress out of traveling was to re-establish connections before he hit the airport. “I’ve found it helpful to reach out to my network and rekindle relationships by Zoom before traveling. This not only strengthens business connections, but also makes me feel more comfortable and confident in face-to-face interactions.”



While some business could happen in the virtual world, Simmons says he believes making in-person connections is necessary. “As someone who has spent their entire working life building and nurturing relationships, I still think nothing beats a coffee and a chat with like-minded individuals. It’s much harder to build that virtually.”



Creating a balance



Kenneth Anderson, CEO of aviation component manufacturer Universal Synaptics, spent half the month on the road and returning to his pre-pandemic travel schedule of flying to military bases and commercial aviation companies across the U.S. was a bit of a challenge. “Things that used to be second nature became a bit of a burden, [from] forgetting to pack an extra necktie and wrestling with how many suits to take. It certainly required a shift in mindset.”



Anderson says that the biggest takeaway with recent business travel is that his company is being more strategic about when in-person meetings are necessary. “As an organization we have become very judicious about business travel. If we can execute at a high level virtually, we do it, or if it requires travel for in-person meetings, we do it,” says Anderson. Cost, convenience, and schedules were all big factors in the decision-making.



“Face-to-face meetings are a better option if the travel costs are reasonable, it’s convenient and several meetings can be accomplished in a single trip without negatively impacting other work commitments,” says Anderson. “I doubt very much that I or anyone in our organization will ever get back to flying hundreds of thousands of miles a year for business meetings.”



Dealing with uncertainty



Steve Griffin, CEO of software company Madison Avenue Technology, says that one of the biggest challenges he faced when returning to business travel was relinquishing some of the control he had over his schedule. “With Zoom, I could easily plan my day around meetings, but when traveling, I have to be more flexible and prepared for any changes that may come up. To deal with this, I make sure to bring the necessary items with me, such as a laptop and phone to be able to change directions quickly if need be.”



After years of disruptions, the airline industry is still finding its feet. News agency ACP News reported that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told analysts and media at a conference: “The system can’t handle the volume today, much less the anticipated growth. The customers are paying the price.”



Stay focused



Pelletier says that the key to business travel these days means reducing the levels of stimulation. One way to do this is to start by making your schedule more focused. You should highlight your priorities, and only add discretionary items to your itinerary once you’ve completed the focus of the trip.



You also need to think about maintaining your energy levels when you’re on the road, says Pelletier. This could be downloading the Timeshifter app that helps you avoid jet lag by resetting your circadian rhythms by timing when you receive light exposure; passing on the champagne on board the plane; or skipping an unnecessary breakfast meeting to squeeze in a trip to the gym.



Kathy Bennett, CEO of packaging company Bennett Packaging, says she found security in creating some sense of structure. “I would write a detailed itinerary, collate all of my documents in one place, and book things as early as I [can],” says Bennett. “Regaining some control over my travel after it had been halted for me for so long was integral to feeling safe and empowered.”



Marc Hardgrove, CEO of SEO company The Hoth, took a tip from the wellness world to give some structure to this new way of working. He chose to create a journal and record details of his work trips, including any anxiety he felt. “This worked really well for tracking my mood over time and serving as a reminder to myself of my accomplishments,” he says. “I can look back on my experiences and use them to inform my decisions moving forward.”



Reducing the overload



Some of the pre-flight panic can be removed by applying for TSA Precheck or Global Entry. For $78 to $100 you don’t have to worry about taking off your shoes, or your jacket, or pulling your laptop out of your bag for the next five years. But time management strategist Kelly Nolan says there are other tricks you can try, too.



Nolan says that one way you can reduce the mental load of travel logistics is to get the moving pieces out of your head and into your calendar. “For each trip, in addition to blocking out your flight times in your calendar, block out commuting time to the airport and anything else you need to do before then,” says Nolan.



She says you should try the same strategy when you return. “Especially after a multi-day trip, consider blocking the first four working hours that you’re back from meetings. This will give you some breathing space to settle back into work, and get to grips with what transpired while you were away,” says Nolan.