The convenience of bleisure travel attracts employees at every level. Combining business and leisure travel saves time and money, making it convenient and budget-friendly for everyone. Plus, companies with generous bleisure packages are attractive to new hires, especially millennials. But even executives who might be used to a more luxurious method of travel can benefit from bleisure time. BlueOrange understands both luxury travel and bleisure opportunities and offers this advice for executives traveling for business.
Separate Your Leisure and Work Time
Compartmentalizing your time is key when it comes to successful bleisure travel. Set clear times with yourself and with your office for when you will be working or not. This will help you to focus on making your work successful and relaxing completely when the time is right. Leave your laptop in your hotel room and shut off at least the notifications on your phone to make your personal time truly yours. Be clear about what “off duty” means, and stick to it, no matter who is calling.
Follow Company Policy
Know your company’s rules and policies for bleisure travel before you leave home. Be upfront about your plans and when you will be working and playing. Also, make sure you carefully track your business-related expenses and keep them separate from your personal costs. Consider using two credit cards, one for business and one for personal, to avoid confusion or questions later on.
Pack Smarter
Think about both the work and leisure parts of your trip when you pack, and if you can, include items that will work in either situation. Cross-over pieces like dark jeans could be dressed up by pulling on a blazer. Sometimes adding the right accessories—like a tie or statement jewelry—can make an outfit feel more complete and put together when you are in a business setting. But those accents are easily removed for leisure activities.
Look for Incentives and Bonuses
Collect your travel incentives while you bleisure, just like you would on your personal vacation. Stay in a hotel that rewards points, or use a credit card that offers extra air miles the more you use it. These incentives can add up and be applied toward your next travel adventure.
Use Time Zone Differences Well
Use your time differences to your advantage. If you find yourself up early after traveling to the West Coast, take in sunrise in your destination city. Or if you’re wide awake late at night in Europe, explore your city at night to see different sights and experience a different atmosphere. When you bleisure, you set your schedule, so you might as well use your time well.
Stay Professional
After you return to the office, avoid oversharing about your amazing getaway. Even if you followed company policies, coworkers and employees might feel jealous about your bleisure getaway. Try not to return to work sunburned and full of stories to tell. Remain professional and respectful at work, and keep your stories for your friends after hours.
Don’t Feel Guilty
You deserve a break from the stress and work pressure. Enjoy every second of your bleisure time because you deserve it!
Contact BlueOrange Travel when you are ready to start planning your executive bleisure trip. With extensive knowledge and a world-wide network of travel resources, we are ready to help you design your ideal getaway.