Having trouble finding your happy place on the road? For busy road warriors, personal happiness usually takes the back seat to making your flight or attending that meeting. But there are a few ways to bring joy back to business travel. Here are our four favorites:
#1: Temper your technology
You probably don’t need an MP3 player, e-reader, laptop, mobile phone, tablet and gaming device with you on a business trip, right? Most tech these days allow you to combine those things in one small, simple device. Try limiting yourself to just two pieces of tech – one that allows you to get your work done, and another that allows you to keep connected to home.
#2: Carry on a few of your favorite things
It takes some thinking through, but what would make your life a little more gleeful at 35,000 feet? How about construction-class earplugs, a mini-LED reading light on a USB, or pictures of your kids to make the journey more enjoyable? Investing in a few essentials could give you some glee, but only if you remember to pack them!
#3: Go elite
Start racking up those miles, points and awards and soon you’ll be delighting in upgrades. Smart travelers use loyalty programs to their advantage, especially when it’s time to take a vacation. Free hotel nights, car rentals and flights can take a while to earn, unless you go with a few quick ways to earn elite status:
- UnitedMileagePlus offers a 90-day published challenge to reach elite status.
- US Airways’ Dividend Miles sells elite status outright.
- The $95-a-year Hilton HHonors Reserve Visa from Citibank will grant you instant Gold status, good for free Internet, room upgrades, late check-out and free continental breakfast.
Check out the full list.
#4: Ask for help
If you don’t have enough points to get an upgrade, you can always go with a simple alternative: ask for one. Nicely. Give travel industry employees a reason to be nice to you, and – depending on the circumstances – they’ll respond with vim and vigor. You can also ask for help from your fellow travelers. Online reviews and forums help you read up on the latest buzz in business travel, and avoid unhappy mistakes.
Finding joy on the road warrior job gets a little easier when you simplify your travel life. Carry fewer gadgets and a handful of essentials; travel elite and when you can’t, ask pretty please if you can. Finding your happy place up in the air or down on the ground will help you become a jolly business traveler indeed. Photo: 
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