Working Away From Home For an Extended Period of Time

By Amy Nutt

It's not uncommon for people to have to travel for business. Some work trips are short and sweet, and others can be drawn out for weeks or even months.If a special project has you working in a different state or country from where you live for an extended period of time, the following tips can help make you more comfortable and feel more at home.

A Home Away From Home

If you're away on business for more than two weeks, it is wise to look into a short-term rental. Accommodations such as these can provide more comfort than a hotel room because they typically offer more living space including a kitchen where you can cook as many meals as you want. Short-term rentals may also have amenities such as DVD and music players that can make your stay more pleasant. Also, if you have a pet, a short-term rental is more likely to allow you to bring him or her with you.

Stay in Touch

When your travelling for work, it is easy to get so absorbed in the project that you tune everything out. To maintain healthy relationships, make sure you find ways to connect with friends and family members while you are away. Call home daily (or twice a day if you can). If you are in a different time zone, communicate via email, Twitter, MySpace or Facebook.

Your Daily Rituals

In order to not disrupt your life too much while away for work, it is important to partake of at least some of the routine things you do at home. For example, if you usually pray or meditate in the morning, find time to do it while on your trip. You daily ritual could be something as simple as reading before bed at night or as complicated as updating your blog about the day's events.

Bring a Piece of Home With You

In order to feel more at home, you need to bring home on the trip with you. Select a few easily packable items that are representative of the comfort you feel at home. This could be a special pillow or cushion, a candle, or pictures of your family.

Maintain Healthy Habits

It is easy to fall into unhealthy habits when travelling away from home, especially when you are completely immersed in work. If you are travelling for a long time, the effects of eating high-calorie restaurant foods, not exercising, drinking too much or not getting enough rest can be downright harmful. If you can get a short-term rental, try to cook healthy meals in the kitchen. Make time each day to go for a brisk walk or do some yoga. Make sure you drink plenty of water and try not to have more than two alcoholic drinks a day, even at happy-hour meetings. Most impor