Any woman trying to juggle a successful career with parenthood deserves a medal. Throw in business travel on the back of a pandemic and it’s fair to say working moms are real-life superheroes.
Keep fit, healthy, and safe
Safety has become an important concern for every road warrior, but for female travellers in particular. A sad reality is that travel policies often don’t address the specific risks faced by women on the road. Prior to the pandemic, research done by the Global Business Travel Association revealed that although awareness of risk faced by female business travellers has never been higher, only 18% of corporate travel policies specifically address matters related to the safety needs of female business travellers.
Ditch the guilt
Mommy guilt is a very real thing, with most working mothers experiencing it at least once during their careers, especially when they’re spending long days on the road. The good news is that research has shown that working moms have nothing to feel guilty about as they tend to raise very successful daughters and empathetic sons.
On the one hand, lockdown gave us a chance to spend more time with our families and bond with them over activities we otherwise wouldn’t have had time to explore; on the other, the loss of ‘me’ time has made many of us yearn for the space to rediscover our own interests.
Prepare the troops
Things will always feel easier and more streamlined when you’re well prepared. So, book your travel in advance. Not only will this help the company keep tabs on their travel spending; but it will also allow you as a busy mom enough time to organise childcare and prepare the troops at home.
One very simple – and yet helpful – action is to talk younger children through their feelings. Tell them that it is perfectly ok to feel sad and perhaps even a little angry that you are leaving. At the same time, remind them that they will be safe with their caregiver for the next few days and that you will be back soon.
Making arrangements for lift clubs, school lunches, and homework supplies while you’re away on business will keep you busy, so delegate the nitty-gritty of your travel arrangements to a professional travel consultant. Creating a ‘timeline’ of your trip may help your children understand how long they have to wait until you’re home.
Leverage tech
From toddler to grandparent, the past two years have taught everyone the ‘joys’ of video calling. This comes in handy when you’re away from work. When you have a moment, jump on a short video call to say hi and ask about the kids’ day. If you’ve got teens, try reaching out on Instagram – or if you feel very brave: make a TikTok video of your location. Chat to your travel consultant to make sure Wi-Fi is included in your stay.
Take the kids – and hubby – along for the ride
Are you still feeling a bit apprehensive about leaving your family behind? There’s a simple solution, just take them along! With personal time on the horizon, employees are motivated to make the most of their time working when on business trips.
Of course, it’s not always possible to take everyone along. But if you can, a few days’ leisure after your conference or meetings is a great way to leverage being a working mom. Although it can be challenging to juggle business trips and raising children, it is also very rewarding.
