If you travel for business, you already know the challenges that you face everyday that the average person cannot relate to. In addition to having the ever present stresses of maximizing your job performance in a very competitive business climate, you hold in the back of your mind all of the duties and responsibilities that you would face if you were home.
We are all individuals and our personalities lend themselves to handling these issues in various ways. If you have children at home while you travel, that presents special challenges. The key is to communicate with your spouse and/or children and make sure they know that they are in your thoughts all day every day while you are gone. With your children, make sure they understand exactly what you do for a living and why it is necessary to be away from them. Our kids are lot more resilient than we sometimes give them credit for, and it may be that they will even think it is kind of cool that you travel for your job. It certainly may be something that they can talk to their friends about at school etc. Make sure you stay abreast of all the activities they may be involved in, and get a daily report of what is happening in their lives. Talk to them. As simple as this sounds, sometimes in our every day lives, we take for granted all the little things our children do that are important moments to them. Make sure your kids know that you realize the importance of the little things that make up their lives.
School functions are a good example of the everyday things that you may miss. Be sure you know when they are happening. Make a big deal of them before they occur, so your children know that although you may not be there personally, you are there with them in spirit. Call them as soon as possible after an event to see how they did. It really does not matter if it is a sporting event, school play, awards ceremony etc. Let them know it is as important to you as it is to them. If you have the opportunity to attend a function when you are home, DO NOT miss this chance. It will only reinforce your support for them.
Spouses are a little different issue. While you are traveling eating in fine restaurants and/or entertaining clients or business associates, he or she will be at home dealing with “everyday life” and may feel some resentment. That is human nature. It doesn’t make it any easier but it is a fact. Again, communication is the key. Constantly enforcing your support for them and having a compassionate ear will go a long way towards calming any anxieties they may have about your absence. You may have a long day working on the road, but remember that your spouses life goes on as well without you. Anything that comes up while you are gone, they have to deal with themselves. That can be a lonely thing. If you can, call your spouse several times during the course of the day to let them know you have them in your thoughts. The smallest words of encouragement can go a long way.
When you travel for business or you have a spouse who does, there are many possible challenges you may face. Be sure to face them together, even more so than if you were there.
These are words of advise from a seasoned business traveler. Please keep an eye out for additional tidbits of information and lessons from the road( most learned the hard way).