If you travel a lot for work, the phrase “planes, trains and automobiles” goes well beyond the name of a classic film from the 70’s. It drums up images of airports during eight-hour layovers that have left you vulturing the gates trying to find an available electrical socket to recharge your phone. It’s the beautiful days in the world’s exotic cities, locked in your hotel room on conference calls, and updating presentations aware the sun is shining outside because of the glare on your computer screen. And it’s the two seconds you get to see the autumn leaves or a national monument as your taxi whisks you to the airport and your next flight.

After 20 years of living the life of a corporate nomad, I have discovered ways to capture the amazing places I have traveled to while still accomplishing my business goals. Below are a few ideas on how to capture a part of business travel for you

Room with a View

To capture the glories and disappointments of business travel, I began carrying a camera to photograph the moments of the trip taking it beyond the blur of constant motion. I did not shy away of capturing the lack of “glamour” found on business travel (a memento for those who say, “Aren’t you lucky to travel so much”). And for those locals that were beautiful I had a reminder to inspire my return under less hectic circumstances.

I also began a photo series I entitled “Outside My Hotel Window.” No matter how many times I’ve stayed at the same hotel, I am always assigned a different room. I have experienced breathtaking views of the Eiffel tower and garbage chutes in Paris, stayed in a prestigious Park Avenue hotel with a magnificent view of tulips in bloom only to have the next stay at the same hotel looking out on an airshaft graced with an air conditioning unit a foot from my only window.

image via paulaphelan.net

(Part of the beautiful and mundane images from “outside my hotel window” series can be found on my website at: http://paulaphelan.net/)

Finding the Joy in Business Travel

A while back, a client said to me, “You have to put a little joy into every day, because tomorrow may never come.” This simple obvious statement stayed with me. And I attempted to carve out time even if only a few minutes when I travel to look for photos to take or art to view.

Of course you can spend hours in the Museum of Metropolitan of Art in NY; but a half hour can be well spent admiring two to three rooms or something just as beautiful anywhere else in the world; the trick is pulling yourself away from email.

If I’m in a city where I speak the language, I look for theater, even it is regional (I saw an impressive high school play in Raleigh, North Carolina). With only an hour between meetings, I’ll duck into the closest museum for instance the Rembrandt’s house in Amsterdam, or the Corn Palace in South Dakota. If there is time before heading to the airport I will ask the cab driver to take me by some local historic attraction. Besides being fun it is a way to better understand the area and the people who live there.

image via paulaphelan.net

As I write this I am in St. John’s Newfoundland and was not able to take my own advice. The warmth of sun overheated my hotel room in the morning causing me to close the blinds as I worked on my presentation. My meeting went all day into the evening and my flight out is early the morning. The only thing I will take home from this trip is the photos outside my hotel window, beyond the conference room where we met and an abstract of soft blue light seen through thick sheet of ice my windshield that I cleaned off prior to returning to the airport. 

The Waiting Isn’t Always the Hardest Part

It doesn’t matter how dedicated you are to work, or how much you enjoy it: there comes a time where you just can’t work any longer. And you are confined in a plane or train hurtling toward your destination. This is when e-books come in handy. Or to give your eyes a much-needed break, relaxing with an audio book on your smartphone.

(Pro tip: Typically, all the great literary classics can be found for free).

If your brain is too wound up from travel, think about carrying a small sketchbook for doodling. Try not to worry about what people will think (you’ll never see them again). The idea is to find something that will feed your soul; creating artwork is nourishing and in the end you’ll have something that will remind you of the trip. I carry a small drawing pad and several markers. As someone who packs light, I find these slight indulgences invaluable.

If you have put on the brakes in your hotel room, where nothing on TV is in your language, a call to a friend or family member that makes you laugh can be a tonic. Or stop by the gift shop (there is bound to be one nearby) and buy some postcards and send someone you care about a note. They will love it. Despite being out for work it will make you feel like a part of your travel life is yours.

(Pro tip: Traveling outside of the country is where Netflix excels as long as you have a high speed internet connection you can always be entertained).

Home Sweet Home

By train, plane or automobile, traveling can-and-will be exhausting. Discovering what makes it worthwhile will make all the difference. So, when you return home and download your photos, you can remember that harrowing cab ride, the suspicious looking side dish at dinner or that one painting which moved you in the local museum. It may even tempt you to do it all over again on your own dime.

About Paula Phelan

Paula Phelan is the CEO and founder of Nadel Phelan (News - Alert), Inc. a public relations firm focused on technology since 1993. Ms. Phelan has guided numerous companies through the IPO process, on both domestic and international exchanges, and shepherded over 80 companies through the acquisition phase. To relax Paula photographs, paints, writes and is an avid theatergoer.