What is the Impact of Business Travel on Mental Wellbeing?

Traveling for business often looks exciting to those who don’t do it, but the truth is that it is far from the luxury travel paradise which so many think that it is. Indeed whilst business travel may include executive treatment, in the main it is a challenging way to travel which actually does have an impact on your overall mental well-being.

his is important to recognize, especially given the changing attitudes when it comes to mental health in general.

With the changing attitudes towards mental health, it is becoming increasingly important to seek help and support, particularly when dealing with conditions such as depression and anxiety. Services like New Vision’s depression & anxiety counselling can provide a valuable resource in this regard, helping individuals navigate these challenges and find the support they need. If you travel once in a while for business reasons then you have nothing to worry about of course, but those who do travel frequently for business can find that it does have a substantial impact on their mental wellbeing.

Eating and Drinking

A common complaint amongst business travelers is that their eating and drinking habits are total knocked out of whack by the frequent traveling, eating at restaurants and hotels and indulging excessively when schmoozing clients. Once again if you frequently travel then this is going to have an impact on your mental health and not being able to stay on top of physical heath is certainly a threat to mental wellbeing.

Stresses

A recent survey of 500 business travelers found that 1 in 5 of them indicated that their stress levels were higher when they traveled for business reasons. Don’t be fooled by the low number here, 100 in 500 people who feel this way is very high. That extra stress comes with the result of the trip, navigating the travel itself and dealing with being alone or in strange places for long periods of time.

Relationships

Many also spoke about the impact which frequent business travel has had on their relationships, which can certainly be tough. This ranges in difficulty depending on the frequency of the travel and the type of relationships, but at the very lowest level people will miss their loved ones and this too has an impact on mental health.

Breaking Routine

Those who do often travel for business find that they can never get themselves in a routine and there is a constant longing for a stretch of time without travel, so that they can get themselves into some sort of daily practice which they can stick to. We are after all habitual creatures and this is why the constant moving from place to place and not being able to nail down a routine is such a challenge for many, and it will have a solid and lasting impact on mental health and well-being.

Ultimately it is essential to remember the importance of your own mental wellbeing when you are undertaking business travel. It is essential that you are eating well and that you are ensuring that you take the time to relax, to exercise and destress whenever you have the chance. Business travel doesn’t have to be an experience which causes damage to your mental health, it can be managed and done in a way that ensures you remain at your best, in spite of having to jet off for business dealings.