Why You Should You Take the Family on Your Next Business Trip

If your job or business requires you to travel frequently to meet with clients, attend conferences and seminars, or consult with business partners… it could be affecting your home life.

One way to tip your work/home balance back the other way is to bring your family with you on the road.

This is not a good idea if you’re going to be working 18-hour days. But if your schedule allows for free time, you may be able to play with the kids before you head out in the morning, have dinner with your spouse, and enjoy watching a movie together in the hotel room in the evening. You could even tack on an extra day or two at the end of the trip for sightseeing or to visit nearby attractions.

If appropriate, you might even let your spouse or an older child tag along to a meeting or business dinner. Showing this “other” side of you can be a great way to form closer relationships with colleagues and clients.

Taking your family on some of your business trips not only allows you to spend more time with them, it has an added bonus: They get to see (and understand) what you do for a living. Having them “on your team” makes it more likely that they’ll support your work, and will make it easier when you have to go on future business trips without them.

Comment on this article