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There’s something special about being on the road, whether for business or pleasure. It gives you new ideas, makes you question and update your motivations, adds energy. But there are logistical, mental and emotional challenges involved in working on the road–I know this after traveling for the past three years more than half of each year.

If leaving your town by car, boat, train or plane is part of your work at any level, the things I’ve learned might help you avoid the intangible dangers travel can present to your business.

New energy from working while traveling
First, let’s analyze what business people gain from the road. It goes without saying that you can accomplish certain business goals that are otherwise unreachable if you stay in the office.

On a more philosophical note, the change of scenery refreshes your mind and gets you out of any rut you happen to be in, but there’s more to it than that. It’s the movement, I think…the constantly changing environment and the feeling of pressing forward to see what’s on the other side of the next hill.

As you physically follow the road or fly through the sky or explore your destination, you can feel your mind and heart also embracing that feeling of movement, and if you are smart you put it to good use. Working from the road can give a business owner fresh, powerful energy. It opens possibilities and sparks ambition.

It is these things that make you feel as if you are accomplishing something special just by being there. However, the very things that inspire you also can distract you.

Intangible dangers of travel for business people
Many a business person has traveled to a conference with a hefty list of goals. You think, “I’m going to be away from all the distractions at work, so I’m going to get more done.” In reality, the fresh new environment is a distraction in itself, often more insidious than distractions at home. Inability to reach your work expectations while traveling can jeopardize your overall business goals and make you feel like a failure.

Your schedule is unfamiliar on the road, and it takes awhile to settle into the travel routine. The new people you meet draw your attention irresistibly, and you find yourself avoiding work to go learn about new colleagues over coffee or drinks. If you travel to an exotic location, you might believe you will never be here again and feel you have to take advantage of this opportunity to see it…one more distraction from work.

Psychologically and emotionally, traveling can take a toll. Solo business travelers often feel depressed easily and lose focus. People not used to socializing can feel overwhelmed by demands of 24/7 interaction with fellow workers and travelers. You might find that personal issues–old sorrows and questions about your abilities, for example–bubbling to the surface. These unexpected new feelings can be not only distracting, but destructive.

Reducing the stresses of traveling for business
Successfully fending off these issues first means becoming aware of them. Be realistic about the work you will be able to complete while you are gone. When I travel, I’m on the road for weeks at a time, camping, staying in hotel rooms and visiting family and friends. It has taken awhile, but I’ve learned to adjust my routine, reset my priorities, and focus on “manhandling” specific aspects of travel to ensure I will reach my goals.

Here are some things I’ve learned that might also help you:

Add accountability. Your ability to focus on work while on the road often is connected with your level of accountability to someone else. If you are traveling with your boss, you are less likely to get sidetracked. If you have a client project due, the pressure of the deadline can keep you focused. If you have neither a boss nor client, ask someone to act as your accountability partner or go to the next tip.

Set clear, realistic goals. Something about traveling seems to give us permission to be flexible on goals, and that is the very reason we need to be even more specific and rigid about top goals. Don’t expect yourself to reach every goal on a huge list, but be tough with yourself about the few that really count. When the trip is complete and you’ve reached those top goals, you’ll feel you were a success and you will have moved your business forward.

Collect distractions and deal with them at the same time. If you know you will be distracted by the pool, the mountain in the next county or meeting with an old friend, choose a day and take care of all of it at once. Getting it behind you will help your brain and body settle in and get down to business. Or flip it around and use delayed gratification. Work first, then reward yourself with goof-off time. You can do the same thing within one day. Group distractions into one part of the day and dedicate other parts of the day exclusively to work.

Create a special travel routine. At home, you leave your pills on the sink so you remember to take them. You shop for groceries and do errands on Tuesdays and call your mom once a week. You have a standing meeting with staff on Mondays and Fridays. When you travel, your routine will be different, but it’s critical to make plans for and write down those things you want to sustain while you’re gone. Keep your pills in your computer case to help you remember to take them. Schedule phone meetings at the same time your staff and mom are used to hearing from you, and group errands into a predetermined time slot.

Don’t let deviations keep you from reaching goals. When you travel, things don’t always go as planned, more so than when you are supported by the routine and infrastructure at home. Be ready for this, and establish contingency plans to handle the important tasks you want to accomplish. Sometimes, you will have to simply let it go and move on. I travel in my truck much of the time, and it’s packed full. I try to stay organized, but there are times I can’t find what I need. I don’t let it cripple me. I attempted to solve the problem in another way and move on, keeping my eye out for the missing item, so I’ll know where it is next time.

Maintain connections with people who affirm your goals. In my work, I travel solo for months at a time. I hate to admit it, but I sometimes become too isolated. It leads to episodical depression–even, let’s say, quirky thinking. For that reason, I have chosen several people to keep in touch with to keep me grounded. Yep, Mom is one of them. I also talk with colleagues about work issues. As I travel, I make a concerted effort to reach out to new people, capturing conversation wherever I can. Even short trips can cause disorientation. Before you leave, assign specific people as your go-to “sanity” contacts.

Intentional tactics control intangible dangers of travel
Simply being aware if the potential intangible issues work travel can cause will help you overcome them. My best advice, however, is to consciously think about these things and put strategies into place before the boat leaves. It’s the best way to keep the focus on your goals and not succumb to the mental, emotional and logistical trials of travel.