I love travel. I love being with clients. I love seeing teams in person and building relationships that simply happen differently face-to-face.
While I don't travel a ton for work, I've spent enough nights in hotel rooms and enough early mornings in airports to develop a few personal “rules” that make travel easier, more productive, and honestly, more enjoyable.
Part of that comes from recognizing that my travel experience is not everyone's.
Many women are on planes every week. Their jobs require constant travel to meet clients, lead teams, attend conferences, or manage events. Others are navigating seasons of life that make travel infinitely more complicated, whether that's pregnancy, fertility treatments, breastfeeding, children with medical needs, or kids who need a little more emotional support while Mom is away.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach.
What works for me may not work for someone else.
But over the years, I've found four habits that help me stay grounded when work takes me away from home.
Rule #1: Protect your sleep.
One of the most surprising things about traveling for work is how much quieter life becomes at night.
At home, there is always one more thing to do. Late-night chores, unpacking backpacks, getting the kids organized, planning the next day, etc.
In a hotel room, all of that disappears.
Years ago, I used to treat those evenings as bonus time. I'd stay up later. Answer more emails. Watch TV. Fold work into every spare minute.
Now I do the exact opposite.
I go to bed.
Travel is often one of the few times nobody needs me at 10 p.m., and I've learned to see that as a gift instead of an opportunity to squeeze in more work. The better I sleep, the better I show up for clients, and the better version of myself I bring home.
Rule #2: Keep your routine.
The second thing I do is protect the routines that keep me feeling like me.
When I travel, I don't treat it like a break from healthy habits. I treat it like a chance to double down on them.
Whether I'm in New Jersey or Los Angeles, my alarm still goes off at 5:30am. My run still happens – this is actually my favorite part about travel because this is the only time I get to explore new cities. That consistency helps me stay grounded, especially when everything else about the day is different.
Hotel gym selfie with PS merch
Rule #3: Let go of home.
When I travel, I stay connected to home. I do not try to manage home. There's a difference. I have to care differently.
I want the hockey updates. I want the pictures from the playground. I want to hear the funny stories that happened and know how everyone's day went.
But I'm not directing operations from another time zone.
My husband gets to parent his way. Somewhere in there, homework will happen. Showers will happen. Lunches will get packed (and there’s always hot lunch). The boys will make it to school, sports, and the tons of activities that are on the calendar. And they will eventually end up piled into our king bed for a sleepover together.
“Boys Night” during the week
Rule #4: Know your "can't miss" moments.
This is the rule that has become more important to me as my kids have gotten older. I enjoy work travel, building relationship, and saying yes to opportunities that help grow my business.
But I also know there are some moments that matter deeply to me as a mom.
This means being intentional about which opportunities create value, which memories are once-in-a-lifetime, and where you want to be when those moments happen. For me, success is being fully present wherever I am. I know what I can and cannot compromise. I don't want to miss the moments that matter most to me and my kids: Back-to-School Night (the only time I really get to meet their teachers), the Halloween parade, the morning of the school select chorus tryouts, the playoff games where they turn to me after each play to make sure I am watching.
Business travel will always involve tradeoffs. So does parenting. So does building a career. The goal isn't to eliminate those choices. It's trusting that things will be okay at home, taking care of yourself while you're away, and knowing that the right yeses leave room for the moments you never want to miss.
