Travel management is often one of the first outcomes a business owner will delegate to an Executive Assistant.

Travel is an innately stressful activity. But with the help of an EA, travel days can unfold with ease and efficiency. 

If you travel frequently, your EA can help you do so more easily.

Start by documenting your preferences. 

This is a really basic activity that will have a large impact on your travel experience. 

Put to paper the little things you want done every time your EA prepares a travel itinerary.

Indicate preferences such as:

• Preferred airline, flight class and seating selection
• Flight type (non-stop or connection)
• Favorite hotel chains 
• Preferred payment method and any travel rewards numbers or frequent flier details

Other non-negotiables might be your preferences about how early you arrive at a destination before a work commitment, how you want travel details saved on your phone, as well as things you always want to be reminded of before you leave the office (pack ibuprofen, carry emergency cash etc.)

Documenting your preferences makes travel planning efficient for your EA and keeps your itineraries consistent with your expectations.

It also enables your EA to anticipate your needs while out of the office.

They can account for things like scheduling an Uber in advance to pick you up from the airport, booking you a hotel known for high-speed internet and connecting you with a travel concierge to assist in an emergency.

Next, plan your travel with your entire year in mind. 

Business owners often plan one or two quarters in advance. But if you look at your year as a whole and know exactly how many days you are traveling, you can measure the true value of that time. 

Knowing the true value of your time allows you to decide if future invitations to travel are worthwhile. 

You can see how many days you are committed to spend out of the office and how this will affect priority projects and goals. 

Finally, invite your EA to manage your time even when you’re out of the office. 

An inconvenience of travel for business owners is being taken out of their routine. 

EAs can help you recreate that structure and stability by managing your calendar with the same block-and-tackle strategies you use in the office even when you’re at the airport, hotel and destination city. 

This can be as aggressive or laid-back as you want, such as blocking time to “review proposal offline while waiting at the terminal or during flight.” Or, “prepare slide deck in hotel cafe.” 

If you have the freedom to work remotely, EAs can eliminate the guesswork of where you will work in your destination city by researching local cafes or coworking spaces for you to check out. 

Make sure your EA calendar-blocks downtime, too. This could be a scenic walk at a popular tourist destination, or low-stress activities upon your return. Periods of aggressive travel should always be balanced with recovery time on your calendar.

Travel doesn’t have to be stressful with the right support and proper planning.

Communicate your preferences to your EA to experience easier travel as soon as possible.