I haven’t travelled for work for several years. It’s always been Steve on the road with me staying behind or tagging along. But, earlier this year, I travelled for four days to British Columbia for a work project that came together quickly. Steve did not tag along. Here is what we thought about walking in each other’s shoes.
Role Reversal: The time Steve stayed home and I travelled for business
Deb’s Business Travel Impressions
The best thing about business travel
It is a luxury to not think about anything other than work, where to eat, and how lovely it will be to climb into a bed you didn’t make that morning. Even though this trip was quite busy, it still felt like a bit of a break. Perhaps it was just the novelty of the situation.
The worst thing about business travel
When workdays are maxed out with one client on the road, and there are others that want or need your attention back home, it’s hard to manage both. The last thing I wanted to do at the end of the day was to answer emails and keep up with other projects. My other clients knew I’d be less accessible, so it wasn’t too bad, but I had some anxiety about not responding to email frequently throughout the day.
What surprised me
I was surprised that I didn’t enjoy being in a different city as much as I usually do because I was preoccupied with the work I was doing.
Being a self-aware introvert, I anticipated that full days (and some evenings) with clients and colleagues would be tiring. It wasn’t as bad as I thought. I only had one or two moments of wishing I could hide out under the covers in my hotel room. I think it helped that I stuck to my home time zone, which had me waking up daily at 4 a.m. I had a few hours at the start of each day to be by myself.
New insight it gave me for Steve’s life on the road
It’s better to be the business traveller, at least in the short-term. There are additional stresses, but generally, it’s a pleasant break from the routine. Because Steve kept up with all the household tasks while I was away, I could just arrive home and carry on without having to get groceries or tackle a backlog of laundry. Steve has it good in that regard.
Steve’s Staying Behind Impressions
The best thing about staying behind
There’s only been a handful of times that I’ve stayed home when Deb is on business travel, and I enjoyed the novelty of it. I think Deb would agree that she keeps me on the straight-and-narrow when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. With her away, I treated it as a bit of holiday from that whole routine. Below depicts my diet plan for the week. Notice, I did include fruit!
The worst thing about staying behind
I’m no slouch when it comes to my share of household tasks. I’m in charge of laundry, after-meal cleanup and anything tech related.
Taking over a full load of household tasks was a drag, and even though my instinct was to just let it all slide while Deb was away, I knew that wouldn’t go over well upon her return. I knew because before she left she said, “The place better not be a mess when I get back.” Yeah, she’s bossy like that but fair enough.
I thought it best to provide proof that I did, indeed, clean while she was away.
What surprised me
It’s strange how quiet our place is without Deb here. I mean, she’s not around all the time when we’re both in town, but our condo took on a somewhat empty feeling over the four days. I’m used to sleeping alone while on the road, but sleeping alone in our own bed felt odd. On the other hand, it was nice not to have my covers stolen (you do too, Deb!) and being able to stretch out.
New insight it gave me about Deb’s life on the home front
I’m not sure I agree with Deb’s take. I think it’s easier being the one at home, if only because of the hectic pace and extra workload when on the road. Having said that, at home, my routines mostly revolve around doing things as a couple. I could see how all the solo time could be a challenge if I were on my own for several days the way Deb does when I’m away. Potato chips and dip washed down with rum can only sustain a person for so long.
No doubt, the best scenario is when Deb tags along. For me, it makes business travel far less stressful and makes life easier for the both of us.
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It is good to walk in the other’s shoes for a bit to gain insight. There are things to be said for both being the traveller and the stay-at-home, but I think your tag-along role may be the best.