I’ve done an awful load of road trips for work over the years, whether that was for qual research, client meetings, pitches or site visits. During covid WFH, I got really itchy feet for those road trips and I realised that it wasn’t the destinations or work interactions I was missing, it was the serendipitous stuff that happened along the way.
The aerial acrobatic street show I stumbled upon while stretching my legs in Milton Keynes before the groups.
The amazing views of the Lake District in full Autumn colour on the way to a public consultation meeting.
Sneaking in a paddle and a nice lunch after a meeting at a client’s seaside HQ.
Fish and chips on the pier after a getting-to-know-the-business site visit to a holiday park.
A sunny stroll on the South Bank while passing through London to pick up a connecting train.
You might have guessed that many of these moments happened after I started freelancing. Being in charge of my own diary meant I could sign myself off the clock when an opportunity presented itself and I’m sure that my mental health, energy levels and ultimately my productivity and creativity benefitted.
If you’re going to travel for hours, or be away from home for several days, finding some joy in and amongst the work has to be the way to go, in fact if I’m travelling solo for work I now actively try to build in something nice.
I can always tell when I’m working with an agency team of old hands, because inevitably when we talk about timings and logistics for a work trip, someone will suggest we build in time for a nice lunch. It makes a lot of sense – we’ll be better rested, better fed and in a better mood to take on whatever the day and the client throws at us.