Why travelling makes you better at your job

Emilie Jo Ipsen
Emilie Jo Ipsen

Summertime is travel time for many people. Time to get away from everyday life for a moment and instead relax, experience new things and enjoy activities in regions far away from home. Traveling can be much more than just the pure contrast to the imposed work of everyday life. The experiences that we gain on a journey can awaken abilities in us that make us better at our jobs. Read on to find out just how travel might help you in your profession.

1. Team Spirit

In most cases you are on holiday with other people, be it friends, family, your partner or, on a business trip with your colleagues. Even if you are traveling alone, you are still dependent on other people, sometimes seeking their opinions or a helping hand. In such situations, everyone automatically enters the balancing act of relying on others and at the same time cooperating with them. Relying on the others in a group does not mean that you take yourself completely out of the group and hand all responsibility over to the others. Instead, relying on others requires trusting them, accepting their decisions and supporting them. Cooperation is the next step. Once the selected ideas result in the will to create a plan for the journey together, one must cooperate to split up the tasks or complete them together. This is the optimal form of teamwork in work relations as well!

2. Listening

When you are on holiday in foreign regions and cultures, it is important to keep your eyes and ears open, to pay attention to the differences that exist, in relation to your environment at home and to listen to the small nuances. The extent to which this is put into practice is of course up to each individual traveler: Some follow their own traditional pattern, even abroad, while others find it easier to extend their antennas, hear the fine frequencies, absorb them and transform their behavior accordingly.

In many Asian countries, for example, it is a major faux pas to argue in public, let alone loudly snap at another person. Training yourself to hear and listen in the first place, to understand where you are and how the environment functions should be the goal. This can be transferred very quickly to the world of business: it is a huge benefit if you have practiced listening to others, penetrating the essence of others and accepting different habits and opinions. In addition, a general attitude of wanting to learn new things and being open is often evident.

3. Organization

On vacation, not everything goes as planned. Luggage arrives late, the WIFI in the hotel is slow, the bus is canceled or the credit card is not accepted. A million things can easily become problematic when one finds themselves out of their comfort zone. In these moments you are forced to be creative and active. One looks for alternatives, sometimes under time pressure, seeks support from the locals. In the end, you find a solution - who knows, maybe it is better than the first one. It is exactly this ad hoc organizing that helps you to prioritize, to focus, to pursue the result objectively and without hindering emotions (like panic or annoyance). When things don't go according to plan in the office, these are exactly the qualities and skills you need to keep things running smoothly: Focus, prioritization, objectivity and the general will to think outside the box and find another way to solve the problem.

4. Independence

Time suddenly takes on a different meaning and significance when traveling. You are no longer bound to daily routines from home. You find yourself away from friends and colleagues with whom you often have a different contact than usual or no contact at all during the journey. All this means a certain independence. You are in control of your own time, you have time for yourself and the things that are important to you and that you want to experience. However, no one wants to get stressed while on holiday, and so you are faced with the task of managing your time in such a way that you do the things you want to do, without feeling guilty about neglecting social relations.

You learn to prioritize on your own, to plan or act independently of external input, and at the same time to keep an eye on things as well as yourself. These skills are very beneficial in any job above the clerical level.

5. Travel educates

It is an often-heard saying and most certainly it is true. You learn a lot more than facts about distant regions when traveling. Traveling educates and shapes you as a person, you can train your abilities and soft skills in a different way than at home. You will benefit from them in the long term and at different levels, be it in society, with family and friends or at work.

At Transport Talent, we specialize in advancing the careers of talented professionals in transport and logistics. Discover how Transport Talent can boost your career today! Beyond individual career growth, we're more than just a acquisition partner for businesses; we're an extension of your HR team. Our expertise ensures you secure motivated professionals who will be invaluable, long-term assets to your organization. Explore Transport Talent's unique approach and services now.

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