How Much Business Travel is Too Much Travel?
With two weeks actually at home over the holidays, I had time to reflect on my travel for 2010 and start to wonder what my travel will be in 2011. This was the first two week period that I’d been home since January of 2009. Oh, it was so wonderful to be home!
I traveled 49 weeks last year, all but one for business, flying 225,000 miles. This year is starting to shape up to be the same, with 25 days of travel in January alone.
I didn’t want to leave my home this morning to head to the airport knowing I’m not home again until the night of January 31st. I’m so torn. I love traveling and love the mileage and points, but I also love being home.
This got me thinking – just how much business travel is too much? For me, I’d be happy being home one week a month, two weeks once in awhile.
This would give me:
- Time enough to buy groceries and actually eat up the food before I need to leave home again.
- Time to catch up with friends.
- Time to see the neighbors and re-introduce myself.
- Time to actually see the maid who cleans our house.
- Time to get familiar again with what side of my car has the gas tank.
- Time to go to the gym that I pay a monthly fee for.
- Time to relax a bit.
What about you? How much business travel is too much travel to you? And what would you do with a bit of extra time at home?
In 2010 I was gone 166 days and racked up 300,000 miles. I canceled a December “vacation” and stayed home for a week – it was awesome! Lived life like a normal person and got caught up on so much…..
Ah…..but tomorrow I fly again and I am so excited. re-charged and ready for adventure!
I spend most of my time at home. A weekend away every three weeks and a one week trip away every 6 to 8 weeks is my preferred schedule.
My life as a pet owner keeps me from wsndering away for too long at any one time.
I don’t know how parents can stand to be away from their kids for extended periods.
As long as you enjoy the travel, keep it up.
I can’t imagine travelling so much.. even if it is for for only.
“Time to get familiar again with what side of my car has the gas tank.”
Unless you have an old car, your car will have a little arrow by the gas level on the dash. It’s telling you which side the gas tank is on.
Carol – what type of work do you do (consulting I assume) that requires you to travel so much; avg 4,500 miles/wk – that’s some serious commuting!
I think how much is too much really depends on what your family / life situation is. In my case, I won’t mind traveling 4/4 weeks or 9/10 weeks because I don’t have a wife and/or kids. Someone who does, it may be a bit different.
Too much travel for me is 3 out of 4 weeks gone. But I don’t mind being gone a couple to three days every week, just Monday to Friday every weeks excessive. Now, you might get paid 6 figures to do it. If I did, I might have a difference of opinion. I’m well short of that number, so it seems to be too much based on compensation…