Free time on a business trip is a chance to reset
On business trips, unexpected free time crops up while you're waiting for a connection or when a meeting finishes early. Plenty of people have probably found that it slipped away while they were answering emails on a station bench.
Working somewhere unfamiliar tires your mind and body more than you might think. That's exactly why spending part of that free time resting, or on experiences you can only have in that place, makes the trip itself far more satisfying.
In recent years the word "bleisure" (business + leisure), for combining a business trip with time off, has been catching on, and the Japan Tourism Agency presents it as a new style of travel. To begin with, try making good use of free time measured in minutes rather than hours.
Ways to spend your time, by how much you have
| Free time | Suggested ways to spend it |
|---|---|
| 30 minutes | Catch your breath at a café near the station. Try local specialties at the shops inside the station |
| 1 hour | Stroll through a garden or shrine within walking distance of the station. Have a light meal at a restaurant that uses local ingredients |
| 2 hours | Take your time over the permanent collection at an art museum or museum. Warm up at a sento (public bathhouse) or sauna |
| Half a day | Venture a little farther, to a hot spring town or scenic spot. Walk around a local market or shopping street |
30 minutes: Make catching your breath the top priority
With only a short time, don't force yourself to sightsee. Make sitting down and resting your priority. Order a hot drink at a café near the station, put your smartphone down and gaze outside. That alone helps you shift gears smoothly for your afternoon meetings.
1 hour: Walk and get a feel for the place
Look up whether there's a garden, a historic shrine or a riverside promenade within about a 10-minute walk of the station. Walking also helps loosen up a body that has stiffened during long hours of travel.
2 hours: Rest deeply with culture or a warm soak
Art museums and museums offer quiet spaces that are perfect for switching your mind to a different track. A permanent exhibition can be seen even in a short time. In winter, when you're chilled to the bone, or when travel fatigue has built up, warming yourself at a sento or sauna is also a good idea.
Half a day: Venture a little farther
When the afternoon of your last day is free, for example, venture a little farther afield and take in the scenery and food unique to the area. The key is to work backward from your return time and leave plenty of leeway for travel.
Preparing to travel light
Leave your luggage somewhere
You can't wander around freely while you're carrying a suitcase or a heavy bag with your laptop in it.
- Use the coin lockers at the station (at large stations, there are also services that let you check whether any are free).
- Use a luggage storage service at the station or your hotel.
- Leave your bags at your hotel before check-in or after check-out.
What to check before you head out
- The times of your train or flight home, and how long it takes to get to the station or airport
- The opening hours and closing days of where you're going (many art museums close on Mondays)
- A backup destination in case of rain
- How much battery your smartphone has left (a mobile battery gives you peace of mind)
Points to watch on business trips
Before you enjoy yourself, check your company's rules too.
- Working hours versus your own time: Be clear about whether your free time counts as working hours or as a break or personal time.
- Where expenses are drawn: As a rule, you pay for private sightseeing, food and drink yourself.
- Extending the trip: If you're combining it with time off, check beforehand how your return travel and accommodation costs will be handled.
- Stay reachable: Make sure you can check notifications even while you're on the move, so you can respond to urgent messages.
Tips for enjoying your free time
- Once the trip is confirmed, look up just one place to go: That way you won't dither when time does open up.
- Ask the locals: Asking people at your client's office or the hotel staff for recommendations is also a good conversation starter.
- Keep a record: Jotting down the places you visit gives you something to look forward to the next time you go to the same area.
Summary
- With 30 minutes, rest. With an hour, walk. With 2 hours, rest deeply with culture or a warm soak.
- Leave your luggage so you can travel light, and plan your movements by working backward from your return time.
- Check in advance where the lines fall between working and personal time, and on expenses.
- Once a trip is confirmed, look up just one place you'd like to visit.
In between work in an unfamiliar place, make a little time just for yourself. It's a small trick for heading into your next job without letting the fatigue of the trip build up.
