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3 Things That Will Help Working Moms Who Take Lots Of Business Trips

As a working mom who takes lots of business trips, you might be worried your children feel abandoned? Or perhaps keenly aware your partner is feeling the brunt of the parenting duties? And in truth, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions — but this doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy a rewarding career and be a full-time mom. 

In this article, we explore the following tips that will help make taking lots of business trips easier for you and your family: 

  • Practice cash flow management to keep on budget
  • Help your children settle by establishing a routine
  • Embrace remote communication and stay updated

Read on as we look to make the busy life of a working mom a little easier on your next business trip. 

Practice cash flow management to keep on budget

Taking a business trip can be costly at the best of times, but for you, a working mom with many other financial responsibilities, travel can make a big impact on a budget already stretched by school fees, food bills, and general amenities that come with caring for children. 

With this in mind, it’s important to be mindful of personal cash flow management, which is the process of tracking money coming and going from your account. Thankfully, your company is responsible for many of the costs related to your business trip — so here are some ways you can work with your employer to practice better cash flow management: 

  • Request a fuel card: business trips aren’t all about jet setting, often you’ll be expected to travel by road, and fuel cards are a great way to offset fuel expenditure. For example, iCompario fuel cards (which represent a range of top providers)  directly bill your company so you never pay out of pocket. 
  • Invoice expenses early: If you do incur any expenses during your business trip (food, public transport, parking fees, and any other amenities) it’s important to get this money back from your business quickly. Why? Well, the money spent on your trip can be redistributed into other personal budgets like food.

Note that if you are self-employed you’re also liable for the business’s budget too, so this makes practicing good cash flow management all the more important for balancing both responsibilities. 

Help your children settle by establishing a routine

Being away on business trips can be stressful for you, but also for your children. With this in mind, it’s important to establish a routine and not deviate from normal life while you’re gone  — this is particularly true if you attend long trips, three to six weeks at a time (and taking your children along simply is not possible). 

Routine is the key to normality, so make sure to leave detailed instructions with the designated career that covers: 

  • Bedtime
  • Feeding schedules
  • Hobbies
  • After school clubs 

By establishing and maintaining a routine when you’re away with work, you cause less distraction in the little ones’ lives, as well as feel more settled knowing what your children are doing at any given time. 

Embrace remote communication and stay updated

Many seasoned business travelers have a Facetime plan — a designated schedule for keeping in contact with the family while away on business. Despite the term, you certainly aren’t restricted to Apple’s flagship video calling app. Nowadays there are various ways you can connect with family over the web: Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and many more. 

You too should learn to embrace the benefits of video calling your family while away on your next business trip. After all, these small virtual windows can make you and your loved ones feel closer together, even if you’re thousands of miles apart.

Leaving on a business trip is never easy, especially if you have to leave your children behind as well. But that is not to say you cannot stay in contact and maintain a loving connection with your family. Despite the distance in question, you can make the trip easier on you and your loved ones by managing the budget, establishing routine, and embracing remote communication. 

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