Spending a good chunk of time away from your business when it’s just starting out seems like absolute madness, doesn’t it? However, there is a lot to be said for travelling when you are an entrepreneur. The benefits it reaps can touch your personal life and your mental health, as well as helping you to expand your business in ways you would never have even imagined. Here are the top five reasons why all entrepreneurs should incorporate travel into their startup!
It can relieve stress
There’s nothing quite like starting and running a business to make stress levels skyrocket—and it doesn’t take a genius to know that when you’re stressed, you aren’t producing your best work. Stressing at work makes us lose sight of what is most important in life, and while at this moment your business may feel as though it is the most significant thing in life, it really isn’t. Taking a good amount of time away from the daily grind can dramatically reduce cortisol levels, strengthen mental health and help you relax, recharge, and come back feeling fresh and revitalised. It will also toughen you up, making you more resilient to problems that the world of work throws at you—going somewhere and trying to integrate on your own is one of the most difficult undertakings you can possibly do, so everything else will pale in comparison!
Travel is crucial to expand business
While the miracle of technology means we can connect to people all over the world in the blink of an eye, there is no real substitute for face-to-face conversation, especially when it comes to networking. This human touch can build a relationship in a fraction of the time it would take to build a relationship over the phone, or via the internet. It gives relationships with overseas colleagues meaning, and means everyone knows who they are working with—you’re an actual person, rather than just an abstract figure!
It unleashes your creativity
Travelling exposes you to cultures completely different to your own: new people, new food, a new way of life. It allows you to approach the world from a different perspective, and thereby view problems in a different light, throwing up alternative solutions that you may never have thought of in your home country. Seeing and experiencing things you have never seen or done before can alter the wiring of your brain, giving you a greater degree of cognitive flexibility. New ideas will come to you just by experiencing different cultures, and a multi-cultural education will do wonders for your creativity bursts.
You might not think so, but travelling can reduce your costs
When you think of overseas travel, you automatically think of massive costs and expensive flights—you would think that staying put is definitely the cheaper option. However, going abroad need not be as expensive as you think. Many countries around the world have a far cheaper cost of living than the West, meaning you get far more for your money. You would be surprised how living in a hotel for 2 months straight in Indonesia can cost less than if you stayed in your apartment in London or New York—plus the weather is better and you are able to see some beautiful sights.
You can become more open-minded and learn about people
Nothing challenges our assumptions more than going to the other side of the world and trying to integrate there for a substantial amount of time. It breaks down the barriers we believe there are between different sets of people and challenge the stereotypes we hold of different cultures, which, studies have shown, enhances our creative abilities. Additionally, being in strange countries with a language barrier means you need to become more adept at reading body language and situations, and communicating effectively without using language. These are all excellent skills that can be put to use in the business world.
Travelling is a beautiful thing to do when you own a business startup, from whatever angle you approach it from. It can help give you peace of mind and put you at ease, relieve stress, and even save money! What’s to lose?
