Traveling for work can be exciting. It opens up opportunities to meet new people, grow your network, and experience new things. It also allows you to grow and develop new skills by being in different situations with different demands. However, when you’re a single parent, business travel can also be stressful and overwhelming.
You might feel guilty if you have to leave your children at home with someone else or take them to a friend or relative’s house. Then again, you could feel a different type of guilt if you choose to miss out on travel opportunities.
So, what’s the solution? How can you navigate business travel as a single parent without causing family issues?
Work With Your Employer
More than ever, employers are focused on company culture. They want to know what their employees want, so they can foster an environment of growth, retention, and loyalty. One of the best things you can do to navigate your concerns about traveling for work is to talk to your employer.
Women, especially, face different needs than men, including specific healthcare needs after having children. Talk to your employer about identity-specific care when you’re away from home. In addition to ensuring your health needs are met while traveling, ask your employer to consider how you might achieve a better balance with your home life if you’re going to be traveling frequently.
That might include working remotely when you’re not traveling, or taking a few extra days off to be with your family and recoup after a few days away.
More often than not, employers are willing to listen to the needs and wants of their workers, so don’t be afraid to speak up and work out an agreement that gets everyone what they want.
Identify Your Goals
Business travel is fun and exciting, but is it really doing anything to advance your career? Do you really need to be jet-setting away from your family to reach your goals?
That can be a hard question to ask, and an even harder realization to come to. However, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of traveling for work, and whether it’s doing anything for your career. When you identify your goals and consider how you want to advance your career, you might determine that traveling is unnecessary in helping you move forward. Or, you might decide that you need to keep traveling to build your network and grow your skills. Asking yourself some of the following questions can help you decide if your current job and travel situation are helping you advance:
Is it possible to maintain my job while caring for my children?
Do I have flexibility?
Do I feel fulfilled?
Is there room here for growth?
Does my employer support me?
Asking yourself these tough questions can help you determine what you need from your current job, or if it’s the right place for you. No parent wants to be away from their kids more than necessary, so if traveling isn’t advancing your career or helping you reach your goals, it may be time to re-evaluate.
Strike the Right Balance
If you have to travel and it’s doing something good for your career, the next best thing is to find a healthy balance between your work life and home life. There are many childcare solutions for parents who travel, but that’s probably not your main concern.
Instead, you’re likely thinking about the things you might miss out on with your little ones, or how to handle missing them (and them missing you) while you’re away.
While leaving home will undoubtedly be difficult every time you have to do it, you can find a better balance by preparing your family for your trips.
Make sure your kids know what work travel is, why you’re going, and how long you’ll be gone. Don’t avoid the topic. Be open about it, and willing to answer any questions they might have. You can make the transition smoother by:
Having a family calendar
Preparing everything your kids need before you leave
Discussing feelings
Scheduling special time with your kids before your trip
It can also help to stay connected with your children while you’re away. Thankfully, technology makes that easier than ever. Consider reading to your kids every night over the phone, sending photos of your trip every day, and calling or using FaceTime as much as possible to hear and see them. You can even start a tradition of bringing home a postcard or special gift for them from each of your trips.
As a single parent, it’s essential to find what works for you and your family when it comes to traveling for work. Prioritizing the well-being of your kids, making sure you’re doing something that will help your career (and allow you to provide), and making the most of the time you do spend with your children will make all the difference. Every situation is different, so don’t hesitate to make a plan, talk to your employer, and experience less guilt and anxiety as you spend time away from home.