Work travel doesn’t have to kill your creativity or your productivity. When I travel for work, it’s usually for a conference which means my schedule revolves around a jam-packed predetermined conference agenda. As an introvert, I used to struggle with this. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up to stay inspired (and sane) during the conference chaos:

Bring a book or notebook

Yes, audiobooks or writing on your phone counts. Reading (or listening) to books written from another perspective can be very inspirational and spark ideas. Bonus, reading a physical book gets people’s attention – if you’re here to network, reading on your topic of expertise can start a conversation. This even happened to me with a book on data governance, of all things.

If you need help finding a book: see my post on (link).

The notebook is for writing your ideas, to-do lists, or wish lists, since you have the time in-flight. Alternatively, you can take notes on what you’re listening to or reading to reference later.

Bring clothes that make you feel confident

I don’t know about you, but even bad days are better when I’m comfortable and confident. Clothes play a major role in that. They shift how you carry yourself and how others treat you. This can make networking easier.

Bonus: taking a few creative professional photos while you’re already dressed well can boost inspiration.

Prioritize food and water

This sounds obvious, but I really struggled with it at my first conference. I tend to get so focused on what I’m doing that I forget to eat or realize I’m hungry way too late. Most conferences provide meals and snacks, but I can’t always count on them (because of quality, preference, or just availability). Even worse, water can sometimes be hard to find. I usually skip packing snacks or an empty water bottle to save space. Here’s what I do instead:

• Buy water immediately at the airport. The bigger, the better. Refill it throughout the conference and toss it before heading home.
• Plan for low breakfast options. If I know there’s hot water available, I pack a couple oatmeal packets. If not, I plan to order breakfast and grab an extra item for later.
• Focus on fueling foods at meals. During lunch and dinner, I skip the salads and fruit and aim for extra protein and grains or bread to keep my energy up.

None of these tips will magically make work travel perfect, but they’ve helped me stay a lot more energized, creative, and prepared.