Even the most frequent business travellers can experience homesickness. It can come over you when you less expect it and it has the overwhelming ability to occupy your every thought. Shorter businesses trips aren’t as hard to deal with- you know you’ll be home soon and it’s easier to reassure yourself. But when you have to be away for weeks, or months, being homesick becomes more difficult to deal with.

Mentally Prepare Yourself

If you have to leave home for a prolonged business trip you need to mentally prepare yourself. Don’t build up high expectations of your destination- instead try to maintain a neutral state of mind. If you expect the worst, you won’t be disappointed when you get there. Having positive preconceived conceptions of your destination may lead to disappointment which could trigger homesickness.

If you have young children, explain to them that you are going away for work (not pleasure) and that you will miss them. Sometimes people become homesick when they feel guilty for leaving their children at home. Knowing that they understand may help you feel a bit better.

Keep Active

Getting involved and meeting new people, will ease the feeling of homesickness. If you are in meetings during the day, arrange for a dinner date with a colleague. If you are alone on the business trip, get out and try to make some friends.

If you participate in daily activities at home, implement them on your business trip. For instance, if you spend a hour at the gym each day, check out your hotels gym. If you enjoy going to the theatre, ask hotel reception where you can get a list of upcoming performances.

Another way to keep your mind off home is to explore your destination. It isn’t everyday that you are given the chance to experience another culture or see a different part of the world- don’t miss the opportunity!

Keep in Touch

Today’s technology makes staying in touch easier for the business traveller. If you are in a different time zone, prearrange a phone call time that fits everyone’s schedule. By planning ahead you can avoid the disappoint of a missed phone call. To reduce costs, be sure to buy an international phone card.

Email is also an easy way to stay in touch. Most likely the hotel you are staying in will have an internet connection. It only takes a minute to send an email (you are never too busy), and getting a reply will soothe your homesickness by making you feel closer to you loved ones.

Learn the Language

Having limited communication abilities can be stressful and make you feel even more homesick. Depending on how long you’ll be away on business and how frequently you travel to the destination, it may be beneficial to learn the language. You can try to learn an another language while at your destination by taking classes in your spare time, or you can purchase books or software to assist you.

Keep a Journal

When there are no friends or family around to listen to your problems, a piece of paper and a pen can do wonders. By writing down your thoughts and feelings you may start to better understand your feelings of homesickness. Getting your thoughts on paper, will clear you head and you’ll start to feel better in no time.

If you have the time and enjoy writing, you can also keep a journal of your trip to share with family and friends when you get home. Business trips may not be filled with excitement but if you are in a foreign country you can write about the differences in culture and everyday life.


Feeling homesick can be overwhelming but it’s important to understand that you can overcome it. Call home, write an email or simply go to the gym, just remember that by keeping your mind active, you will eventually beat the feeling of homesickness.






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