There is a specific kind of silence that hits you when the hotel door clicks shut behind you. You have spent the entire day “on” shaking hands, presenting decks, trying to remember if the client takes sugar in their tea.
Now it is 6 PM in a city you vaguely recognise from the taxi window, and you have got absolutely nothing to do until breakfast.
People often assume business travel is all “bleisure“: expense account dinners and high-flying adventure. In reality, it is mostly figuring out how the shower controls work and wondering if it is socially acceptable to order a club sandwich and eat it in bed. The biggest challenge isn’t usually the work itself; it is filling that gap between the last meeting and sleep without staring at the wall or accidentally working another three hours.
The Low-Energy Unwind
When your battery is flat, the path of least resistance is usually digital. You kick off your shoes, loosen the tie and grab your phone. It creates a bubble of familiarity in a strange place, giving you a way to switch off without having to venture out into the rain.
If your work has taken you over to Ireland for the week, you might notice your usual digital landscape changes slightly. You get served different content or local suggestions, which can be a simple way to pass twenty minutes while you wait for room service. You might browse the local headlines to see what is happening in Dublin, catch up on your favourite comfort show on Netflix or perhaps take a look at promotions on NetBet to keep yourself occupied for a bit. It fits into that quiet pocket of time where you want a bit of entertainment without having to engage your brain too heavily. It is just about finding small, low-effort ways to decompress so you are actually rested for the morning pitch.
The Good Intentions of the Suitcase
Most of us are guilty of packing gym kit that never sees the light of day. It sits at the bottom of the bag as an aspirational object rather than a practical one. However, if you can drag yourself down to the hotel pool or fitness centre, it is often the quickest way to shake off the stiffness of a flight or a long train journey.
You do not need to commit to a punishing workout. Just twenty minutes in the sauna or a quick few lengths of the pool can act as a physical full stop to the working day. It separates the stress of the meeting from your evening, making it much easier to relax when you finally do settle down. If the hotel facilities are lacking, even a basic stretching routine in the room can help work out the tension that builds up from sitting in conference chairs all day.
The One-Hour Rule
If you have managed to find a second wind, it is worth leaving the room. It does not have to be a grand expedition; in fact, setting a strict time limit often makes it easier to get out the door. Give yourself exactly one hour to clear your head.
The biggest hurdle for most solo travellers is the dinner table. Walking into a restaurant alone can feel like you have a spotlight on you, but the reality is that nobody else notices. If a full sit-down meal feels like too much effort, find a busy spot with a counter or a bar menu. It is usually livelier, the service is quicker, and you don’t feel like you are marooned at a table for four. A quick walk and a decent meal can reset your perspective much better than scrolling through emails in bed, and it helps you get a feel for the city, even if you are only seeing a small slice of it.
Prioritising the Reset
Ultimately, the goal of the evening is to ensure you are sharp for the next day. Whether you chose the digital distraction in your room or the walk around the city centre, the endpoint is the same. You need to switch off properly so you can sleep.
Business travel is a marathon rather than a sprint. Protecting your downtime is the only way to get through the week without burning out. By the time the alarm goes off and you are ironing your shirt for the morning meeting, you should feel like you have actually had a break, rather than just a pause in the paperwork.