Work Travel – Good or Bad?
Readtime: 3 minutes
It has been a while since I travelled internationally for work.
So when I boarded a flight to Zurich last week, I wasn’t just thinking about the session I was going to run – I was thinking about what this trip meant.
It was my first overseas speaking engagement since starting my own business – and the first of four international work trips I’ve got coming up in the next few weeks. 🎉
The invite came off the back of some virtual sessions I delivered for the same company last year. But this time, they wanted it in person.
The topic of my talk?
👉 Daily energy for sustainable high performance
The kind of energy that helps people work better, feel better, and live better – not in short bursts, but consistently.
The session itself was energising, with thoughtful questions and honest discussion.
(The kind of room every speaker hopes to walk into.)
But what stayed with me most wasn’t what happened in the session.
It was what happened around it: the moments that reminded me why I now design my career differently.
What I Enjoyed
When I travelled internationally for work in my KPMG days it was easy to stop noticing the details.
Airports blurred together.
Hotels felt interchangeable.
It became routine.
But this trip felt different – because now, this type of travel isn’t the default for me.
It’s something I get to say ‘yes’ to, intentionally.
That shift made me:
– Speak with driver who picked me up from the airport (and who also took me back the following day)
– Notice and appreciate the warm welcome at the hotel
– Realise how fortunate I am to get to do this for work
Even walking into the Zurich office – smaller than their London office – felt different.
There was a cosiness to it. Same company, different feel.
What I Don’t Miss
There are things I’m happy to leave behind from my travel-heavy years.
Interrupted sleep.
Abandoned exercise routines.
Time away from my wife.
And while I enjoyed many of the places I visited, I rarely saw much of them.
My days were mostly boardrooms and taxis.
Back then, I didn’t question it.
It was part of the job.
But this trip reminded me of something I think many professionals forget:
Just because we’ve adapted to something, doesn’t mean we’d design it that way.
The Realisation
Work travel isn’t inherently good or bad.
It’s not glamorous or exhausting by definition.
It’s a tool.
And like any tool, it needs a purpose.
I’ve realised that work travel feels most fulfilling when it’s:
– Aligned with the work I care about
– Occasional enough to still feel fresh
– Chosen, not automatic
You might not control every trip in your calendar.
But you may have more choice than you think.
Whether you think you have too much, or too little, it’s good to ask:
What role do I want travel to play in the next chapter of my career?
In Summary
This trip to Zurich reminded me that:
– Work trips can energise you – when they’re meaningful
– Every place reveals something different, even in small moments
– Travelling occasionally is more enjoyable than doing it constantly
– You can choose how travel fits your working life
And like most parts of our career, the more consciously you design it, the better it tends to feel.
On a Personal Note
I used to travel a lot for work.
I remember that before my dad passed away in 2019, he’d always ask at the start of a phone call “What continent are you on…?”
Very often I wasn’t in the UK.
At one point, I turned up at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong and was handed a small gift. It was to mark my tenth visit, which was by no means my last.
Back then, it felt normal.
And I definitely enjoyed a lot of the trips.
But this trip felt different.
It wasn’t “back to normal”. It was something better.
It was a small, meaningful signal that I’m building something I believe in – and that others find valuable too.
And that is the version of ambition I’m most excited about now.
One Quote to Get You Going
“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”
That’s all for today.
See you in a couple of weeks,
Mostyn
P.S. If you want more happiness and fulfilment from the next phase of your career, I can help you with Atomic Ambition. The waitlist is open for the next live cohort, and I’d love for you to join us.
P.P.S. If you’re interested in me speaking at your company, watch my showreel here.