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ASK anyone who travels for work: It’s not as glamorous as it looks. You’re miles away from people who know you well and many business travellers are left feeling lonely. Here is some advice for those who are often away from home.

1. Don’t work in your room. It’s tempting to stay in your hotel room in your pajamas, but it’s better to get out if you can. If your hotel doesn’t offer co-working space, park yourself in the hotel lobby or find a nearby coffee shop.

2. Steal small moments to stay in touch with people back home. Make quick calls to friends while you’re in transit from one place to the next. You can also use texts or pictures to stay connected.

3. Skype or FaceTime. Seeing your loved ones’ faces, even for brief moments, is a huge help.

4. Sightsee. With a packed agenda, it’s often tough to make time to enjoy the city. If you do have some time, keep it manageable. Enjoying the uniqueness of a place can help you realise the value of the travel you do.

5. Bring someone along. Many people say they are often too tired from travelling to make the extra effort of meeting up with friends or navigating a city they don’t know well. So some bring a companion on their trip — a spouse, a teenage child or a friend.

6. Consider sharing your hotel room with a colleague. You might end up staying up late and discovering that you have lots in common with someone. Making a new friend is something that may not have happen if you just sat across a meeting table from one another.

7. Enjoy your alone time. Instead of pining for what you’re missing at home, enjoy the quiet of your room, read a book, watch a movie or just go to bed early.

(Adapted from "Dealing With Loneliness While Traveling for Work" at HBR.org)

© 2015 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp