Finding time for dinner when you are on a very busy schedule, especially if working in the field, can be very difficult at best. Many time when on the road, since you may not see the same people for months at a time, you will want to spend as much quality time with them as possible. This can make for extremely long days on the job and dinner may end up being an after thought.
Instead of grabbing a snack from the vending machine on your way to your motel room late at night, consider a few other options to enable you to have dinner while keeping to your busy schedule. Consider picking up the tab for co-workers or ones that you are visiting on your current trip and learn a little more about the person and how they conduct their business while you have dinner.
In any case, you are going to have to eat so the time should be scheduled on your daily planner. If you begin to run over on a visit into the field, try to remember that the people you are visiting have family in the local area and they may want to be home for dinner with them.
Choosing a nice, yet not overly expensive restaurant where you may find enough privacy to discuss business. It may even be possible to have dinner in a restaurant in the motel in which you are staying. Inviting others with whom you need to discuss business-related matters and turning it into a dinner meeting, which depending on the topic of discussion, may be tax deductible.
If you are not traveling in the field and taking calls from your spouse about getting together for dinner, you should make the time in your work-life balance schedule to make it happen. While staying on top of your business needs is important you can’t let it consume you and ruin the relationship you have with your family.
If you know ahead of time you are going to have to work late, contact the family and have them meet you somewhere for dinner. It will not always have to be at a fancy restaurant, sometimes a fast-food meal will satisfy any children you may have, but taking the time out of your schedule to have dinner with the family will do wonders for your relationship.
In some instances it may be better to have the family join you for dinner at work. You can call land order in an evening meal or have, read that beg, your spouse to stop on their way to your office and pick something up to share with you when they get there. While eating a decent meal for dinner is important, it is always important to spend time with your family.