Business Traveler’s unglamorous life behind Instagram images – Business Week

The new Swedish research shows that frequent travelers are not necessarily glamorous. On the contrary. With its continuous coachman spirit expose themselves to the “mobile elite” for a range of pressures.

Life as a business traveler is not always as glamorous as Instagram- the images before the mirrors. The Economist has noted a study by a British scientist along with Swede Stefan Gössling from the University of Lund and Linnaeus University.

The researchers say that frequent traveling becomes an increasingly important part of the social identity and serves as a way to building social capital. In other words: What is the status filled to travel a lot. The study says that among other traditional media and social media helps to glamorize the image of the traveler. Social media has made the mobile elites can more easily show off their traveling friends and family.

A small percentage of people are traveling much more than the rest of the population. For example is in Sweden three percent of the population of a quarter of all international travel. In the study, called the hyper-mobile travelers for “Mobile Elite”. Most, but not all, of this group are business travelers and tend to be high-income earners.

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But the study also want to highlight the negative aspects of “hypermobility”. Thus, the reality behind the glamorous Instagram images on the lovely meals, sunshine and tourist attractions.

The consequences are divided into three categories: physical, mental and emotional, and social.

Among the physical consequences are familiar phenomena as “jet lag”, the fatigue that occurs when converting between time zones. But the researchers, who has compiled previous research on the effects of traveling, also highlights the increased risk of heart attack and stroke, påsnabbat aging risks. In addition, they are subjected flying much more radiation and bacteria than others. Add this to business travelers get less exercise and eat less healthy than those who stay at home.

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A mental and emotional effect, according to the researchers increased stress and confusion that can occur when one jumps between locations and time zones. Unexpected delays and security checks may lead to anxiety, frustration and fatigue.

Hypermobility can be insulating, the researchers write in the study. Travel can certainly open to new social contacts, but studies show that the relationships are concluded tend to be short-lived.

Marriage, children, and and friendship relationships may suffer from traveler’s prolonged absence is one of the negative social effects of travel. The researchers also emphasize a gender aspect. Most of the business travelers are men and Gössling and the British researcher refers to research showing that frequent traveling of one parent can prevent the other from participating in the labor market.

According to the authors, the study provides evidence that can be used to “conflicting discourses that makes hypermobility fashionable”.

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