How to remain on track when you travel

Travelling for work can be something you love or hate as part of your industry or role within a business. Recently I had a quick 24 hour round trip interstate for a function, and again it allowed me to reflect upon how many people continue to struggle and use travel as an excuse to eat poorly, drink more alcohol, walk less and stop training/moving.

The endless excuses I hear as to why it’s too hard never ceases to amaze me. So let me start with this……..Not allowing these negative routines/moments to creep in will ensure you are productive and profitable on your travels. So, what were the key takeaways for me to ensure I maintained my productivity and wellbeing whilst interstate:

1. Running early for your flight? Explore the airport. Get those steps in. I love to ‘people watch’ and the airport must be one of the best places for this.
2. No meeting to get to upon landing? Check into the hotel early and hit the gym, the pool or best still, get outside for a run/walk and explore. Even 30 minutes will make a noticeable difference to your energy and focus.
3. In the evening limit yourself to two alcoholic drinks. Alcohol will disrupt your sleep and poor sleep leads to poor decisions and a lack of energy and productivity the next day.
4. Wake up when the gym in the hotel opens. Have you training gear laid out the night before to help remove a perceived roadblock. Get up, get moving. Again, outside is the best to embrace the sunshine and fresh air, but any movement is better than nothing at all. Again, 30 minutes will make a noticeable difference to your day.
5. Breakfast. This is where many of the excuses come up. The easiest option for those familiar with it is to fast. If your schedule permits, you can fast and eat your first meal post the 16 hour mark. However, if you are like me and you love a hotel breakfast then the simple rules are this. Walk past the pastries, ignore the fruit juices, skip the cereals and block out the breads. Every hotel that I have visited has the following options: Bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, salmon, fresh fruit, oats and alternative milks. There is no reason you need to resort to highly processed or high carbohydrate options. Whilst travelling, you want to have sustained energy and focus through the day. Don’t forget to take the extra piece of fruit for a snack during the day.
6. Yes, the no coffee for one hour still applies, but if you have been up early to move, showered and dressed, then you are most likely on the mark for your first cup of amazing coffee.
7. Keep the room cool. I find 19 degrees to 21 degrees is a good level. This helps with sleep quality.
8. Walk to your meetings. Not only do you get to explore the city or town, but you keep up the movement. This is not always possible, but more often than not if you are staying in the CBD and meetings are in the CBD, walking is actually faster.
9. Water! Not only is a plane a dehydrating environment, but travel breaks our routine and the conscious decision to drink water. Ensure you have a water bottle with you on your travels. Keep hydrated.

We have a responsibility to our clients, to our businesses and to ourselves to get the most out of our corporate travel. By making a few smarter and healthier choices I know that you will begin to enjoy travel more and benefit more from the opportunities that present themselves.