Business trips can truly take a toll on our bodies- the marathon meetings, the bad coffee, the not always comfortable beds, the flights, the fast food everywhere… not to mention the added stress of important meetings, business pitches, and networking. Which is exactly why it’s important to be both mindful and prepared to stay healthy while away on business.
Start in the airplane
- Always pick water over soda and alcohol in the plane, both of the latter cause dehydration, which worsens jet lag.
- Pack a healthy snack (apple, nuts, protein bar) so that you’re not tempted to purchase and snack on chips in the airport terminal.
- Move around every couple hours while on the plane to maintain healthy blood circulation and avoid dangerous blood clots.
Workout in your hotel room
- This way you’re completely independent of hotel gym hours.
- Do a combination of squats, sit-ups, crunches, and push-ups which don’t require any equipment.
- Jog in place for some cardio.
- Go to a local grocery store and buy some healthy snacks to keep handy in your room.
Don’t drink so much coffee!
- People tend to drink more coffee when they are on the go, but too much coffee is not good for you- try to limit yourself to 2 cups a day.
- Next time a business associate asks you to talk over coffee, suggest a walk outside with them. Walking is a wonderful way of getting exercise and removes you from distractions. Conversations can flow more freely and business gets accomplished.
- Swap a few coffees for green tea, it’s packed with antioxidants and a great alternative to coffee!
Stay relaxed
- Remember to take deep breathes before important meetings and presentations, it helps your voice steady and sound more confident.
- Take some time out of each stressful day to relax and meditate- being stressed out is so unhealthy!
- Take a cue from yoga- take slow, deep breathes in through your nose and exhale completely several times to quiet your mind and lower your heart rate.
Be mindful of timezones
- Try and mimic the time pattern you have at home as closely as possible.
- Stay very hydrated by drinking water and coconut water in order to minimize jet-lag
- Try to get the same amount of sleep as you’re used to.
Don’t worry so much about work e-mails
- Set up an out-of-office automatic reply so that people know it will take you a few days to get back to them.
- Trust your team back home to handle business- there’s no sense in worrying about things you can’t control.
- Focus all your energy on your business travel, that way you can truly do a thorough job where you physically are.
