This is From The Balance Beam

[TheBalanceBeam] - On the Road Again

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THE BALANCE BEAM
Ideas and Inspiration for Creating a Life that Works
Vol. 2 No. 10, May 12, 2000
Published by Success Builders, Inc.
http://www.SuccessBuildersInc.com
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"He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."
Lao-tzu
In this issue: ON THE ROAD AGAIN
====================================================================== Dear Friends:
One of life's little realities is that, for most of us, there's a huge difference between the experience of traveling that we do for pleasure and traveling that we do for business. While I love to visit new places and take great trips, I've learned that business travel is one of the biggest tests of my equilibrium and my ability to stay balanced. In this issue of The Balance Beam, we look at ways to minimize the wear and tear associated with being on the road for a living.

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Today's Topic: ON THE ROAD AGAIN

I'm writing this column at 38,000 feet, somewhere over the Midwest. Since this is the middle of the week, I'm surrounded by other business travelers. Some of them are working away on their laptops; some are carrying on what appear to be last-minute planning sessions with their fellow passengers as they head for important meetings. Still others are trying to catch a few winks, their suits wrinkled from a long day and their faces weary with road fatigue.

It's challenging staying balanced when your job takes you away from home. Despite the allure of traveling to big cities and new places, the reality of business travel is typically far less glamorous. Flight delays, recycled air, jet lag, noisy hotels and makeshift meals have a tendency to take their toll on even the heartiest road warriors.

The key to staying fresh and on top of your game when your itinerary has you feeling like a professional nomad is practicing what coaches refer to as extreme self-care. This means making your own well being as much of a priority as the needs of the clients or contacts you are going to meet. Here are some tips for taking extra-good care of you:

1. Eat well. OK, true confession time here. How many of you make an evening meal out of extra packages of peanuts on the plane, an ice cream cone or a beer and nachos at the snack bar? Keeping up with a hectic schedule requires premium fuel, not junk food. Despite the proliferation of free continental breakfasts at many hotels, what you really need to jet propel you through the day is some protein and complex carbohydrates for breakfast. Bypass the danish and make the time to have a real meal - some eggs, yogurt, or a bowl of oatmeal. While you're at it, grab some fruit for your briefcase so if dinnertime passes you by, you won't have to depend on what the flight attendant offers you for sustenance.

2. Stay hydrated. Airplanes, hotels and conference rooms are notorious for leeching water out of your system. Many times, what feels like fatigue is really a bad case of dehydration. Start your morning by grabbing a liter of bottled water on the way to your first meeting, and sip it throughout the day. Your energy level will thank you for it.

3. Take time off in the evening. Many people have the sense that if they are on the road, they are somehow obligated to work all day and all night. It's as if staying in a hotel obligates you to nothing but work and sleep, 24-7. If you were home, you would take some time (hopefully!) during the evening to catch a movie, attend your kids' soccer game, or take a stroll around the neighborhood. Give yourself permission for some leisure time while you're traveling as well. You know what they say about all work and no play......

4. Exercise. It's always interesting to see how quickly resolutions to get in shape derail when people have to go on business trips. And yet, this is actually one of those times when we most need to exercise. Sitting on planes, in meetings and toting luggage around airports all tax our bodies and put a strain on muscles. Remember to pack your sneakers and shorts first when you're preparing for a trip. Your workout doesn't have to be anything elaborate and doesn't require a fancy health club. Go for a run or a walk. Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Spread a towel out on the floor in your hotel room and do some stretching and calisthenics. Just get moving. You'll feel better for it.

5. Build in reserves of time. One of the most stressful things about business travel is the tight schedules that are typically involved. It's hard to relax when you're racing to the airport, running for a taxi, playing beat the clock to complete the agenda for a meeting, and repeating the whole cycle just to get home at night. Find ways to build cushions of time into your schedule. Don't schedule meetings that require your plane to land on time to the minute. If the meeting schedule is not flexible, take an earlier flight. Resist the temptation to pack 120% of what's realistic into your meeting agenda. And don't forget to build in good contingency plans. If you do miss the plane, or catch the flu, or get caught in traffic, what will your Plan B consist of? Thinking through how you would handle the inevitable Murphy's laws of life will help you to relax and take things in stride on your trip.

One final word about business travel, and perhaps most important, find ways to have fun on your trip. It may involve big activities, like making time for a Broadway play in New York, or catching a baseball game after the meeting. Or it may be the little things, like noticing the joy on the faces of kids who are traveling to Disney World, or the interesting architecture along the highway in a new city, or the impromptu conversation you strike up with the elderly gentleman next to you on the plane. Enjoy your business travel. And don't let it get the best of you.