Travel can be stressful. Even when traveling for leisure the airport portion of the trip sends most people into a spiral. Add to that the pressure associated with frequent business travel, pressure from your boss, keeping up with work and communications, late night flights and little to no relaxation time and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a stressful and unpleasant experience.
Avoid travel stress by following adding these 5 easy tips to your travel routine.
Tip #1 Plan ahead
Being prepared and anticipating what you will have to deal with during your travels is one of the easiest ways to reduce and avoid stress. Your travel routine should start the night before to ensure you are not rushing or feeling unprepared. Step 1: Pack your bag the night before. Have a go to packing list that you can manually check when packing your bag so you can make absolutely sure you don’t forget anything important. Step 2: Plan how you are getting to the airports (and add a little extra time). Missing or being late for a flight is a huge cause of travel stress especially for business travelers. There can be a lot riding on making that meeting, not to mention the amount of money your employer is spending to get you there. Missing a flight because you are unprepared is just not a option. Remove this stress by organizing your transport to the airport in advance, knowing exactly where you are going to park and giving yourself some extra time in case of delays.
Tip #2 Learn about the airport and/or city you are traveling to
According to a survey conducted by Booking.com, 21% of business travelers cite unfamiliar surroundings as a cause of travel stress. Having to navigate a place that you have no experience of can be incredibly stressful and even more so when you have tight deadlines to keep. Heading straight to a meeting from the airport is a common occurrence among business travelers. Odds are you know your local airport like the back of your hand but one of the best ways to help reduce and avoid stress is by taking the time to get to know the airport and even the city you are traveling to. Take advantage of technology and use it to help you familiarize yourself with the airport or the city you are traveling to. Information on amenities, parking, maps and much more can often be found on the airport website and nowadays most airports will have an app that you can download. You could also download FLIO, the global airport app, where you can find maps and information on over 3000 airports as well as get some great discounts. Search YouTube for airport tours and travel vlogs of the city for some great inside tips and knowledge.
Tip #3 Pack a power bank
Your mobile phone is not only your primary source of communication, its your source of information and directions when trying to navigate a new place. Getting off the plane and realising your phone is about to die right when you need to find the address of your hotel or the number of your contact is incredibly stressful and something that is easily avoidable. You will no doubt have a regular charger in your carry on and finding an outlet or a workstation in the airport is an option. The problem is these are much more common when you are waiting to board a flight and can be difficult and awkward to find landside. Bring a power bank on the plane with you to alleviate that stress. Charge your phone while your flying to your destination and give yourself one less thing to worry about when you land. As an added precaution, in case you find yourself completely without technology for any reason, you should print out a document with important information such as flight times, accommodation addresses and phone numbers and keep it in your bag just in case. Packing a portable external charger in your carry on is one of my favourite pre flight wellness tips. You can find more wellness tips in this blog post.
Tip #4 Stick to your routine (as much as you can)
Travel has serious effects on our mental and physical health because it takes us out of our routine. Routines help our bodies to cope with everyday life because they have an idea of what to expect. People with consistent routine have lower stress levels, better sleep patterns and over all better health. But building a healthy travel routine is easier said than done. Even for those of us that travel frequently it can be difficult to develop a routine. Varying flight times, different airports and longer or shorter airport downtime can all combine to disrupt our healthy routine. 54% of business travelers say that they are less likely to exercise on a work trip than at home. Everyone’s travel routine will be different, and you may need to experiment in order to find out what works best for your wellness. Perhaps you need to arrive to the airport a little earlier, so you have time to stretch before your flight. Perhaps you need to make it a point to go out for a walk and get some fresh air as soon as you get to a new city. Whatever you need to stay healthy and well, try to build a travel routine that helps you and stick to it.
Tip #5 Meditate
One of the most effective ways for reducing stress is meditation. Meditation helps give you a sense of calm and helps you to gain a new perspective on a stressful situation. There are many different ways to meditate and as with most wellness practices you will need to find the way that is best suited to your needs and situation. There is so much meditation content and tutorials online that it can be a bit overwhelming for a beginner. I suggest following one of the guided meditation available in the Sanctifly app. Find a quiet spot in the airport (unused gates are a great option), plug in your head phones and let all your stress melt away.
Read some first hand accounts about the impacts of meditation here.
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