Surefire Ways to Reduce Business Travel Stress

Travelling for work can be fun, rewarding, challenging and invigorating, but from your body’s perspective it’s one thing for sure - stressful. The modern human mind may be fully adapted to the notion of being strapped into an airplane and making its merry way to far-flung destinations to broker delicate business deals, but the body is still playing catch-up.

Human DNA takes a while (read: many generations) to adapt to newly introduced stimuli, so you can imagine how confused our bodies are about being whisked around, dropped into new time zones and spending extended periods of time in pressurised environments. No wonder we get headaches, feel lethargic, or even get quite ill when we swop one continent for another.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to manage your body’s stress levels when you take to the skies to visit a new destination:

Give It Some Pre-Trip TLC

If you have some lead-time on your trip, use it to boost your immunity as much as possible. Good ways to do so include:

• Taking a multivitamin, or supplementing with Vit B (for energy release) and Vit C (to stave off disease).
• Enjoying fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles or kombucha to boost your internal gut bacteria.
• Getting plenty of quality sleep (i.e. not in front of the TV, and without the use of pharmaceutical aids).
• Carrying waterless hand sanitiser to keep your hands fresh and germ-free throughout the day.

Set Yourself Up For Success

Once you arrive at your destination, set yourself up for success by putting the following measures in place:

• Ignore the common ‘go to sleep at the local bedtime’ rule upon arrival. It will only leave you more tired and stressed. Go to bed and get up at the same time you would at home to ensure a productive first day.
• Leave plenty of wiggle room in your travel schedule, especially if you’re driving yourself. By giving yourself an ample time margin, you effectively eradicate the added stress of running late.
• Get some fresh air. Instead of heading to the hotel gym for exercise, lace up your trainers and take to the streets (or country lanes) of the city or town you’re visiting. It’s a great way to see the sights, and a refreshing way to stretch your legs.

Following these guidelines will pave the way to a less stressful travel experience. Keep an eye on the blog in coming weeks and months for more insight into maintaining managing stress when you hit the road. In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with our team of expert corporate travel planners who take great pride in working with frequent flyers to create itineraries that allow them to work effectively and arrive home refreshed.