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Staying Sane While Traveling
Sooner or later, just about every frequent traveler begins to tire of life on the road. No matter how adventurous your spirit, loneliness, airplane food, and general disorientation have probably made you a little blue on at least one occasion. While this is normal, the stress of being away from home doesn't have to overwhelm you. The following tips can help you stay happier and healthier on your next business trip.
- Paying attention to your diet--whether you have a tendency to overeat or skip meals while traveling, can make you feel a lot healthier and happier. One healthy hint is to call ahead and order the vegetarian or low-fat meal on the plane, even if you're a meat-eater. These meals are often healthier (and tastier) than the standard meals.
- If the hustle and bustle of air travel gets you down, try stopping in at the airport chapel. You don't need to claim any religious affiliation, and you may find the quiet, reflective atmosphere soothing.
- Remember that attitude is everything. When you're alone in your hotel room, you may find yourself missing loved ones at home. If this happens, try to make the best of the fact that you're alone: Read a novel, take a long bath, indulge your secret love of Gilligan's Island reruns. Do any of those things you never seem to find the time for when you're at home.
- Make your hotel room as homey as possible. Stave off homesickness by bringing along photos, candles, or mementos of home.
- One of the best ways to combat stress is to make sure you get enough sleep. This can be hard on the road, especially if you have crossed time zones. Bring earplugs and eye shades. Go easy on the caffeine. Alcohol, too, can disrupt sleep patterns and should be consumed moderately, if at all. Some travelers report that the hormone melatonin helps them sleep better.
- Exercise can also combat stress. Many hotels either have their own exercise rooms, or can provide a temporary membership to a nearby health club. Be sure to ask if your hotel has any such arrangement.
- Treat your business trip as much like a vacation as possible. Make time for something you would normally save for pleasure travel, like a fancy dinner, or an afternoon at a museum. Or treat yourself to a night in your hotel's best room. Even if you have to pay for it out of your own pocket, treating yourself like a king or queen for a night might just give you the lift you need to get through another night away from home.
For more travel tips and advice, check out Amy Ziff's blog, The Window Seat, or her monthly column, Travel Trends & Advice from A to Z. To suggest a topic for a future column or to tell about a travel experience of your own, please email Amy Ziff at ask.amy@travelocity.com.
Related Links
The Facts on Melatonin and Jet Lag
The Importance of Comfortable Clothes
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