Worried, stressed and hurried, traveling as a business professional can leave you drained of all your energy. Whether you fly first class, charter a private plane, or get a pilot’s license and fly yourself, jet-setting executives could always use a few ideas on how to reduce stress during their travels. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to decompress while you’re on the move.
Here are a few relaxation tips for traveling executives that can help you make the most of your travel and help ensure you’re prepared for whatever important meeting or conference you’re jetting off to.
Find a Quiet Place
When you’re feeling a bit stressed, it’s crucial to find a quiet space and spend a few moments with yourself. This can be challenging in busy terminals, so bring some noise canceling earphones and turn on a white noise app, like this one from TMSoft to block out noise from the surrounding environment. Good old-fashioned ear plugs also work wonders.
Those who are priority members with commercial airlines also have access to exclusive clubs or lounges offered by the airline, and should definitely make the most of them. In addition to a quiet place to relax or get some work done, there is often complimentary food and beverages which can certainly make any airport adventure more enjoyable.
If you pilot yourself, take a break at the pilot’s lounge before you take off toward your next destination. Many of us are burdened by constant email notifications and phone calls. If your work allows, take some time to unplug from the world until you reach your destination and you’ll likely feel more refreshed when you land.
Watch Your Diet
Those that travel a lot are prone to grabbing on-the-go meals or killing time during a layover at an airport restaurant. While it’s not always easy to stay healthy while traveling, sticking to a low-carb and high-nutrient diet will do wonders to keep your mind and body balanced. Skip the airplane food – not only is it generally overpriced, it’s often prepackaged and highly processed. While you may not be able to eat salad and fruit at every meal, choose a few handfuls of trail mix, or stick a piece of fruit or granola bar into your bag to hold you over until you can get something healthier.
Planning Makes Perfect
It may not always be easy, but sticking to a rigorous schedule will help keep you organized and reduce stress. If you have an extra early flight, be sure you go to bed early so you can wake up feeling refreshed and recharged.
Try to get as much work done before you have to head to the airport, so you can take some downtime at the gate or on the flight to decompress before you meet with your colleagues or clients at your destination.
It also helps to plan ahead for your transportation once you land. Book a car ahead of time so you don’t have to wait in long lines for a cab, which can be frustrating and leave you scrambling for more time.
Always Have Something to Do
While it might be tempting to use the 45-minute wait at the gate to shoot off a few more emails, many business travelers also benefit from taking their minds off of work for a bit to help recharge. Be sure to pack something that you can occupy your downtime with. Whether it’s a new book, your favorite movie, music, podcast or talk show, keeping your brain stimulated in an entertaining way will help keep stressful work off your mind while you get through your travels.
Get Your Private Pilot’s License and Remove the Hassle of an Airport
We all know how much of a pain traveling on the commercial airlines is – from long waits to delays to cramped leg room. If you’re a business executive that travels often, learning to fly presents many opportunities that will improve the way you get to important client meetings, new groundbreakings, conferences and anywhere else you may need to go.
You can save on time by not having to wait at crowded airports, spending your valuable time in a security line, and you can even make your own flight schedule, instead of having to work around the commercial airline pre-determined schedules. In fact, many executives who fly themselves find the ROI comes in saved time and increased efficiency.
Are you interested in learning more about becoming a private pilot? Get in touch with Inflight Pilot Training today!
We are a leading flight instruction company serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and the surrounding areas. With a reputable training program and an extensive roster of highly skilled, certified flight instructors, we can give you the freedom to fly to the greatest destinations in the state of MN.
For additional information on Inflight training programs, contact us today or call (952) 698-3000.
