Staying healthy while travelling for work can be a challenge. Between the blur of jetlag and sleepless nights, dining out with clients, hectic schedules and lack of exercise, business travel can take a toll on your health if you’re not careful
Thankfully, healthy habits are easier to integrate into your business travel than you may realise. Being conscious and aware of the decisions you make throughout your business trip can make a significant difference. Let’s look at some of the healthy actions you can take to prioritise your wellbeing while travelling for work.
Eating Healthy While Travelling for Business
Business Travel Health Tip #1: Don’t Skip Breakfast
Food gives us the energy we need to feel our best and stay productive. Skipping breakfast is never a good idea, especially if you’re on the go. You’ll find yourself needing to eat more later in the day, increasing the chance you’ll grab whatever unhealthy options are available. If you cannot stomach a large, nutritious breakfast first thing in the morning, drink a smoothie or make a light and refreshing fruit salad.
Business Travel Health Tip #2: Prepare Healthy Snacks
When travelling for business, it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating unhealthy and overpriced food at odd hours. Unfortunately, this can sap our energy and leave us more vulnerable to illness.
Eating healthy while travelling for business is much easier when you plan ahead. Travelling with light and healthy snacks will ensure you have something nutritious on hand when hunger inevitably strikes. We recommend packing non-perishable food for travel, such as mixed nuts, muesli bars or trail mix. Perishable food might include fresh fruits and raw veggies.
Business Travel Health Tip #3: Stay Hydrated
Staying healthy while travelling for work means keeping your H2O levels topped up. Water is a powerful elixir. Not only can it help relieve the symptoms of jet lag and fatigue, but it can also boost your immune system, rejuvenate dehydrated skin, as well as ease thirst and irritability.
We recommend drinking as much water as possible when travelling. Choosing water over a soft drink, juice and alcohol reduces the number of calories you consume and you’ll find yourself eating less since our bodies often confuse thirst for hunger. For even more health benefits, try adding lemon to your water.
Business Travel Health Tip #4: Eat Healthier Meals Out
Dining out is almost unavoidable during business travel. Thankfully, in most Australian cities, it’s possible to find restaurants that offer fresh ingredients and healthier meals. Skip appetisers and dessert.
Business Travel Health Tip #5: Dine In
If you enjoy cooking, skip a few meals out and cook your own healthy meal in your hotel room’s kitchen. Simply head to the local grocery store to pick up fresh options and whip up something easy and nutritious.
Business Travel Health Tip #6: Increase Your Vitamin Intake
From all the handshakes at business events to the recycled aeroplane air, it’s extra important while travelling for business to keep your immune system strong. To make it easy to remember to take them, place your daily multivitamins and probiotics in a clear plastic bag with your toothbrush.
Business Travel Health Tip #7: Avoid Alcohol
It can be easy to drink more alcohol than you should when travelling for business. Between airport lounges, hotel happy hours and entertaining clients after work, the number of drinks (and calories) can really add up, quicker than you might expect. Limit the number of alcoholic drinks you consume each day and plan ahead. Why? Not only do alcoholic drinks contain a huge amount of calories, they can also cloud your judgement and impact your ability to enjoy a restful sleep.
How To Stay Fit While Travelling For Work
Business Travel Health Tip #8: Make Time To Exercise
A lack of exercise when travelling can be extremely damaging to your health. Before booking your hotel, check whether there’s a gym, park, trail or swimming pool nearby to keep you on track with exercise.
Don’t skip working out because you don’t have enough time. Make time — even if you have to break it into chunks of 15 minutes, twice a day. Whatever you choose, plan your schedule accordingly and you might even be able to take advantage of your jet lag with an early morning run or late night training session. Giving your body the exercise it deserves and your mind a break will help you better manage the stress of business travel.
Take the stairs whenever possible. You can even try doing a few discreet laps around the airport while making your preflight phone calls.
An extra tip: If you pack workout clothing and shoes, you’ll find it easier to fit in exercise time during your business trip.
Bonus Business Travel Health Tips
Business Travel Health Tip #9: Prioritise Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial to performing well on your business trip. But getting your forty winks can be a challenge when you’re travelling. Whether you’re battling with a long flight, a timezone change, an uncomfortable hotel bed or a noisy room, you’re almost guaranteed to fall behind on sleep. Here are some ideas to set yourself up for sleep success:
- Power down all your electronic devices at least half an hour before bed, to give your body the chance to release melatonin and make you drowsy
- Take a hot shower one to two hours before bed
- Practice deep breathing exercises
- Drink a cup of chamomile or peppermint tea
- Head to the hotel gym to exercise before bed
- Resist the urge to check emails at bedtime and let yourself rest
Business Travel Health Tip #10: Wash Your Hands
To avoid falling ill on your business trip, wash your hands thoroughly whenever you get a chance, especially before eating. Pack a hand sanitiser and vitamin C in your carry-on luggage.
Business Travel Health Tip #11: Minimise Stress
Arriving at your airport ahead of time can help alleviate unnecessary stress. To minimise stress when travelling for work:
- Plan your transport ahead of time – Booking a vehicle through a reliable transport company such as Hughes will ensure you arrive on time to your next destination
- Pack your luggage a few days before your flight, rather than last minute – Use a checklist to make sure you don’t forget any essential items
- Plan to arrive at the airport early – For long international flights, plan your transport so that you arrive at the airport two to three hours before takeoff. For domestic flights, plan to arrive one to two hours before your flight. This will ensure that you clear customs, security, and arrive at your gate in time for boarding.
Contact Hughes on 1300 615 165 today to book your very own chauffeured vehicle and reduce your stress when travelling for work. Hughes offers luxury chauffeured transportation options throughout Australia, including executive and luxury European sedans, large people movers and mini-coaches.
