Part of the life of an entrepreneur is being outside the office -- from attending industry conferences to meeting with investors, clients and prospects.
Depending on the level of these activities, entrepreneurs might be on the road pretty much every week or a few times a month. Such travel can take its toll. I’ve seen the entrepreneurial equivalent of the freshman 15, the startup 15, and formerly healthy and trim business owners become less focused on fitness as they focus on getting their businesses off the ground. Over the long term, such neglect can lead to long-term health consequences.
Staying healthy on the road requires a lot of will power and foresight. Here are seven techniques I use to stay healthy while traveling:
1. Bring your own food or eat a lot less. Outside of California, there’s usually a dearth of healthy options at airports and events. That’s why a recent Omni Resorts & Hotels survey found that 70% of business and leisure travelers gain weight on the road. If you’re super-motivated, bring your own food with you – that allows you the most control. If you’re like the rest of us, then really watch what you eat. My trick is to eat a salad at dinners and nothing else and avoid the hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail hour.
2. Hydrate. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, confusion – these are all symptoms of dehydration. Plane travel exacerbates dehydration because the average humidity in an airplane cabin is around 20% compared to 40%-70% on average for the air we breathe outside. That’s why it’s a good idea to bring your own water on the plane. Yes, you’ll have to buy it at the airport because you can’t bring liquids in through security. It’s worth the jacked-up prices though.
3. Guard your sleep. At conferences, it’s not unusual for events to start early in the morning and cocktails to run into the wee hours. I’ve accepted that I won’t get eight hours a night at these events, so I shoot for six. Contrary to what you may have heard, that’s all you need; research has shown that most people can get by for long periods of time with 5.5 hours of sleep, though most of us feel better with more.
4. Avoid the cocktails! If you travel a lot, then grabbing a couple of drinks at cocktail hour can become a bad habit. In addition to being unprofessional, drinking too much at events can wreak havoc on your sleep, your waistline and your sense of well-being the next day. I find it’s easier to avoid drinking altogether. No one really cares if you’re drinking water or cranberry juice and those who do likely won’t remember what you had or much else. However, if you are concerned with colleagues asking why you’re not drinking, perhaps take one drink and nurse it throughout the evening.
5. Schedule breaks. If you can take a power nap, by all means do it. If, like me, you can never nap during the day, then be sure to schedule some alone time during events to recharge and regain focus. Meditation can be great for lowering your stress level and taking control of runaway thoughts. I find catching some fresh air via a brisk walk outside around the hotel grounds often provides that slight recharge that’s needed. If you’re an introvert, then some “me time” will help you recharge. If you’re an extrovert, you may need to get some social time if you’re stuck in classroom-based seminars all day.
6. Minimize stress. Being on the road is stressful mostly because of small annoyances, like forgetting to bring certain items, flight delays and endless lines. Some of these things you can’t control, but some you can. Using TSA Precheck or ClearID is a great stress reducer and lets you sail through lines while others wait. Keeping a checklist of items to bring with you will also help you avoid the stress of leaving stuff at home or at the hotel.
7. Change your attitude. “Attitude,” said Winston Churchill, “is the little thing that makes a big difference.” If you view traveling as a chore then you will experience it that way. If you see it as a chance to meet new people and have new experiences, then you’ll enjoy it more. For instance, you can either dread a six-hour flight or see it as an opportunity to spend time reading books and seeing movies that you’ve been putting off.
Staying healthy will inevitably give you a better attitude and you’ll find that the process is self-reinforcing. It can also be an opportunity for self-growth. With every danish and cocktail you refuse, you’re taking a step towards being the healthy person you want to be and can focus on growing your business.