How To Survive A Work Day Trip
By Stephanie DeRosa
Work day trips: travel to a different city, take care of business, and fly back all in one day. But a day trip’s effects can be felt long after those twenty four hours are over. Try right through the rest of the week! The nature of a business trip is stressful enough; add coming back the same night only to head into work at 9am the next day? No wonder they throw everything off. While we can’t promise an end to these disruptive work day trips, Travelle can help you manage their ripple effects while keeping your life balanced with these tips.
Buffer Days
The days before and after your trip are just as important as the trip itself. Set up a schedule for your work daytrip and what needs to be done when you get back. Having a visual list of what to accomplish, even if only tentative, will help you mentally prepare for what’s in store the rest of the week. A good night’s sleep before heading off to the airport is crucial; you’ll mentally and physically feel better for starting the day off well rested. When you return, carve out time to catch up on anything you may have missed in the office, and if possible, push back meetings. If you’re feeling particularly low energy, take advantage of your lunch break. Try walking, deep breathing, or yoga to help reinvigorate the senses.
Stress-Free Free Time
Take advantage of any pockets of free time while on your business day trip. Be it in between meetings or during cab rides, utilize the time to unwind and regroup. Meditate, sight-see, talk to friends, indulge in a little retail therapy—do whatever it is that takes your mind off work and leaves you feeling refreshed and ready to go. The less stress you experience the day of, the better your body and mind will feel in the days after.
Kick The Coffee
We're all for caffeine fixes, but when extensive traveling and shifting time zones happen all in the span of one day, that dehydrating buzz will do you more harm than good. Jittery headaches sound familiar? Coffee’s not such a good friend to us after all. But drinking plenty of water aids against headaches, lowers stress, and prevents fatigue. Essentially everything you want to avoid on a business day trip and the days that follow. If you do find yourself craving caffeine, opt for green tea which will give you that little pick me up with bonus hydration points.
Feed Your Feelings
But that doesn’t give you license to eat an entire tub of ice cream because jet lag’s got you down (we know, disappointing news). Instead, feed the feelings you need to get you through the days after a day trip—think energized, focused, calm. Eating berries chock full of vitamin C, folate foods like avocado and dark green veggies, and fish and nuts rich in omega-3s will help defeat those feelings of stress and fatigue after an exhausting work day trip.
Save Your Sleep Cycle
The exhaustion from your day trip will make naps look ridiculously tempting, much more so than usual. But a quick afternoon doze may leave you counting sheep late into the morning hours. Maintaining your normal sleep cycle from the get-go saves you the trouble of resetting your internal clock so you can get back on track faster. And when a lady boss is well rested, she’s ready to tackle anything. Even when a business day trip tips the balance.
