“Do you know all the things I’m quietly trying to manage as I prepare for a business trip and while I’m on the business trip?”

–Multi-million miler, Traveling Consultant

There are so many details to ensure that the trip is a success and I can truly write that magic trip report, or claim that commendation or promotion!

As the work piles up, the hours in the day seem to get shorter, and the stress mounts into the neck and shoulders and I’m eventually hunched over the laptop, face protruding into the screen like some sort of alien. Then there are trip logistics that always seem to take more time than they should, even with the corporate travel program. It’s hard to believe the stress that the fear of non-connectivity can impose… will the WiFi work, and how much will I be set back if it doesn’t?

That’s just work stress, then of course there’s home and personal life stress to deal with. All of that consumes at least 70% of my time and is constantly encroaching upon any personal wellness time.

This is my life…

Personal wellness is only 1/3 of the priorities and travel related stress that I have to manage. Eating is 1/9th of those priorities. While I know management of that 1/3 and 1/9 will determine my current and future health, it is often crowded out by the other priorities that put me on the road in the first place. Whenever I look at food or eating as only fuel, then the quality of what I choose to eat drops in importance.

Is frequent business travel more art than balance or more balance than art?

Depends on what you are trying to achieve. If your goal is a healthier business trip experience then there is probably more art and creativity to integrating those objectives into your business expectations and priorities. If your goal is just getting by, then it is probably more balance than art. Either way, Travel Healthy has helped me balance these stresses and discover the art of pursuing a healthier goal, and I’m looking forward to its companion, Nouri Pocket Guide, in helping me overcome those business travel gremlins!