Highly successful people often establish healthy habits to enable them to perform at their best and they carry these habits with them when they travel on business.
If you want to succeed in business you will also need to take care of yourself physically, mentally as well as professionally. Wellbeing doesn’t just improve your personal health and happiness it drives productivity, creativity and profit. What better proof than to look at the exercise and rest routines of the highly successful.
Richard Branson always starts his day with a swim or a game of tennis on Necker Island and is convinced that working out each morning gives him at least four additional hours of productivity each day. Obviously we don’t all have access to a private island or the ocean but a swim at your hotel’s pool could set you up for a high output day and relieve some of the strain from travelling.
Some airports are now providing opportunities to swim between flights. Singapore Changi Airport’s Ambassador Transit Hotel at Terminal 1, is open to non hotel residents flying via Changi Airport. For a small fee, you can use the pool, Jacuzzi and showers. Towels are included as well as a complimentary non-alcoholic drink from the bar.
David Cameron is regularly seen running through the green spaces around Westminster. Alongside its enormous health benefits running can also reduce work strain, relieve tension and ramp up your energy levels. Getting out of the office for a run during your lunch hour could help you avoid that dreaded mid afternoon energy slump. When away on business, it’s also a great way to explore your accommodation’s surroundings. Whether running along the Thames Embankment or the lakeside in Geneva, it is a fantastic way of seeing the sights and keeping yourself fit and alert when away on business.
Arianna Huffington is quoted as saying the “single most effective trick for getting things done is to stop doing what I’m doing and get some sleep”. Curling up under your desk mid morning is likely a career limiting move but getting an adequate amount of sleep each night is within everyone’s reach. It becomes more important when travelling over 3 or more time zones.
Be careful that you don’t work or watch TV just before going to bed especially when travelling long haul as it may impede your sleep cycle even more. Some reports suggest your body can’t tell the difference between the light outside and the light your TV, laptop or tablets produce. So it may be better to avoid looking at your electronic devices for up to an hour before you go to bed or your body may be even more reluctant to release the sleep hormones you require to get a good night’s rest.
Alan Sugar is a keen cyclist and is adamant it boosts his energy levels. Cycling is a healthy, low-impact exercise suitable for nearly everyone. It’s also fun, low cost 
and good for the environment. Biking to work is one of the most time efficient ways to combine regular exercise with your everyday routine. European cities, such as Amsterdam, Brussels and London, have bike hire stations all over the city so you can cycle to and from your appointments. There’s probably a bike station close to where you’re staying.
Gordon Ramsey likes to get in a good training session before everyone gets up and the working day begins. Biking and running are how he unwinds from the pressure of his busy schedule, whether it be Malibu or London. Exercise in almost any form can act as a pressure buster. Being active will boost your feel good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.
Teresa May revealed she goes to the gym three times a week, working out with a personal trainer. We live in the age of specialists, a gardener takes care of your shrubs, an investor takes care of your finances and you’re an expert in your chosen profession. Engaging a personal trainer means you’ll have a personalized exercise plan with just the right mix of exercise types and intensity to ensure you hit your goals and make your time at the gym more efficient. So don’t forget to ask your personal trainer to design a travel workout for you before you go or make your trip the perfect opportunity to engage a personal trainer available from the hotel.
Michelle Obama famously gets up at 4.30am to workout and is quoted as saying “for me, exercise is more than just physical – it’s therapeutic”. When travelling she’ll pack a skipping rope to workout with or if space is limited perform a bodyweight circuit in her room. See my earlier blog on how to exercise on business trips.
If these high achievers can find the time and means to exercise and rest then so can you. When you invest in your personal wellbeing it’s a win win situation for both you and your employer.
Which healthy habit will you adopt when next travelling on business?
© Extravitality 2015
