See Andy's other stuff:

Contact Me >>

Zen of Business Travel

This is a reprint of my post on Dell’s Digital Nomads blog:

I am a very calm traveler.

Despite the inevitable delays, idiots, and indignities, I rarely get upset.

How did I do it? I decided that it was the only choice.

When I was an angry traveler, I got upset, I stomped around, I
complained, I yelled. And it made no difference to anyone. It changed
nothing. But I was upset, yelling, and angry. And unhappy.

Now I realize that the only way to endure the indignity of travel is to float above it in my own little bubble of calm.

  • Remember that nothing you do will change anything, so save the energy.
  • The airline will get you where you’re going. They want to do it as
    efficiently as possible. They are on your side and they are trying.
  • Bad stuff will happen. Stupid stuff will happen. Just like at your company.
  • Nobody wants it that way, especially the airline personnel.
  • Imagine if you were trying to do your job, and every three days a
    hailstorm closed your office and a government traffic controller told
    you to stop working and sit in the hall without food for an hour.

How to stay calm:

  • Expect the worst. Enjoy the moments when things go well.
  • Prepare for the worst. Bring lots of music and books so you can enjoy the free time a delay gives you. Make it your “me” time.
  • Every airport has one great restaurant or sandwich shop, usually a
    little local place that you never noticed. Make it your special place.
  • Keep plenty of good food and drink in your bag. Treat yourself.
  • Pick an airline. Everything’s easier when you figure out one system and how to work it.
  • Give yourself extra time. Much travel stress is cause by time
    pressure. Better to do an hour of work at the airport than an hour of
    work before you leave and then freak out at the airport because you’re
    lost, hungry, rushed, and have to pee.
  • Never complain, never get angry. Only you suffer.
  • Get away from complainers and screamers. Don’t let them suck you in or ruin your calm enjoyment of your free time.
  • Treat the airline folks with respect and sympathy. They get paid very little to deal with everyone’s crap. They’re trying.
  • Help someone else. Lift their bag, hold a door open, smile at them.
  • Buy professional-grade soundproof headphones.

Those are my tricks. How about you?

Read the original post here

[contact-form-7 id="27185" title="contact-form 3 TellAFriend-Post"]