Pros, Cons and the Space in Between: Find Your Balance on the Road
O-N-D.
Do you know what that spells?
Travel.
It’s a reality of our business, maybe more in the last quarter of the year than at any other time. Even if work-related travel isn’t on your agenda for the next twelve weeks, we’re all likely to hit the road in some fashion and find ourselves in transit, away from home, and adjusting to conditions that may change on a dime.
There will be “good” things that happen when we travel (early arrival! seat upgrade!) and there will be “bad” things that happen too (traffic jam, missed connection).
Here’s an idea: look for the balance in between.
I’m not suggesting we get all pollyannaish and look for the silver lining in every negative situation (because, come on, that’s just annoying, not to mention unrealistic). But I am suggesting that we notice the dynamic interaction of pro and con. Sometimes we sway and sometimes we dip, and sometimes (sometimes!) a little shift in perspective can mean the difference between travel snafu and travel disaster.
Here are three common challenges of travel, and some perspective on their pros, cons, and how to find the balance in between.
Challenge: Bad or inconsistent WiFi
Pro: Quiet time! How many times have we wished that we could have time to ourselves to just THINK? Unplugging, even involuntarily, is the granting of that wish.
Con: Possible missed messages or deadlines.
In Between: Bad WiFi for an extended period of time is reasonable justification for being out of touch during regular business hours. In addition, though there’s a small chance we’ll miss an urgent request to put out a fire or two, it’s also the time to step back and watch how the world continues to spin without us.
Challenge: Delayed flight or missed connection
Pro: “Found” time! Just like our desire for quiet time (above) to think, found time is the gift of a buffer zone. Missed travel connections are out of our control; they’re also built-in pauses to take a breath and remember to control what we can. Which means our reactions to trigger situation like this.
Con: More time away from family at home.
In Between: Put the found time to good use, either by checking off a to-do list item you enjoy (reading the latest Louise Penny novel, anyone?) or making headway on a family holiday action plan.
Challenge: Overly abundant food and drink
Pro: Opportunity to taste wines or dishes you’ve never had before, and to learn more about the people behind the products. Also, more time with colleagues outside the office is a great way to build relationships in a more social situation.
Con: Too. Much. Of everything. Also, later nights out and less sleep.
In Between: I’m not a vegetarian but, if I have the option, I’ll sometimes request the vegetarian option which will usually be lighter. You can also remember this Tibetan saying about the secret of living well and longer: eat half, walk double, laugh triple, and love without measure.
How about you? How do you navigate the pros and cons of your most common travel challenges? We’d love to hear.
Namaste,
Cathy
What We're Reading:
There's no shortage of wine stories and media inundating our IN Boxes. Here's what has piqued our interest this week.
Why Gratitude is the Key to your Work-Life Balance – Cathy Huyghe for Inc.com
Here's what entrepreneurs need to know about the practice of gratitude, and why it helps.
What Retailers Need to Know About Working With Importers – Courtney Schiessl for SevenFiftyDaily.com
“Leveraging their relationships with importers can offer retailers advantages like exclusive selections and better prices, but the practice isn’t for everyone. When it works, though, it can bolster a retailer’s image while giving consumers access to unique wines.”
Meet the Community!
Our community is only as strong as the company we keep, and here we meet some of the folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Allison Langhoff, West Coast Director, Wine Enthusiast Media (USA)
Years in the Industry:
Growing up with an Italian grandfather who was a pattern maker for the first Abercrombie & Fitch in existence, my career path was solid. Or so I thought. Years into fashion and big store retail management lead to burn out and a big life changing decision – pivot my career! I put my Marketing degree to good use and got into broadcast media. I never thought that creating an on-air radio program about wine would have led to me the 20-year career I’ve had at Wine Enthusiast Companies running West Coast Media, but I couldn’t be more thrilled. There are no better people to work alongside of than the people in wine.
My Biggest Challenge to Wellness:
Like a lot of us in the industry, we run lean and high energy at the companies that employ us which means we are doing multiple projects sometimes simultaneously, cue the crazy monkeys in our brains! I work out of a home office but travel domestically and internationally about 50% of the time which means my schedule always must be tightly managed so work doesn’t bleed into personal which can easily happen if I let it.
Compartmentalizing what I do each day is very important. I live by my calendar and make it a priority to put not only professional obligations on there but all of my personal including workouts, errands and other to do’s. This method helps me focus on what I’m accomplishing each day and week without the noise of having to manage logistics on the fly. For those wanting to clean up their calendar act: color code your obligations so you can tell easily what is personal vs professional!
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
Yoga and outdoor exercise take a front and center approach to health both mentally and physically. There is nothing more grounding than taking your shoes off at the beach or going for a long hike and feeling the bigger powers at play. Mother Nature always leads the way if you let her. I’ve also been practicing Iyengar Yoga for over 20 years. It all started at the Iyengar Institute here in San Francisco with a British love interest that lead me there. What I thought was going to be short lived – for both the man and the yoga – proved to stand the test of time. Although we don’t go to yoga together as often now, our 13-year-old daughter provides as an excellent stand in and I couldn’t be more thrilled that she is incorporating it into her life at an early age.
I could go on and on about food choices here, but Ill spare you and just say I try to take a sensible balanced approach to everything that I put in my mouth. I naturally intermittently fast – before it was an actual “thing” - which keeps me feeling energized and light. I switched to green tea in the 90’s. And yes, I do always keep pints of ice cream in my freezer.
I live by certain mindful codes that are easy to follow. Learn to say no especially when you are feeling overwhelmed. Try to laugh out loud each day about something and do it with someone you really like. And try each day to be the best version of yourself whatever that may look like.
You can connect with Allison on Instagram at @allison_langhoff
Let’s Meet Up!
As work life has it, we are traveling over the next few months and would love to see you.
Emcee at Australia Decanted in Lake Tahoe, Oct. 6 to 9 (Cathy)
Attendee at Wine Spectator New York Wine Experience in New York, Oct. 17 to 19 (Beck)
Attendee at ProWine China in Shanghai, November 12 to 14 (Cathy)
Presenter at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, February 25 to 29 (Cathy)
Presenter at the Future Wine Expo in Santa Rosa, May 12 and 13 (Cathy)
Drop a line to rebecca@abalancedglass.com or cathy@enolytics.com if you are interested in getting together for practice, a chat or a great glass together.
