3 Bite-Size Ways to Beat the Overwhelm of Long-Haul Travel
Twenty three hours.
That was my door-to-door travel time this past week for a work trip, from my home in Atlanta to my final destination city of Yinchuan, China.
How do you maintain balance during an experience like that?
I think there’s a beginning, a middle and an end to it. Here’s how it looked for me.
It starts before it starts.
Before the trip even starts, take a moment and check in on how you’re feeling about it. Are you dreading it? Are you looking forward to it? What parts, exactly?
See if you can home in on the thing or maybe the person that’s generating the feeling. Is it the excitement of an unfamiliar city, say, or the anxiety of having to work with a particular person when you get there? Are you glad to step away for a few days from the routine of family life at home, or are you wracked with guilt or fear of things falling apart while you’re gone? Are you frustrated about not having travel-ready outfits, or do you relish the opportunity to put your capsule wardrobe to use?
It could be any of these things or a hundred others, but the point is to try to put our finger on the source of whatever emotion is most powerful for you about a work trip. Resist the urge to make blanket statements (“I’m overwhelmed!”) so that you can take manageable, bite-sized steps to counteract the negative feeing.
Start there, before your trip even starts, to get in a balanced frame of mind.
Remember the human scale.
The human-scale reminder resonated strongly with me this week in Shanghai. Sure, there are massive numbers of people out there. But you aren’t interacting with massive numbers of people. You’re interacting with the person sitting next to you or maybe a few people in your circle of conversation.
The same goes for a long-haul trip. Sure, the whole thing might be a super-hero-sized 23 hours but there are human-scale segments within those 23 hours. The 14-hour leg from Shanghai? Make a realistic plan for your time, which could include taming your Inbox, sleeping, writing two articles and watching a movie. Then regroup during the layovers, and start again.
Allow for the whole range of things, on both ends of the scale. That way you can find the balance in between.
Counterbalance: Stimulation and introspection
At no other time does my journal fill with more new entries than when I travel. That’s because when I’m on the road, there’s more time for introspection and the space that opens up for fresh ideas as a result.
Fresh stimulation is a huge perk of travel, even long-haul travel. Counterbalance it with time set aside to process all that’s going on, whether that’s a day-to-day activity or on the flight back home. Taking the time to give yourself that perspective queues up a smoother transition upon arrival.
Bonus Tip: Book options
Long-haul travel can also mean long lines or wait times – in customs or passport control, for example, or delayed flights in airports. That “found time” is also perfect reading time. I love foraging in the bookstores in airports and especially international airports, which often carry titles I don’t find in the US.
An alternative to paper copies of books are, of course, ebooks audio books. One of those three options – paper, Kindle or Audible – are almost always open during any travel “wait time.”
How about you? What are your favorite ways to beat the overwhelm of long-haul travel?
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.
SevenFiftyDaily’s 2019 Drinks Innovators – SevenFiftyDaily.com
They say to never read your own press but we won an award and are chuffed to share this news with you all;)
Bringing Wellness to the International Wellness Community – Celine Bossart for SevenFiftyDaily.com
A thoughtful story on the work we are doing to keep pushing the wellness discussion in wine.
Wine Enthusiast Media Announces Major Digital Expansion and Editorial Restructure – BeverageIndustryEnthusiast.com
Change is afoot at one of the US’s biggest wine trade magazines, bringing women to the forefront of leadership.
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.
Jennifer Chin, Founder, Strategic Wine Solutions, New York (USA)
Years In Industry:
12+ years. I started out as the Assistant Brand Manager, United States for Champagne Krug.
Back then, Krug marketing consisted of two people - me and my boss. My utter naiveté and a disproportionate amount of work turned out to be a fortuitous combination in that I wasn't limited to a single lane. On any given day, I'd work on brand management, events, press, distributor management, sales rep education and/or marketing communications.
I soon realized wine was "it" for me and decided to round out my background with hands-on experience in sales and portfolio management. I was fortunate enough to find an amazing opportunity at a boutique importer/distributor in NYC called Willette Wines.
In 2009 I started my own consulting firm, Strategic Wine Solutions where I work with small, family owned wineries to increase profitability. As a former classical pianist, I'm passionate about helping winemakers succeed in a manner that befits their artisanal intentions and family legacy.
My Biggest Challenge To Wellness:
My knee jerk reaction to this question was, "Oh, SO many challenges. How much time do you have?" More seriously, my answer is two-fold:
Being self-employed is an extraordinary privilege and a joy - having said that, my boss is a taskmaster. :)
Remaining adaptable in a changing environment. On any given week, I could be managing producer workwiths, developing a pricing model, setting up desksides, traveling, developing marketing programming, or.... or....
I manage ambiguity (better) when I've a basic framework and can flex activities in and around that. Working out - along with friends and family time - is one of the very few things that are always on my schedule. I work out at least five times/week and don't deviate because I'm the kind of person that if I give myself an inch, I'll take a mile and next thing you know, it'll be years before I see the inside of a gym.
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
I think one’s journey to wellness is evolving and deeply individual. However, seeing how others find balance can sometimes trigger a thought or an action that leads to a more positive path – ergo why supporting initiatives like "A Balanced Glass" is so important.
In my previous career in management consulting, we had a lot of client dinners and I watched how my bosses and colleagues enjoyed those occasions whilst remaining professional. Bear in mind, they were also the same folks who got up before the crack of dawn to workout, had a family, traveled like crazy and managed a successful career. Over the years, I've adapted that model to something that works for me:
I do Bar Method at least five times a week. It's a mix of ballet and pilates and requires a level of concentration that prevents me from thinking about anything else. So it's a "two-fer." In one hour, I squeeze in a workout and a bit of meditation.
A few times a month, I'll throw in a HIIT class to make sure that my cardio is still up to snuff.
When I'm traveling, I do Bar Method online and throw in a run every other day. The great news about our jobs is that we're often in beautiful places. Doing a morning run next to a vineyard is an incredible and inspiring thing.
I try to leave the table a little hungry and a little thirsty. That way, I've something to look forward to next time.
I’m extremely fortunate in that I’ve an amazing support network. They call me on my sh_t, are the best cheerleaders and I attribute much of my success to them.
You can connect with Jennifer online at Strategic Wine Solutions on in Instagram Jennifer Chin IG and Godfather IG
Let's Meet Up!
As work life has it, we are traveling over the next few months and would love to see you!
Presenters at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, February 4 to 6 (Beck and Cathy)
Presenter at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, February 25 to 29 (Cathy)
Attendee at ProWein in Düsseldorf, March 15 to 17 (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.
