On a recent trip from Toronto to Chicago, bad weather in both cities was wreaking
havoc. After being told several times our flight would depart on time, we
boarded, buckled up and pushed back--only to hear that we were being held on the
ground. Indefinitely. A man a few rows up began shouting, "I can't stand this!
This is the fourth time this week you've done this to me. Why can't you just be
honest when there's a delay?" Venting didn't calm him down; it only seemed to
make him angrier. My own anxiety grew as his rancor escalated. "That guy needs
to relax," the man sitting next to me said as he pulled out his laptop. He
booted up a poker program. "This never fails to chill me out," he said, smiling.
We all have our techniques for managing travel-related stress. My seatmate played
for 45 minutes--the length of the delay--until he had to shut down his laptop
for takeoff. I was so transfixed by his game, I didn't bother with my own
tried-and-true stress-reducer: a knitting project that doesn't involve a
complicated stitch pattern. The repetitiveness of the motion is soothing, almost
hypnotic, and knitting's calming effect works in airports and hotel rooms, and
on trains, planes, buses and shuttles with predictable efficiency.
When I'm not on the move, I try scheduling my second-favorite stress reducer--a
massage--at the hotel. Or if that's not possible, at a day spa. Even the
$10-for-10-minute version you can get at airports works magnificently to release
tension and bring on a burst of cheer.
What else can you do to stay centered during a difficult trip?
Give yourself a reasonable amount of time to get where you're going.
Joan Eisenstodt, an independent meeting planner based in Washington, DC, plans
enough slack in her travel schedule so she doesn't panic if there's a delay.
Don't book tight connections, she suggests; that's asking for trouble,
especially in large airports. "I'd rather sit in the
departure lounge for an extra hour than miss a connection," she says. "Ideally,
I like to arrive a day or night early for a meeting, rather than risk not
getting there at all because of weather delays." If she has back-to-back trips,
instead of coming home for a day and feeling rushed, Eisenstodt takes an extra
day or two in either of the two cities she's visiting and uses her hotel room as
an office.
Do something nice for yourself. When Jennifer Juergens, a PR consultant, travels, she always tries to schedule
something that feels like an indulgence. It might be a haircut at a fancy salon,
a night at the theater, a leisurely tour of a museum or the facial she never
seems to have time for at home.
Get enough sleep. Some road warriors swear by foam earplugs and/or white-noise machines, which are
small enough to tuck into a carry-on bag and can drown out street noise and
noisy hotel guests.
Bring your favorite tune-out tool. Ellen Levy, an executive at a Washington-based nonprofit, never travels without
her iPod, which "drowns out the screaming babies, loud talkers and cell phone
junkies." She also likes to carry back issues of The New Yorker. "They're
lightweight and always have several long pieces I've been meaning to get around
to reading."
Always carry a snack. Bring a PowerBar, a bag of trail mix or a piece of fruit, even if you know
there'll be some sort of meal service on your flight. Low blood sugar compounds
stress.
Get some exercise. Use the hotel gym, take a walk, or do calisthenics in your room. Even if you're
not a yoga-class habitué, you may like Hyatt's on-demand YogaAway videos. They
not only help reduce stress, but also the kinds of muscle stiffness you get from
sitting in a confined space--like an airplane cabin--for long periods of time.
If you find yourself really stressed out when you're away, there are a number of stress
management websites that may be of some help. Many, like
Stressbusters,
are fairly simplistic but have some smart suggestions. For a good laugh, try
Loretta LaRoche's Stressed.com.
She's a professional speaker who specializes in stress management through humor.
Have some stress-management tips you'd like to share? Leave a comment below.