Many people in the business world have to face demanding schedules that include long hours at the office as well as international travel. Although seeing new colleagues across the globe is exciting – fighting the dreaded time changes, which often causes exhaustion and jet leg, can be a serious problem.
To be sure that you arrive at your destination feeling good and able to do business, there are a few things that you can do to make the time zone transition much easier on your body.
Here are a few tricks to follow when traveling abroad –
1~ Prepare in Advance. During the days before your departure, start transitioning your internal clock to the time zone that you will be visiting. This may include going to bed and waking up a few minutes earlier each day to adjust your hours. This will greatly help your body be more in sync once you arrive at your destination.
2~ Change Your Watch. As soon as you get on the airplane for the trip, set your watch for the destination’s time. Begin to think that you are in that time zone, which will help your mind adjust to the change much faster.
3~ Schedule Convenient Flights. Since most overseas flights are over 12-hours in duration, try to schedule your travel for the night time. Be sure to pack a neck pillow and other essential items to make sleep and relaxation on the flight much easier.
4~ Stay Hydrated. Pressurized air and low humidity during the long flight can easily cause the body fatigue and dehydration. Make sure to avoid caffeine and to drink plenty of water to help avoid these common traveling conditions.
5~ Arrive Early. Sometimes jet leg can last for several days, so it is a wise plan to arrive several days in advance. This will give your body time to adjust to the changes, ensuring that you are at your working best when you need to be.
6~ Don’t Nap. Although you may not get a full night’s sleep on the plane and might feel fatigued at first, try not to nap. This is the only way to fully adjust to the time change. Try to find activities to keep you awake until early evening when you can get a full night’s rest.
Although there is no way to fully rid yourself of jet leg, following these tips will help you to adjust to the time changes more quickly, ensuring that you are awake and ready to represent your company when traveling abroad for work.
