The Perils of Business Travel

Starting this week, it looks like I’m going to be getting back into semi-regular business travel.  I was reminded immediately today how tough it can be to stay focused and vigilant while on the road, with schedules disrupted, and fatigue being a bigger factor.

I’m hopeful that today set a good tone and example for the rest of my travels.  I didn’t work out in the morning because my flight was so early – I would’ve had to do a workout around the lake at an hour that is just uncomfortably early, both in terms of getting up and also in terms of feeling safe around the lake.  I have no issues with being out there early, even before it’s light, but only if it’s late enough in the morning that there are other early-morning exercisers out there with me.  Truth be told I haven’t investigated the 4:30-5:00 timeframe, but I suspect it’s not busy enough for comfort.

So that left me with needing to fit in a workout after a flight to Burbank and a full day of work.  And I did.  I came back to the hotel after the meetings were over; I still have a bit of work to do for the day, but instead of doing it first, I changed and went straight down to the gym, knowing that if I sat down, I’d probably never get back up.  Working out in the afternoon is definitely not what my body likes, but it did energize me to get a few more things done before I go to sleep.

And then there’s food.  I ate breakfast at home, so no trouble there.  It was earlier than usual so I ended up with two mid-morning snacks (both of which I brought with me).  I’m very fortunate that the cafeteria in the building here in Burbank has a wonderful number of healthy options … of course it’s also very, very easy to indulge there, too.  Today I made myself a salad at the salad bar, sticking mostly to lighter ingredients.  They even have plain olive oil and balsamic so I don’t even have to deal with over-sweetened pre-made dressings!  I added a bowl of chicken chili – and after eating the portion I had today I could probably go with a smaller portion on another day.  Shockingly it kept me full till well past 6 p.m., which is not normal for me.

For dinner, the hotel had given me access to the Concierge Lounge (not sure why – last I checked I didn’t have elite status – but I won’t complain).   I nibbled from the appetizers – a little cheese, a few crackers, some meatballs, and some really bland taquito things that I didn’t even finish.  As I returned my plate, the concierge had a plate of cupcakes and offered me one … and I’m proud to say that I declined and instead grabbed an orange on the way out; if I’m craving something sweet later on, it’s available to me.

Sure, one cupcake wouldn’t be a huge deal, but I know firsthand that for me, travel can be a huge minefield to navigate, and it was important to me to say no and to try to be very careful and moderate about my indulgences lest they become daily things.