Navigating the motorways is one thing; but how do Road Warriors in the 21st century keep their mind and soul on a healthy path..?
In the lead up to Mental health Awareness Week 2019, we invited two of our most regular business travellers to share with us their tips and tricks. Telling us just how they keep their minds healthy and happy and their souls full of joy.
As an independent hotel, our guests’ and their experiences are always so important to us. Be they guests who are here as part of a tour; on a leisure break to our beautiful city or here for business. How they feel, matters.
We understand that for a business traveller there are many ‘bumps in the road’. They are away from their families a lot; they often miss milestones and celebrations. Family home-cooked meals are a thing of the past and although they may see lots of beautiful cities, they rarely get to experience them.
Brushing over the discomfort of travelling for a living seems to be a common theme for many business travellers. They love their jobs and are passionate about their product, service and customers. Like many people with high pressured jobs, they keep going because they love what they do.
But keeping going without complaint is one thing; but is it the best thing?
By ignoring and not identifying the challenges we are encountering, and how they might affect our health, can mean that we could easily become lost.
Prince Harry is a keen advocate for all things mental health and brings awareness to so many by talking about his experiences very openly. He talks at length about how scary it can feel to broach the subject: “People are scared to talk about it, but they should be scared about not talking about it,” he said at the annual Time To Talk Awareness Day.
Perhaps that has something to do with us skirting around the edges of our challenges. Be they around our jobs, our lives or both! Knowing it’s ok to find things hard – even when we love them – is part of the challenge.
We talk to some very open and honest business travellers about their routines to keep their body, and their mind, healthy. We would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to them, for taking the time and for their honesty.
Sam:
“It has taken me almost 7 years to find my dream job. I meet new and interesting people all the time and I have a product that I love to share. But I learnt very quickly that I would have to be mindful about certain things.
It sounds silly, but my first challenge was food! I had always been a comfortable size 12, but within just three months I was a tight 16! It’s not that I thought I was fat – but I just wasn’t comfortable in my own skin anymore!
So I started to be better organised, taking healthy snacks rather than relying on petrol station food. I choose hotels that have restaurants and gyms. Now I pre-book a table before I get there; so I don’t get tempted to fly in fast food drive throughs! I have also now re-gained my love of the gym.
I have a lot of alone time, I drive for about three hours most days, so quickly found pod-casts and when I can, I use the time to keep in contact with friends on my hands free.
The best advice came from a mentor of mine; he said if you keep your mind active, you will keep your heart alive. I am now learning Spanish whilst I drive too!”
Paddy:
“A Dad to three lively boys, being away from home at the beginning meant I could get a good nights sleep! After a while though, that wore off as I started to miss nativity plays and parents evenings. Now in their late teens I feel that I am actually better connected to them. In some ways better connected than some of my friends are with their children. Technology offers us countless ways to stay connected, and with great Wi-Fi we can even watch films together, play games and chat face-to-face even when I am miles away.
I don’t think working away is right for everyone, and I know that it took my wife many months to get used to the feeling of being alone. But now we make it work. I love my family and I love my job and I am really aware of what we all need to be happy and connected.”
Like with many hotels, we always want to do what we can to better your experiences. We know that there are days when you feel frazzled and want to just check-in and lie-low; but then we also know that there are days when just having a good old chat – is exactly what the doctor ordered!
Whatever you need; if like Sam it’s a table for dinner and a warm swimming pool and cool gym; or like Paddy and his room with the best Wi-Fi. Just let us know. Let us help you wipe your thoughts from your minds and find a happy place whereby you can give yourself and your family exactly what you all need whilst being on the road.