(STATEPOINT) — Frequent travelers can be all too familiar with the challenges of staying both healthy and productive — countless distractions, fast food joints on every corner and difficulty sleeping in unfamiliar places and beds can make staying on track a challenge. However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be such a daunting task, say experts.
“For frequent travelers and business travelers, being on the road is a lifestyle, so finding ways to be healthy and productive is essential,” says Marcey Rader, lifestyle trainer and Extended Stay Savve Traveler. “The key is to recognize your poor habits, find out what works for you, and then develop a routine around them.”
From her years on the road with a corporate position, Rader developed a series of hotel hacks that can assist frequent travelers and mobile professionals wishing to travel productively while also maintaining high health standards. Along with Extended Stay America, Rader is offering some hotel tips and tricks:
• Prioritize sleep: When you’re dealing with different beds, sounds and schedules, it’s almost guaranteed that your sleep routine will be disrupted. Sleep soundly with a fan, a recording or even an app that creates white noise to eliminate distractions and calm your mind and body.
• Give blue rays the boot: Ninety-five percent of people who don’t get a good night’s sleep say they use a phone or laptop within one hour of bed. Studies have shown that the blue rays emitted by phones and computer screens disrupt and suppress the body’s production of melatonin, a hormone crucial to sleep. Give your brain time to wind down before bed, you’ll sleep better and feel rejuvenated in the morning.
• Stand up and work: You may have heard that “sitting is the new smoking.” Constant sitting is linked to an overwhelming number of negative health effects and drastically decreased productivity. Luckily, there’s a simple solution — standing. You can easily convert any space into a standing desk. Opt for a hotel with a kitchen and use the counters to get work done, or stack books and binders on a table for an elevated workspace.
• Don’t eat like you’re on vacation: The biggest mistake business traveler’s make is eating like they’re on vacation. Extended Stay recently conducted a survey of their travelers and found that the average weight gain while on the road is close to 3 pounds. With frequent travel for business, that starts to add up drastically. Staying at a hotel with a fully equipped kitchen can help maintain nutritious habits. Stock the fridge with vegetable trays to snack on throughout the day, and hard boiled eggs as a breakfast item.
• OHIO (Only Handle It Once): Do you go out to your mailbox, open the letters, put them back in the mailbox, go back in your house and repeat the process several times a day? Of course you don’t. Then stop doing that with your email inbox. Instantly increase productivity by deleting, archiving and sorting emails the first time you read them.
• Seek Smart Accommodations: An extended stay-style hotel offers amenities that can help travelers optimize productivity and prioritize health. To learn more travel tips, visit, www.ExtendedStayAmerica.com.
Stop making excuses. For happier, healthier, more successful traveling, recognize your unproductive habits and fix them.