Whether you’re the CEO of a major corporation or you’re a small business entrepreneur, more and more people are now conducting business that requires them to travel frequently for important meetings. Depending on where your meeting is, as well as your time of landing, you may not have that much time to be restored to your usual bright-eyed self.
Leading international private and airplane charter service provider ACS (Air Charter Service*), asked us to put together some tips to help all budding entrepreneurs and well-seasoned business travelers overcome their jet lag woes, especially when traveling for business. Below we’ve highlighted some of the key takeaways.
Before the Flight
Pack everything needed to prepare for the meeting in your hand luggage (e.g., documents, laptop, charger, etc.). You can take the time during your flight to prep yourself, especially if you’re scheduled for a meeting right after your arrival.
(Quick tip: Download all the files you may need from any cloud-based platform you use and save any internet-based content onto your laptop so that you have everything you need ready for your meeting prep.)
Dress comfortably for the flight. If you’re about to embark on a long plane trip, comfort should always come before style. But be sure to pack your “closer suit” as well in your hand luggage so you can change on the flight before you land, if necessary. Pack up your toiletries, beauty products, or any liquid-based products into small travel-sized containers so you also can freshen up during your trip.
(Quick tip: Pack all of these items into zip lock bags. In case any of the liquids leak, this should keep your Ralph Lauren protected.)
Pack some snacks. The meals provided by the airline may not always be the ideal meal choice for many, so you can either try and buy something at the terminal, or pack packaged snacks to throw into your hand luggage. If, however, you’re flying in style via airplane charter, you won’t need to be worried about this bit, as your dietary requirements and meals have probably been arranged for per your request. If you didn’t make the booking yourself, be sure to have your personal assistant look into the matter for you and finalize your requests.
During the Flight
Find a chance to rest, even though watching a film or binge watching a favorite TV show on the in-flight entertainment system may be tempting. Be sure to find time to get some sleep while on your flight, especially if it’s overnight.
(Quick tip: Use earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, or even both at the same time to help block out the sound of screaming babies, or other noisy passengers.)
Avoid using sleeping pills. Although they can knock you out quickly, they can make you feel groggy when you wake up, which can make you feel even more disorientated and tired when you get off the aircraft.
Get your legs moving. Sitting down on a 13-hour flight can feel restraining, especially with a limited amount of legroom (that’s if you’re flying economy). At some point during the flight, take the time to walk around and stretch your legs.
(Quick tip: If you have the chance to choose your seat on the plane beforehand, try to book an aisle seat. These seats tend to have a bit more legroom and can give you easy access to leave your seat without awkwardly climbing over your neighbors.)
Prepare to get off the plane. Once the captain announces the descent, which often happens an hour before, get yourself organized and prepared. Once the aircraft has landed and the doors have opened, everyone on the aircraft will start to scramble for their belongings and rush out. You don’t want to get stuck in the middle of the stampede while trying to put together your important meeting materials. Also, take this time to fix your hair so you that you look (and hopefully feel) somewhat refreshed and awake if you have to go straight from the aircraft to the conference room.
After the Flight
Take a shower. Once you’ve settled into your hotel room and if you have some time before your meeting, the first thing you should always do is take a shower. It will leave you feeling more refreshed, awake and ready for your meeting. Another thing to note is that when you’re in a tight, enclosed compartment for several hours with hundreds of strangers, you never know what is going around. Taking a shower right after a flight will help eliminate any unwanted bacteria, and hopefully prevent any illness during your business trip.
Stick to your usual routine as closely as possible. Make sure to eat your meals at the allocated time, even when you’re not feeling hungry. Also, be sure to stick to your night-time routine, even if you’re not feeling tired. Try to keep to your schedule so your mind and body can get used to the new time zone.
Avoid caffeine after lunchtime. Although caffeine is an excellent resource for beating jet lag, it also can affect your body’s cycle if consumed close to bedtime.
(Quick tip: During the day, stick to healthy choices like fruits and vegetables to give your body that much needed natural energy, then treat yourself to some carbs at night, like pasta dishes.)
Unfortunately, jet lag is one of those things that can’t really be entirely shaken off – not even if you have all the money in the world and all the remedies to cope with it. This is especially true if you’re traveling through quite a few time zones.
Your best bet would be to plan your schedule in advance, especially if it’s a long-haul flight. Leaving ahead of schedule will ensure that you have some more recovery time when you land to acclimate, get your A Game on to close your next deal, and impress everyone at that big meeting.
*Disclosure: the company providing this content has a client relationship with CarolRoth.com or its affiliated entities
