Personal Management: Don't Trip on Travel

When you gotta go, you gotta go. As latitudes blur and time-zones dissolve into each other, it is the ability to stand up to jet-stress and living out of a suitcase that separate the winners from the also-flown. BT presents the guide to handling the travails of corporate travel for the CEO of You Inc..

Let's face it. As you slither up the greasy pole, there's no getting away from going away. Like it or not, those at the upper rungs of the corporate ladder are having to travel more frequently between time-zones to distant destinations, and keep to punishing schedules there, which demand high levels of mental and physical fitness. While adrenaline--helped on its way by generous doses of caffeine--does play a significant role in keeping the frequent business flyer going, there are other, healthier ways to ensure that you step out smiling onto the tarmac--and stay that way.

Jet-lag. Or circadian dischronism, if you want to get technical. The most important factor responsible for panda-eyes, fatigue, nausea, aching joints, inability to concentrate, disruption of the body's internal clock, and the overwhelming desire to hit the sack--and stay there for a week. The tragedy? It cannot be wished away. The good news? While the benefits of over-the-counter medication--the anti-jet-lag pill--are largely dubious, what you eat and when you sleep can make a difference.

The frequent flyers that BT spoke to swear by the effectiveness of setting your watch to the time-zone of your destination the minute you board the plane. Says Vijay Thadani, 46, the CEO of the Rs 333.25-crore NIIT, who travels abroad at least once a month, and averages 7 days per business trip: "Resetting my watch helps me adjust to the local time at the destination." Adds Chandra Srinivasan, 44, the Managing Director of A.T. Kearney, who travels at least 12 days a month, and averages 1-2 days per trip: "Once I've reset my watch, I consciously attempt to behave as if I were already in that time-zone. Therefore, I try to rest and eat at the appropriate time." The process of resetting the circadian rhythm on the flight itself ensures that your body settles into the new routine by the time you get there.

Not only when you eat, but also what you eat on the flight is an important factor that separates the good flyer from the bad. Drinking plenty of non-alcoholic liquids is recommended as a stay-fresh must-do, especially because of the dehydration that occurs in dehumidified aircraft interiors. Agrees happy jetsetter Priya Paul, 32, the President of The Park Hotels, who travels extensively, and frequently, within the country, and somewhat less often abroad: "I drink plenty of water, but don't restrict my diet. I like sampling whatever there is on offer, food-wise." And niit's Thadani says that he sticks to vegetarian food, and avoids alcohol unless it is late evening by destination-timing. In fact, staying off alcohol on flights is almost a rule among corporate frequent flyers--more often than not, it only makes jet-lag worse.

Can sleeping through the flight help combat jet-lag? Opinions are divided on this. While some contend that it can confuse the body-clock further, others disagree. Says Meera Patwardhan, 42, the Vice-President (Strategic Planning) and Director of Hindustan Thomson Associates (HTA; 1997-98 billings: Rs 778.32 crore): "I handle jet-lag by switching off and going to sleep on the flight." Other tips? If you arrive in the day, get plenty of exposure to bright light on your first day. Dark rooms will make you drowsy. And try and schedule your flight in such a way that you get a breather between getting off the flight and going to work--even if it is for only a couple of hours. Many airlines now offer their Business Class passengers the complimentary use of their arrival lounges, where you can get a quick shower, grab a light breakfast, and catch up with the news of the day before you actually begin work.

Whether you are stopping over for only a night or whether it is an extended trip, your hotel room is as vital a factor as any other in determining just how relaxed and in control you will be. It pays to invest a substantial amount of time in researching hotels and finding one that suits your needs, especially if you know you will return to that city more than once.

One of the basic questions to ask is the hotel's positioning. Says S.G. Awasthi, 55, the Managing Director of the Rs 1,110.21-crore Daewoo Motors India, echoing the sentiments of his contemporaries: "When I travel, I like to stay in a hotel catering to the business traveller--not one that targets the casual tourist." And he just might, for the advantages that a business hotel offers its corporate guests are many. In fact, even hotels which are chary of positioning themselves as either purely-leisure or purely-business hotels now include the so-called Executive Floors, which are geared exclusively towards the corporate traveller. There is also, usually, a dedicated Executive Lounge, with attached boardrooms on these floors, where guests can meet business associates in relative privacy, or socialise with them over a pre-dinner drink, away from the noise and bustle of the hotel lobby. It might be a good idea to check which of these facilities your hotel offers, and then, exploit them to suit your needs.

Another important criterion while deciding on a hotel is its location. For some, staying at a hotel that is close to the place of work is a must. Then there are others for whom proximity to the city centre is top priority. That apart, even the room you choose could make a difference to your productivity on the business trip. Says A.T. Kearney's Srinivasan: "I always ask for a room that faces neither the street nor the swimming pool; both are too noisy." And NIIT's Thadani prefers to take either the first or the last room on the floor, is partial to a hotel which includes breakfast in the tariff, and chooses his hotel on the basis of convenience rather than brand.

Once in your room, there are several things you can do to make yourself more comfortable. The Park Hotels' Priya Paul, who says she has little trouble working out of a hotel room since she is "very comfortable" with hotels, nevertheless unpacks, and puts the contents of her suitcase away in drawers and cupboards even if she is only staying for a night. The idea is to take virtual ownership of the place by making minor adjustments in the way things are arranged, and getting to know the facilities and the ways to access them. A.T. Kearney's Srinivasan even adds a few "personal touches" to make the room look like his own, especially in the event of an extended stay: photographs, planters, a music system Little things, but with amazing returns on the de-stressing front.

Other tips from our frequent flyers? A whole bundle of contradictions, but here they are. Experiment with the local food; it will be fresh, different, and authentic. Contrariwise, stick to familiar food; you don't want to experiment on a business trip. Use the travel time to catch up on work, to ideate, and think laterally; nothing like a place where no one can reach you to get those creative juices flowing. Otherwise, use the flight to forget work, catch up on the latest from Hollywood, and snuggle up with the new Grisham; nothing like a place where no one can reach you to unwind.

Choose your particular mode of handling the hop across latitudes and longitudes, and emerge from every flight ready to take on the world. On your mark, jetset--glow!

PRODUCTIVITY IN TRANSIT

1. Work While You Wait. Every frequent flyer worth his bonus miles knows that a chunk of travel time is waiting time. Waiting at the check-in counter, at the departure lounge Use this time to finish small tasks, like going over your mail, or marking a report. You'll be surprised at the amount of work you accomplish.

2. Break Up Complex Tasks Into Simple Ones. Nobody likes taking up a major proposal when the flight will be announced in the next 30 minutes. Breaking down the proposal into individual tasks will not only help you attack them one at a time, but also give you a sense of achievement.

3. Get Hotel And Home-Office Staff Involved. Don't look at yourself as a Lone Ranger in unfamiliar territory. Look at yourself as Napoleon, with a whole army at your command. Use your hotel's secretarial and business services extensively, and use technology to keep your home-office staff on their toes.

4. Make Use Of Time-Zone Differences. Call your clients in Japan if your flight to anywhere leaves early in the morning. Similarly, call your business associate in the US while you're waiting for a late, late-night flight to take off. There's always something you can do.

5. Build A Workspace In Your Hotel Room. Plug in your laptop. Place the phone where you like it on your workdesk. Move a floor-lamp closer if you like more light on your desk than the tabletop provides. Don't even think about starting work until you've settled in.

6. Schedule Personal Time. Schedule a couple of hours every evening to do your own thing. Use this time to do something completely unrelated to work. Catch up on a play, watch television, meet a friend, go shopping. After all, the age-old adage "all work and no play" applies to you as well.