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How to Keep Your Focus When Traveling

If you’re traveling, no matter if for work or pleasure, it’s easy to get distracted and neglect your daily tasks and obligations. Your brain is in vacation mode, plus you have limited resources, irregular schedules, different diet, jet lag, little exercise and a little bit of nostalgia. However, it’s possible to stay focused and productive with these pro-traveler tips: 

Do your research

If you don’t want to waste any time on your trip, make sure to do your research and find all things necessary for a smooth trip in your vicinity. For instance, locate in advance grocery stores, conference halls, cafés, client’s offices and other things you will need to visit. This move saves you time and allows you to hit the ground running when you arrive. 

Plan ahead

You probably know you’ll be hungry on the plane or right when you arrive. Instead of wasting time and money on airport cinnamon buns and sketchy sandwiches, you can stay on track with a healthy trail mix, string cheese and some fresh fruit. Or make sure to pack a travel charger or a power bank so you can do some work at the airport or on the plane. 

Take advantage of your resources

You might not have your regular gym at your disposal or your company’s conference hall, but check if your hotel has a fitness center or meeting rooms you can use. If you’re having an outdoor adventure with camping, find a branch to do pull-ups, a bench for push-ups and some rocks to use as weights. Be creative and use whatever you have at hand. 

Stay hydrated

Make sure to always have a bottle of some sort of liquid (non-alcoholic) at hand when traveling. Staying hydrated will keep you focused, strong, sharp and healthy. When you’re traveling, you’re usually walking and talking more than usual, so you will need to replenish your lost water. If you need an extra push, you can grab a can of nootropic drink that will additionally boost your focus and alertness, improve memory, enhance learning and support mental energy—all you need for a busy day of business travel or exploration. Stay hydrated to maintain sharpness, but also prevent headaches, haziness and other health issues. 

Take it easy with alcohol

If you’re traveling for fun, you will probably grab a few cocktails at the beach to relax, but make sure to keep it moderate to prevent feeling useless the next day (you don’t want to waste precious vacation time on hangovers). If you’re traveling for work, you will probably do some business over dinner and drinks, but make sure to be responsible and professional. A drunken tweet just takes a moment, but remember that they last forever and everyone present at the bar will have a camera to record your irresponsible and disrespectable behavior. 

Maintain daily routines

How do you usually start your day? Is it with a light jog, meditation or shower and skincare regimen? Try your best to maintain these practices when you travel as well. You might not want to introduce new habits to your routine while you’re traveling, but make sure to keep up with the practices you’re used to. Maintaining your daily routines will put you in the right mind-frame. 

Think about all the things you do that make you feel stable, productive and focused like reading, good diet, meditation, working out and other smaller rituals. Allow these habits to ground you no matter where you are, and you will get to enjoy clarity and comfort without getting distracted by a new pace of life. And expect to achieve all the travel goals you set before you. 

Employ technology

Today, technology is small enough to follow you wherever you go. You can do a lot of work tasks on your smartphone or tablet while traveling or relaxing in your hotel room. Just make sure to always pack the right chargers and consider investing in a power bank. This way, you will have the technology to rely on and save yourself a lot of time. 

Being on the road brings a change of pace for all travelers, but it’s not impossible to stay focused and productive. Make sure to follow your daily routines, practise healthy habits and rely on preparation and technology to keep you on track. You will come home fresh, fit, healthy and with a planner full of finished tasks. 

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Peter Minkoff

Peter Minkoff is a gay travel and lifestyle writer. Besides writing, he worked as a travel journalist for many publications in Australia and the UK. Follow Peter on Facebook and Twitter for more tips. Peter Minkoff ist ein schwuler Reise- und Lifestyle-Autor. Er arbeitete als Reisejournalist für viele Publikationen in Australien und Großbritannien. Folge Peter auf Facebook und Twitter für weitere Tipps.