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Four Ways to MOVE More at Home to Prepare for the Road

Many of us as business travelers are grounded, literally. It’s been weeks, now months since we’ve traveled due to the current health pandemic.

I’ve heard from many a business traveler who is just buying their time until they can get back to Road Life. But a common thread is sadly very few road warriors are using this time to their advantage to get them ready for Road Life.

This got me thinking and concerned. Are we missing an opportunity here? As I’ve mentioned often, my mentor and friend Jonathan Milligan asks often when things change that are out of our control: “What does this make possible?”

With this question, could we begin to leverage the here-and-now of home with the sole purpose of preparing us for the road?

Let me say that again. My Dad used to say, “Son, if I take the time to say it twice, it better be twice as important to you!”

Could we begin to leverage the here-and-now of home with the sole purpose of preparing us for the road?

This is a different mindset for most road warriors but it’s critically important to make the most of “this time,” ideal or not, in light of “when not if” we’re back on the road.

You and I will be back on the road. It may be an ease-in process and look different than we’re used to, but we will travel again. So, how do we make the most of right now?!

The focus of this episode is the 1st of our physical energy habits: MOVE.

Movement creates energy, and energy is what we need more than anything on the road to do our best work, but also to do our best work when we’re not on the road. Many of us are more exhausted by the battle of always being on a video call, and having everyone else home. It’s more tiring than we realize and energy is the one vital resource we’re lacking right now.

Three words you MUST remember with the energy habit MOVE. Movement Creates Energy!

Four Ways to MOVE More at Home to Prepare for the Road:

MOVEMENT ONE – Stand More

 

Key Phrase: Think Up On Your Feet Not Down On Your Butt

It’s just SO natural to sit, especially when we’re working in an office or even a home office. We’re going to use the context of working from home and ask, “How can you Stand More within your day?”

Many business travelers work from home when they’re not traveling, but not all. And right now, almost everybody is working from home, including possibly your significant other and kids.

So, you may have a designated work spot or maybe it’s been compromised or crashed by other people in your house for a time.

Stand More is looking for creative ways to add “being a stand-up guy or stand-up girl” into your workday.

Let me offer two suggestions:

Stand-up Desk – there are two main options – a standing desk that is just that, a standing desk. It stays in one place and that’s your only option. Secondly, you could create a stand-up desk with an existing desk or table.

Personally, I have a dining table I bought from IKEA years ago. It’s rectangular in size and a light birch color. When I was moving into the stand-up desk concept, I didn’t want to put a ton of money into something I wasn’t sure I would like or even use long-term, so I noticed the desk I was already using had legs that could be heightened or lowered. Brilliant! I moved it to fit my height at 6 foot and “voila!”, I have a stand-up desk.

But I also have other people in my house who want to use that location so I need to get creative in other places in my house to create a stand-up desk so I get creative using resources around the house to make a temporary stand-up desk. There are a ton of solutions on Amazon from full stand-up desks to stand-up desk converters that raise and lower on an existing desk. Prices mostly range from $100 – $300.

Find what’s best for you and factor in if this is a short-term or long-term solution for you working from home.

Standing Mat – Depending on your floor, standing for hours may be more difficult than you realize and hard on your feet and legs, or for me, my lower back. I found a standing mat that not only provides a cushion for my feet but also allows me to stretch my calves, massage my feet, etc.

The one I use is a CUBEFIT Terramat with the description of an Anti-Fatigue Mat and Standing Desk Mat with Built-in Massage Mounds, Acupuncture Balance Bar, and Power Wedge To Stretch, Support, and Stimulate Your Feet and Legs.

The point is finding something on the floor that encourages standing. For me, $70 was more than worth the investment since I’m working from home anyway when I’m not on the road.
Caution: Ease into becoming a Stand-up Guy or Stand-up Girl. It’s harder on your body than you realize, so ease into it. When I first started, I went “all in” and my back hurt for days. Alternate between sitting and standing at first and work your way from minutes to hours to half-day to a full day.

 

MOVEMENT TWO – Walk More

 

Key Phrase: Think Forward Not Just Still

Standing is good, but we also want to move the still motion to forward motion throughout the day.
And nothing is more motivating than a house full of people and noise to stimulate creativity and motivation to walk more!

Let me offer two suggestions:

Take Your Calls on a Walk – Every chance I can “exit stage left” and get outside, especially now that spring in Chicago is officially “a thing” – I’m out. Literally. My Fam knows if the phone rings, Dad will be outside and down the street in mere moments. My neighbors even know that if I’m walking during the day around the community, I’m on a call, so they’ll just wave and smile.

Take a Relational Walk – one of the gifts of this current “Stay at Home Act” is every night after dinner, the Buck Fam goes for a walk (of course the Buck dog, ironically named Bucky, is part of the relational walk). It’s no longer an option. The kids don’t have to go “the entire time” but once everyone is out and getting their “Walk On”, they’re glad they did. My wife loves this time to talk about the challenges of the day, what tomorrow looks like, etc.

Caution: Start small and experiment. I make sure I have my AirPods by my phone so I’m ready to go if I get an impromptu call, but most of the time my calls are at set times, so a minute or two before the call, I’m already outside and starting my walk. I also record my walk on my Apple Watch and BioStrap. I’m surprised how much ground I can cover (literally) in a 30-60 minute call.

 

MOVEMENT Three – Run More

 

Key Phrase: Think Get Your Heart Rate Up Often

This is the one that gets ignored the most and gets the most pushback.

Why? People misunderstand Run More and/or they just don’t like to get sweaty.

People claim they aren’t runners or they argue that the last time they ran they were in gym class in high school or were chased. It’s just “not them” anymore.

But we need to change how we look at Run More and the purpose here.

Remember the key phrase: Think Get Your Heart Rate Up Often

On the road, this could be as simple as choosing a higher floor at your hotel and taking the stairs.

But at home, we need to get creative.

Here are a couple of suggestions:

Turn a walk into a jog or a sprint – Now, I don’t suggest doing this during one of your work calls but any other walking time is ideal. My wife and I will do this on our walk after dinner.

The kids are usually on their bikes and love seeing the competition come out with my wife and me.

We’ll kick this gear in and walk until the next tree then sprint until the light pole then jog until the stop sign. You get the point. Remember the goal here is to get your heart rate up and you’ll have instant feedback when you meet this goal.

Try doing burpees – Come again, did you say a burpee? Some of us do burpees all the time – it’s called a belch.

We want an instant return-on-our-investment and there’s no better way than doing a good old fashioned burpee.

Here are two video links for male/female examples of burpees, and worth a couple of minutes to see the proper form and how to maximize a burpee.

Caution: Start slow! If you don’t normally get your heart rate up, you’ll know it quickly. But that’s good! Instant feedback. Or you may just want to run in place with a light jog for 15 seconds then sprint for 15 seconds – this is how I started when it was cold outside. I then increased to 15 seconds of jog and 30 seconds of a sprint. Remember, no matter what the point of Run More is not what you do but that you get your heart rate up often.

 

MOVEMENT Four – Lift More

 

Key Phrase: Think Strength Training

This is one I had to re-adjust to big time with always being home. Why? On the road, I leverage the hotel fitness center or local gym, and at home, I leverage my local gym to workout and supplement what I do differently on the road.

But right now, neither are available. No traveling and all local gyms are closed.

So what do you do?

Well, between us girls, the 1st two weeks I used it as an excuse and did… absolutely nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

But once I knew I would be grounded by more than just my wife, I needed to make the best of what I had available to me.

Ironically, my biggest motivator was cleaning out the garage and finding my weight set – a bench with a barbell, pull-down machine, chin-up and dip machine, and leg press.

Here are some suggestions (and note, these are all suggestions I already do in a limited hotel fitness center):

Body Weight – It’s been a while since I’ve done pushups and I didn’t even have to wait until the next morning to feel the fruit of my labor. It’s amazing how much a simple pushup works on your body and you’ll feel body parts and almost muscles you didn’t remember you had.

You can also do leg squats, lunges, tricep dips with a chair. A simple YouTube search can bring up so many options for a home workout with body weight. Look for a style and length that’s of interest to you, then just try it. Get your MOVE on!

Dumbbells – I have dumbbells (along with some free weights) that I’ve pulled out and used most days now. If you have them, or even just a couple of them, find them, dust them off, and start using them. I use a large stability ball and work my chest, shoulders, back, arms, and legs. It’s a surprisingly good workout. If you have them, find them, and use them. If not, the 3rd option can do the trick for you…

Bands – I have resistance bands that I travel with and have chosen to incorporate them into my workout for variety. They’re great to implement, especially after using bodyweight or dumbbells.
The point of the bands is in the name: resistance. I can find the resistance I want and get in a good workout for strength training with the needed tension for my chest, shoulders, arms, back, and legs.

Here are the resistance bands I use.

Two other ideas to implement Run More and Lift More:

TV Workout Programs – I have road warrior friends who found their old P90X DVDs or Insanity DVDs from “back in the day” and are getting back in shape by using these programs. They’re using them as a kickstarter at home to gain some momentum for the road. Mad Kudos to them.

Others are leveraging Beach Body on Demand to find a workout program that is best for them that may either encompass just Run More (think cardio) or just Lift More (think strength training), but many offer both. Here’s a link to Beach Body on Demand in the show notes. Les Mills on Demand is another option and less expensive. Other similar on-demand workout programs are available, but this is just one idea.

Hiring a Virtual Coach – Some of us simply need accountability and someone pushing us. This is where hiring a virtual coach is key. Jeff McMahon, the subject matter expert for MOVE energy habit and on my ERW team, offers virtual coaching. I would highly encourage you to check out his packages.

Caution: No matter what you choose, start slow! If you’ve not done these types of workouts in a while, you’re going to feel it. The idea here is not destroying your body in one day and not being able to work out the rest of the week.

Our goal with MOVE is to prepare your body now for the road. And if you can gain some momentum now by building healthy MOVE energy habits, you’ll be surprised how much easier it is to carry them with you on the road.

Remember the 3 words for the energy MOVE: Movement Creates Energy!

So get your MOVE ON today.

Six Simple Ways to Becoming a Stand-Up Guy or Stand-Up Girl on the Road

Jen is a weekly business traveler with a territory in the Midwest. She covers Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. Jen has a company car and finds herself constantly in a car driving from one state to another, one city to another in order to visit the next rep. This is her road life every quarter as she does the same rounds.

Then there’s Stan. He’s also a weekly business traveler. His territory is all of North America. He basically lives on a plane and his company car is rented from National Car Rental.

In fact, Stan has a bumper sticker that says, “My other car is a rental car.” This is his road life every quarter with a ton of variety.

Now, Jen and Stan don’t have a lot in common, except for one major thing: lack of movement and specifically sitting almost ALL of their travel days.

What they get at the end of the day is not energy, but a numb butt and lower back pain.

So, how can they possibly change anything with their environment lending to sitting? It is hard to get your blood flowing and your muscles moving during travel! This article’s advice is here for you to Increase your movement!

Movement leverages the ↑ M4X Formula:

Increase (think an up arrow)

M = Movement

4X = four ways

  • Stand More
  • Walk More
  • Run More (think cardio – just getting your heart rate up)
  • Lift More (think strength training with body weights, bands, and dumbbells)

All four are crucial for our energy on the road so we can feel our best and perform at a high level on the road.

So, how can they possibly change anything with their environment lending to sitting?

According to Tom Rath’s research in his book Eat Move Sleep, on average, we now spend more time sitting (9.3 hours) than sleeping on a given day.

CONSIDER A PERSON’S AVERAGE DAY

  • Sit for breakfast
  • Sit commuting to work (the national average, one-way daily commute is 25.5 minutes)
  • Sit a majority of the workday at their desk or in a meeting (minus a bathroom break)
  • Sit commuting back from work
  • Sit at dinner
  • Sit watching TV in the evening

When YOU’RE ON THE ROAD, YOUR STORY MAY LOOK LIKE THIS:

  • Sit for the drive to the airport
  • Sit at the gate waiting for a flight
  • Sit on the plane the entire flight
  • Sit in a rental car or rideshare to your first meeting
  • Sit at lunch
  • Sit for your afternoon meetings
  • Sit at dinner with your laptop open, alone or eating with clients
  • Sit on the couch or bed in your hotel room or nearby bar until bed

The point is we sit most of the time and far more than we even realize, which makes movement a rare event.

So, how do you compare?

Do you sit with the average or move more than the average, especially on the road?

So, here’s your CHALLENGE: CONSIDER BECOMING A STAND-UP GUY OR A STAND-UP GIRL!

How?

 

SIX WAYS TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST SITTING DURING TRAVEL

I obviously don’t know your location and your travel arrangements— if it’s short or long, by car or plane.

I do know it’s possible to take a stand against sitting if you’re willing to be creative and look for options to increase standing, the first of M4X.

As we discuss each of the six, I encourage you to think about how you can adapt them to your travel situation.

And remember, you’re fighting the norm and the path of least resistance: ARRIVE and SIT.

The cycle of once you arrive and sit MUST be broken to be a stand-up guy or stand-up girl on the road.

 

1. STAND AT THE AIRPORT GATE

I see people standing as an absolute last resort because they don’t want to sit in between someone at the gate or there are simply no seats available.

But…this is a perfect opportunity to stand before getting on the plane.

Why?

Because you’re going to be sitting for the next couple hours or far more, depending on the distance of your flight.

This is a massive change of behavior for frequent flyers. We’re so ingrained to see a seat and sit in it, especially when you get to your gate.

It’s a sense of relief. “Ah, I made it, and now I can relax until I need to board.”

I challenge you to gain some energy before you even get on your flight.

This small habit change will become a catalyst for the remaining ways to take a stand against sitting during travel.

 

2. STAND DURING THE FLIGHT

Do you ever notice that one guy who stands a lot during the flight? How annoying, right?

Yup, I’m that guy. I’ll stand during a flight.

I’m happy to make you feel awkward and uncomfortable. I want to increase my blood flow through my body to increase my energy, which is the whole point!

Now I can hear the pushback:

  • The seatbelt light is almost always on.
  • What if we hit turbulence while I’m standing?
  • I don’t want to bother those around me.

Here are my responses:

  • The seatbelt light is on often but more at selected times – pay attention and you’ll be surprised.
  • You’ll know about the turbulence long before it forces you into the arms of another woman or man (unless that’s your master evil plan? Hmmm)
  • And do you really care THAT much what someone thinks whom you will never see again? Seriously.

Here’s a PRO TIP:

I don’t rely on my memory to remind me to stand, especially if I’m in a time-block session (this strategy is part of energy habit 4: Perform under Block & Tackle).

But I do rely on an alert. I first started with a timer. I would set it for a certain amount of time, and when the alarm would go off, I would stand.

Currently, my Apple watch lets me know an hour to sitting without standing. I love the alert, especially if I’m locked into work, writing, reading, etc. I need that trigger to get me off my can and onto my feet.

 

3. STOP AT A REST AREA OR GAS STATION TO STAND

Some road warriors rarely, if ever, step foot in an airport or a plane. They’re literal road warriors, driving from place to place.

Other road warriors may fly to one central location and then drive around from that spot, often for hours.

If this is the case, leverage the potential stops to get some standing in and move!

This may take the form of a rest area off the interstate. It may be a fuel stop at a gas station or a bathroom break.

Take these times, whether planned or necessary, to take a stand. You’ll be surprised how much more movement you can get in when you look for these natural stops while driving.

 

4. STAND DURING MEETINGS

Oh, the joy of meetings on the road. They definitely cannot be avoided because chances are, that’s exactly why you’re on business travel in the first place!

Meetings are a perfect opportunity to finally take your stand, even just for a few minutes.

Here’s a slick way of pulling it off: I stand to stretch then just remain standing for a minute or two.

Often, nobody cares, and I stand for as long as I can get away with it.

Each meeting is different, so you need to feel that one out.

I’m now known as a stand-up guy, especially if I come back to the same location with the same people and they just know I’m “that guy.”

Simply embrace it. If you’re getting into the habit of standing during meetings, then the fifth way is a natural transition….

 

5. CREATE A STAND-UP DESK

Create a stand-up desk any time you can.

It’s possible on business travel, but it may take some creativity. When you’re on a mission to have a stand-up desk, you’ll make it work.

If I’m in a meeting, I’ll look around and find a way to move my laptop or even a notebook to accommodate standing and create a makeshift stand-up desk. It may be a ledge or bar-height table.

I don’t need a full desk set-up but something to make the best of to allow me to stand and get what I need of out of the meeting.

Lately, I just take my iPad Pro into a meeting which I can even just hold if needed or only requires a small amount of space.

If you want to make this work, you’ll make this work.

Here’s a PRO TIP:

I often stay and even stop at a Courtyard Marriott or Embassy Suites just to work for an hour or so between meetings, etc. Starbucks is another option if you don’t mind the transient environment, which can be highly stimulating.

 

6. WAITING FOR A RIDE

This one is often forgotten or quickly dismissed.

Even if it’s short, another way to increase standing time is to not sit while you’re waiting for the rental car bus or Ride Share on one of those very convenient (and very uncomfortable) benches.

Take a stand! You’ve been on a flight, so stretch your legs and get some blood flowing to regain some energy.

If you’re on the rental car bus, stand there as well. You’ll be the gentleman giving up your seat for a lady. See how standing can make you a hero as well? All the perks!

If I’m really honest, I don’t want to be the person seated at the back of the bus having to wait for EVERYONE to get his or her bag off the bus. I like to keep my carry-on and computer bag assembled, to get a few more minutes of stand time on, and be the first off the bus.

And for Ride Share, I don’t know about you, but it seems like the “arrival time” is just a teaser. So, just know you’re going to get some extra freestanding points.

Did I say six simple ways? Well, since I’m actually standing right now and want to be even more of a stand-up guy, here’s a…

Bonus Move – STRETCH WHILE YOU STAND

You’re up, man, so why not stretch out that tight and inflexible body?

I’m serious. Most road warriors are VERY inflexible (in more ways than one), and stretching will allow your body some much-needed flexibility.

Stretch the following:

  • Back
  • Neck
  • Quads
  • Calves

The road gives a ton of opportunities to get your STRETCH ON at no additional charge.

And all six of the ways just discussed can integrate this bonus move of Stretch While You Stand.

If you’ve not stretched in a while, your body will remind you just how important it is to become more flexible.

The overall point of standing more is learning to make it a priority and looking for opportunities to add more standing within a business travel day.

If you truly make a concerted effort on the six suggested ways, you’ll be amazed at the difference you’ll feel in your body and in your energy.

 

BABY STEP TO STAND MORE

I realize the road fights you on this one, with a comfortable chair and the pressure to sit since “everyone else is.” This can be a tough play- but not impossible.

So, choose one of the ways to stand more that will be the easiest for you to integrate it into your day on the road.

Does it need to be one you’ll remember the easiest?

Or one that is the least obvious?

For me, it was standing at the gate at the airport. Once I started this standing location, I found myself more conscious of other standing opportunities within my day. So, become a stand-up guy or stand-up girl!

Start moving today with some of these tips for traveling businessmen and businesswomen like you!

The Biggest Misconception to Master the Business Travel Life

When I first started as a business traveler a long, long time ago, I took my Type A, driven personality to a whole new level.

It was unleashed on the “open road” if you know what I mean.

I dove into this new opportunity that now included traveling the country and eventually certain parts of the world.

And I loved it.

I already went 100 miles an hour at home and now I was given the freedom to do the very same things on my own on the road.

Brilliant!

And I met hundreds and hundreds of business travelers who validated my theory.

Drive.

Drive..

Drive…

Personal Drive which was inner.

Road Drive which was outer.

And I poured myself into my work.

Nobody could and would outwork yours truly on the road.

And if I found out you did, I would sleep less and try to wear you down.

I even coined a phrase I use often called the Travel Triangle:

  • Airport
  • Board Room
  • Hotel Room

Wash – Rinse – Repeat.

And between us girls, I got good and I mean really good at the Travel Triangle.

I prided myself on not being outworked and killing it on the road.

But here is the biggest misconception I thought to master the business travel life.

Are you ready for it?

It’s all about WORK.

Um, excuse me. Aren’t you there to work?

After all, it is called BUSINESS Travel.

Touche.

But not ONLY work.

Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not a free pass to slack off.

But let me repeat, the biggest misconception to master the business travel life is it’s not only about work.

I believed this lie for far too long.

I went from a not so suite job to c-suite.

I had the cheap rental cars and lousy hotel rooms and fast food meals to living large and driving cool cars right up to my plush hotel, eating the best of the king’s food and drinking the best of the king’s wine.

But in the end, believing this misconception, business travel is only about work, almost took two very important parts of my life.

Let me tell you how I found out first of all.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always gone 100 miles an hour in my life and it manifested itself with business travel.

I could get more done in a day than the average guy.

More trips.

More presentations.

More meetings.

More emails.

More calls.

I was up late and up early.

This high-performance car showed no signs of any deterioration.

At least on the outside.

Nothing but praises and raises were given to this high performer.

But then when I turned 40, things internally were going wrong.

I was getting very strange symptoms:

  • Heart racing
  • Flush face
  • Eyes glazed over
  • Migraines
  • Diaherria
  • Inability to absorb content
  • Sleeping and never feeling any effects of the rest
  • I went to the doctor and they told me the good news: we can’t find anything wrong.

Then they told me the bad news: we can’t find anything wrong.

And you know what I did after that?

Absolutely nothing.

I went harder.

And harder.

For years.

Until age 45, my body shut down and shut down hard. A complete and utter engine blowout.

It was like I turn a turn marked 30 and I slowed down from 100 to 70, hit the wall and the race was over.

But wait, there’s more.

During the same time, I was always busy on the road so therefore had little to no time to check-in when friends and family back home.

My friends understood or simply moved on.

The family?

They were feeling Dad’s distance both physically and emotionally.

To be blunt…

It was not good.

My wife and I were fighting over stupid things when I left, stress while I was gone.

It was brutal and hard enough leaving then to end with a massive fight just sucked.

Then the kiddos tension…

Kids cried when I left and upset about what I missed while I was gone.

I checked in at all the wrong times and was always distracted.

I was killing it on the road and getting killed at home.

I was important on the road but invisible at home.

To be honest, I was a hot mess when I got home due to the exhaustion than just so disconnected with home trying to make up for lost time but feeling paralyzed on how to make this mess I created any better.

How’s that for a vulnerability bomb?

What resulted was the foundation of the Three Focus Areas of Elite Road Warrior:

 

Remember, the biggest misconception to master the business travel life was in the 1st focus area: WORK.

Is it important? Absolutely. In fact, it’s Energy Habit #4: PERFORM. It’s why we’re ON the road.

But it’s not everything.

If you lose your health, how much harder is work or how much does work matter?

If you struggle or lose your family, how much is work affected?

When I lost my health, everything in my life was on hold. I couldn’t work.

My life revolved around my next medical test. Forced rest. Supplements.

When I had stress back at the Buckley ranch, my mind was elsewhere on the road. I felt the tension and handled it in unhealthy ways.

Not good, road warriors.

The stark reality is the three focus areas are all inter-related.

Eventually, I learned that when I had my health in an optimal place and my relationships back home with those I loved were strong, my work on the road actually improved.

This is key.

I had more energy.

I had less stress.

I had more clarity.

I felt more supported and connected.

Let’s be brutally honest…

The inbox will always receive emails.

There will always be calls to return.

There will always be another proposal to write, presentation to give, deal to close.

But nobody can take care of your health except you.

Will the business world end if you took 20-30 minutes to go for a walk or run or workout in the hotel fitness center or hotel room?

Nope.

Hence energy habit one: MOVE.

I chose to challenge every single morning on the road.

Prioritize the 2nd Focus Area of HEALTH.

And those you love back home.

What if you took just a couple of minutes to stop being the check-in guy or girl and became a connect-in guy or girl who learned to leverage the road to grow that relationship in ways you wouldn’t at home through energy habit six: CONNECT – connect intentionally, thoughtfully, and creatively.

It’s how I created the Not Forgotten Journal you’re now hearing about.

It why I created the Flat Kiddos.

It’s why I send postcards to my older sons.

It’s why I pre-write and pre-record intentional, thoughtful words to those I love back home so they know they’re still a priority to me while I’m not physically there with them.

Here’s the point:

Your business world will change entirely if you stopped believing the biggest misconception to master the business travel life that it only has one focus area: WORK.

Take care of your health because only you can.

Take care of your family intentionally, thoughtfully, and creatively to invest into their lives.

Here’s a hard reality: 

Remember, your family has a choice of whether to connect or reconnect with you if you’ve been physically and emotionally distant.

They don’t have to come back to you so don’t put yourself in that position. Two are involved in this decision.

I’ve had too many conversations that break my heart with especially men of power after a couple of double vodka tonics who admit they’re on their 2nd or 3rd marriage and/or their kids could care less if they’re in their lives or not.

My heart breaks hearing this out of shape, lonely, broken but seemingly highly successful business traveler killing it on the road.

It doesn’t have to be this way, road warriors.

There are three focus areas to becoming and remaining an elite road warrior for a reason:

 

Let’s Land This Plane

The premise of Elite Road Warrior is energy habits. All six of the energy habits are encompassed within the three focus areas:

  1. Work – Energy habit 4: Perform / Energy Habit 5: Develop
  2. Health – Physical Energy Habits – Energy Habit 1: Move / Energy Habit 2: Fuel / Energy Habit 3: Rest
  3. HomeLife – Energy Habit 6: Connect

My hope is this is a challenge, a wake-up call to see how you’re personally doing in the three focus areas.

You may be doing great in one, but what about the other two?

Or maybe good on two but what about the other one?

Remember, you can always find another job but you can’t always get your health back or it’s a long long journey or get your family back.

My hope and prayer are you do whatever it takes to become and remain an elite road warrior and it starts by no longer believing the biggest misconception in business travel and excelling in all three focus areas of Work / Health / Home Life.

You Got This!

Six Habits to Leverage the New Year as a Road Warrior

I love fresh starts and I cannot lie.

Paul has been on the road awhile and he has the weight to prove it.

He’s not big on New Years Resolutions with his only New Years Resolution this year is to not have any resolutions!

But he would like to make some changes as a business traveler and leverage the new year as a catalyst.

Things aren’t bad per se, but they definitely could use a lot of improvement.

 

Paul is typically ahead of the pack in many ways and when he feels bad about himself, he sadly resorts to comparing himself to others which allows him to feel better about himself.

But that’s not who he is most of the time.

Paul wants to get better not just get by and make the necessary changes leveraging the road to do it this upcoming year.

He has what it takes but needs to get momentum and focus on his side.

Paul’s story is like many that come to me asking for a better way.

And it all comes down to two primary words: ROAD HABITS.

 

These road habits encompass Three Focus Areas:

 

 

Too often, we struggle or even lose our health and our home life for the sake of work. You know, that job that never turns off and always demands more and more of you especially on the road?

Paul knows he can improve his work life but also knows if he improved his health and home life, his work would immediately improve as well.

As Paul and I unpacked this conversation, we found his biggest struggle was his mindset of his road life. He viewed the road for all that he couldn’t do:

  • It’s a challenge to eat healthy on the road
  • It’s hard to sleep in a hotel
  • I don’t have time to get in a good workout or a workout at all for that matter when I travel
  • I check in with the fam back home when I can but things get busy

… and on and on and on.

If you were to join my conversation with Paul, this is what you would hear…

 

Six Habits to Leverage a New Year as a Road Warrior

The first thing I told Paul was to view the road differently. Instead of what he can’t do, look for what the road will enable you to do then leverage it.

In other words, change his mindset of the road.

For example, his family doesn’t travel with him so he has his early mornings all to himself.

Paul creates his own travel schedule and does have some flexibility in when and how he travels, when and how he works.

Then we turned the corner to how to view certain habits, energy habits, through the lenses of not only work but also health and home life, the three focus areas of Elite Road Warrior.

The first three are physical energy habits:

Habit One – MOVE

 

Most of the time, the road does the moving for us. We’re just always sitting: to the airport, at the gate, on a plane, in a car, in a meeting, at a restaurant, then laying on a bed after a long day mindlessly surfing the tv or a device.

Most road warriors could make one simple change this new year and it would be to move more on the road.

But how?

 

Move leverages the Increase M4X Formula:

  • Stand More – think up on my feet not down on my butt
  • Walk More – think forward not still
  • Run More – think cardio and getting your heart rate up
  • Lift More – think strength training by using bodyweight, dumbbells, and resistance bands

Stand More – at the gate, on the plane, in a meeting, create a stand-up desk in the lobby, etc.

Walk More – take the stairs not the elevator, walk up the escalator, choose a higher floor at your hotel and take the stairs, park further in the parking lot, take a phone call on a walk.

Run More – actually use the treadmill or elliptical in the fitness center, try burpees in your hotel room, take an outside walk and turn it into a sprint for 30 seconds.

Lift More – actually use the dumbbells in the fitness center, do pushups and leg squats, bring resistance bands with you.

Key Concept: Movement Creates Energy

Challenge – choose one of the four Increase M4X this next month to focus on and master it for all its worth.

Do you need to stand more? Walk more? Run more? Lift more?

What would be the easiest for you to implement to get some quick wins?

What would challenge and push you to start the year with the energy habit of MOVE?

Resource – podcast episode #018 – How to Workout in a Hotel Room / #028 – MOVE and Posture with Dr. Keith Giaquinto

 

Habit Two – FUEL

One of the joys of the road is the amazing food and drink always at our fingertips.

I’ve eaten meals most people would die for. I’ve had a variety of foods that make your mouth water from local specialties to international cuisine. Kansas City barbecue, Seattle fish to Paella (pie-ay-a) in Spain.

There’s the Freshman 15 then the Travel 20.

But being the recovering over-achiever I earned the Entitled 40.

Aka: Heavyweight champion of the… road.

My food choices were as follows:

The easiest choice
The quickest choice
The tastiest choice
The largest choice

As a result, the weight gain and hating how I looked in the hotel room mirror – that guy followed me all over the country and showed up in every single hotel room mirror.

Something had to change.

Fuel encompasses the MTHC Formula: (Make the Healthiest Choice)

  • Continually Hydrate – adding more water into my road day
  • Clean & Green – cleaner foods and more greens with each meal
  • Carry a Controlled Substance – having healthy snacks always available

Continually Hydrate – drinking water 1st thing in the morning, drink more water throughout the day especially on a flight, adding 1 glass of water with every alcoholic drink – I even developed and now use the Elite Road Warrior branded water bottle on the road

Clean & Green – less ingredients, less sugar, cleaner meats, more greens in your meals

Carry a Controlled Substance – having healthy snack options available to you at all times to always MTHC – I chose to bring an actual snack bag with me

Key Concept: Food is Fuel and Fuel is Energy

Challenge – choose one of the three in the MTHC Formula to focus on this new year

Do you need to add more water to your day? Could you eat more clean and green? Can you start carrying healthy snack options with you?

What would be the easiest for you to implement to get some quick wins?

What would challenge and push you to start the year with the energy habit of FUEL?

Resource – podcast episode #043 – Five Decisions You Must Make at Every Restaurant on the Road / #037 – Why You Must Carry a Lunch Box to Work on the Road

 

Habit Three – REST

If there was one habit that I neglected the most for the longest time, it was rest. Who has time to sleep on the road?

Sleep was completely optional to me.

I didn’t like it and felt it was a waste of time.

It just didn’t matter to me.

 

I was the guy who:

  • Had dinner with my laptop lover then took her up for a nightcap
  • Had every possible light and screen on
  • Went to bed way too late binge-watching and falling asleep with the TV on
  • Woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and felt like I had swallowed a dozen cotton balls
  • Woke up feeling sharp as a bowling ball
  • Never took a break and came home absolutely exhausted useless to my family and work

The Problem: I viewed rest as the enemy not as my biggest performance enhancer on the road

Rest encompasses the Strategic Resting Formula:

  • Sleep – Improve Than Increase
  • Breaks – Move the Body, Rest the Mind
  • Downtime – Time to Be, NOT to Be On

Sleep – having a bedtime ritual and a set bedtime, keeping your room cool, completely dark, using blue-blocker glasses, Bose sleep buds, Dep Sleepwear, bedtime meditations all to improve my sleep before ever even increasing my sleep

Breaks – taking micro-breaks that lasts seconds, mini-breaks that last a couple of minutes, macro breaks that take 15-30 minutes all with the goal of stretching, going for a walk, getting some water, going to the bathroom, meditating, anything to move the body and rest the mind

Downtime – finding your Road Thing that brings you energy whether going to a ballgame, being a tourist in the city, going to BN or a coffee shop just to read, etc.

Key Concept: Rest Creates Energy

Challenge – choose one of the three in the Strategic Resting Formula to focus on this new year

Do you need to have a clearer bedtime and evening routine? Do you start taking a break to move the body and rest the mind? Do you need to find your Road Thing to have some time just to be and not be on so you can ultimately be more productive?

What would be the easiest for you to implement to get some quick wins?

What would challenge and push you to start the year with the energy habit of REST?

Resource – podcast episode #035 – Why I Have a Sleep Kit and What Goes in It on the Road / #037 – Six Ways to Take an Energy-Giving Break on the Road

 

Now, we’ll focus on the three mental energy habits:

 

Habit Four – PERFORM

This is why you’re on the road – to perform. I truly believe most of us want to perform at a high level on the road.

But here’s the problem: we’re not willing to pay the price to perform at a high level.

We’re just so used to doing business as usual on the road and just getting by.

Or we compare ourselves to others and doing better than the other guy or girl but not our personal best. This was Paul’s go-to-move.

 

The key is being intentional so we can perform at an elite level.

Perform encompasses the Intentional Performance Formula:

  • Road Plan – is planning your day on paper, every part, and even finding the potential margins that may arise and what to do with them when they do appear
  • Block & Tackle – is focusing on one task for a set period of time
  • Energy Pacing – is knowing why and when your energy is low then how to pair tasks according to your energy

Road Plan – using a resource like the Full Focus Planner to think through your Big 3 of the Day, when you’ll have the gift or margins and an exact plan how to use that time

Block & Tackle – once you have a Time Block to work, spending, for example, 25 minutes to ONLY email and knowing which emails hold the most weight then attack them. Do the same concept for phone calls, CRM, proposals or quotes, etc.

Energy Pacing – actually look at your energy highs and lows through the day. When do they come? Do you need a break? Food? Movement? Change and work on a low energy task due to low energy? This change makes a huge difference for your performance on the road

Key Concept: High Performance Requires Intentionality

Challenge – choose one of the three in the Intentional Performance Formula

Do you need to create a road plan? Do you need two be more intentional with the margins that appear within your day? Do you need to focus on one task for a set period of time? Do you know to pay more attention to your energy so you can know how to pair your tasks accordingly?

What would be the easiest for you to implement to get some quick wins?

What would challenge and push you to start the year with the energy habit of PERFORM?

Resource – podcast episode #022 – How to be Productive in the Margins on the Road / #009 – One Change Every Business Traveler Must Make on the 1st Day of Every Trip

 

Habit Five – DEVELOP

If there is one habit that is often completely neglected on the road it would be professional and personal development.

How could there possibly be time to do anything but work especially time to read or learn?

But once we learn the margins of the road and become intentional about development, you’ll find more than enough time on any business trip to implement this critical energy habit to become an elite road warrior.

 

Develop encompasses the Invest in You Formula:

  • Sharpen the Mind – putting content in
  • Process the Thoughts – getting content out
  • Monitor the Heart – finding out how you’re REALLY doing

Sharpen the Mind – reading books, articles, or podcast with the intent to learn – possibly leverage the moment you find your seat on a plane until you reach 10K feet

Process the Thoughts – putting your thoughts on paper called Think Space into one central location

Monitor the Heart – taking time even 5-15 minutes to ask key questions to make sure your priorities and your heart are in the right place

Key Concept: Learning is Selfish and Something Only YOU Can Do

Challenge – Choose one of the three in the Invest in You Formula

Do you need to find a book to focus and read (like the Elite Road Warrior book for example)? Do you need to get a journal to write down your thoughts for Think Space and to Monitor the Heart?

I highly recommend the Elite Road Warrior Journal – black leather branded journal with two inserts, one to process the thoughts in the Think Space Journal side and one to monitor the heart in the Road Life Journal side. You can order the Elite Road Warrior Journal at www.EliteRoadWarrior.com .

What would be the easiest for you to implement to get some quick wins?
What would challenge and push you to start the year with the energy habit of DEVELOP?

Resource – podcast episode #041 – Eight Questions I Answer Every Morning on the Road / #040 – Why Personal Development is Important on the Road with Scott Mawdesley

 

Habit Six – CONNECT

For the longest time, my connect time with my family and friends back home was very narcissistic, meaning it revolved only around my schedule when it was best for me.

I rarely considered my family’s dinner time, homework time, sports practice, piano lessons, bedtime, just what worked for me.

I was busy os it was okay, right?

 

It consisted of only the following:

Text
Phone call
Video chat
Now, there’s nothing wrong with these three.

But it’s what I call the bare minimums to connect with those we love back home.

Nothing special and reactive.

Connect encompasses the Protect Connect Formula:

  • Connect Intentionally – on purpose
  • Connect Thoughtfully – reflective
  • Connect Creatively – memorable

Connect Intentionally – thinking outside of the reactive text, call or video chat and choosing a time and method to connect on purpose.

Connect Thoughtfully – pre-writing messages to send to people that will really mean something to them when they read the text, recording audio or video for your family to listen or watch over and over, leveraging the Not Forgotten Journal by taking two minutes to write down a memory, encouragement, challenge, speaking words of life into your significant other.

Connect Creatively – sending postcards to your kids from the city you’re in, leaving or sending Connect Cards for your kids to open, creating Flat Kiddos to take pictures of your locations such as your rental car, hotel, people you meet so your kids feel part of your trip, creating a map of the country and draw out where you’ll be on what days so your family knows where you are, having your kids do some research on your location for the trip .

Key Concept: Become a Connect-In Guy or a Connect-In Girl on the road

Challenge – Choose one of the three in the Protect Connect Formula

Do you need to become more intentional about how you connect with those you love back home? Do you need to schedule Think Space time to write meaningful words to others? How can you leverage the creative ideas suggested to begin to implement immediately?

You can order the Not Forgotten Journal, Connect Cards, and Flat Kiddos at www.EliteRoadWarrior.com

What would be the easiest for you to implement to get some quick wins?
What would challenge and push you to start the year with the energy habit of CONNECT?

Resource – podcast episode #029 – How I Shocked My Wife with the Not Forgotten Journal / #013 – Three Mindset Shifts to Stay Connected With Those Back Home

 

Let’s Land This Plane

Back to Paul’s story at the beginning of the episode… He wants to leverage the new year to make some changes not only in his work but also his health, and his home life.

These six energy habits are the basis of the Elite Road Warrior book and philosophy to master the business travel life.

I challenge, double-dog road warrior style dare you to choose one of the six habits and leverage the energy habit for all its worth to become an elite road warrior.

If you’re interested in listening to this article, check out Episode 051 of the Elite Road Warrior Podcast.

Top Five Excuses I Heard From Business Travelers This Past Year

 

I had this coming and more.

People talk to me for two crazy reasons:

  • I ask questions
  • I listen to their response

My Dad used to say all the time:

Son, ask people questions and they’ll talk to you for hours. Talk about yourself and they’ll listen to you for seconds at the most.

And oh how business travelers can talk.

Talk when they’re bored and want to engage with someone who gets them.

Talk when they’re asked a question by someone who seems to listen.

But what they don’t know is WHY I ask many of my questions on the road.

One word: RESEARCH

I want to hear from every single business traveler I can to hear how they feel about Road Life.

Unfiltered.

This past year I wanted to hear what were the barriers to becoming an elite road warrior.

And did I get an earful and my research-validated?

Here are the Top Five Excuses I Heard From Business Travelers This Past Year

Excuse 1 – It’s Hard to Eat Healthy on the Road

Translation: I’m not taking any responsibility for the non-forced food I put in my mouth.

I love this one. I’ve had SO many meals with road warriors who give me this excuse.

But then I watch their food choices meal after meal, restaurant after restaurant, bad choice after bad choice.

It starts with the appetizer then the main course with all the trimmings.

There’s the Freshman 15.
Then the Travel 20.
And if you’re an overachiever like me, you earn the Entitled 40.

How? Saying “It’s hard to eat healthy on the road.”

The reality is many of us have two advantages:

  • We’re not paying for the meal
  • We can choose the restaurant most of the time

These two realities can allow us to eat in healthier places and give you healthier options.

The truth is food is fuel and fuel is energy.

And I want energy to be at my best on the road.

Energy Habit Focus: FUEL

Resource: Five Decisions You Must Make at Every Restaurant on the Road

 

Excuse 2 – I Can’t Get in a Good Workout So What’s the Point

Translation: I’m not as busy as I think and could make time for a short, effective workout.

So many choices:

  • Morning or Late Afternoon?
  • Treadmill or Elliptical?
  • Outside Walk or Run?
  • Dumbbells or Resistance Bands?

The answer? YES!

And I’ve found when I take even just 20 minutes, I often have a better workout because I’m time-sensitive and really get after it.

Whether I’m in the hotel fitness center or stay in my hotel room, taking just a few minutes does so much for me especially when I make it happen before the business travel day begins.

Remember, something, anything, just not nothing when it comes to exercise on the road.

Movement Creates Energy.

Energy Habit Focus: MOVE

Resource: How to Workout in a Hotel Room – Podcast Interview with Jeff McMahon

 

Excuse 3 – I Don’t Have Time to Read When Traveling

Translation: I’m not looking at all the marginal time that affords me reading time on the road.

This was me until I really started looking at my business travel days for margin.

Consider these times to get your “read on”:

  • Drive to the airport to listen to an audiobook or a podcast
  • On the long-term parking bus and going through security
  • After you board the plane and until you hear “we’ve reached 10,000 feet blah blah blah”
  • On the flight descent when you’re told to put your tray table up and prepare for landing
  • In your rental car or RideShare
  • 1st hour of your morning when you’re in your hotel

Just sayin, there is more than enough time to get your “read on” while traveling for business.

Energy Habit Focus: DEVELOP

Resource: Five Reasons Personal Development is a Challenge on the Road

 

Excuse 4 – I Just Can’t Get a Good Night Sleep on the Road

Translation: I’m really good at hijacking my sleep when I travel.

I sucked at sleep on the road for a long, long time and here’s how:

  • I was on a screen (sometimes many) way too late
  • I would fall asleep with the TV on
  • I drank too much which my bladder and cottonmouth woke me up in the middle of the night
  • My brain was too active and I would just endlessly lay in my bed
  • My room was too warm and not dark enough

But once I realized that I first and foremost needed to IMPROVE my sleep before I needed to INCREASE my sleep.

Game changer, road warriors!

Now, I’m highly focused on having the best quality of sleep first then focus on the quantity no matter what.

Energy Habit Focus: REST

Resource: Why You Need a Sleep Kit on the Road and What Should Go In It

 

Excuse 5 – My Family is Just Fine with My Level of Check-In While Traveling 

Translation: I’ve never done it any other way to see if it made a difference.

The road is challenging to stay connected with those back home and it may go something like this:

  • I’ll call when I can
  • I’ll send a check-in text here and there
  • I’ll video chat but yet still be checking email and not really paying attention

I know because that was me for way too long and still the case for most business travelers.

This is what I call a “Check-in Guy or Check-in Girl”. We do the bare minimum and it’s usually only when it’s convenient for us.

But what if we leveraged the road to stay connected with the family in thoughtful and creative ways that actually strengthen our relationships?

There are many creative ideas from Connect Cards to Flat Kiddos to the Not Forgotten Journal that can change the depth of your relationships back home in amazing ways and so worth this small investment of time.

Energy Habit Focus: CONNECT

Resource: Three Mindset Shifts to Stay Connected With Those Back Home 

 

Let’s Land This Plane

In my book, Elite Road Warrior: Six Energy Habits to Master the Business Travel Life, I had a theme quote:

If you want to do something, you’ll find a way.
If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse. – Jim Rohn

And business travelers are king of excuses hence this article!

Excuses are opportunities that can be easily turned around.

What excuses are you using right now that you can leverage the road to turn around to help you become an elite road warrior?

I challenge you to check out the five resource links offered in this article. Take action and find a way, not an excuse.