To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.
-Bill Bryson
When I went to Seoul for business it felt like I was learning to read all over again, trying to glean meaning from the logographic cues around me. It was fascinating, but also quite unnerving, that I was unable to decipher much of anything written there. In high school, I took 5 and 7 years of French and German respectively and my understanding of those languages swung back and forth between complete incomprehension and such fluidity I sometimes stopped thinking in English. During that week in Seoul I felt as helpless as a four year old, dependent on signs of westernization and the kindness of strangers who wanted to practice their English on me. It was a lot of work to scan symbols and try to find meaning before I could process things and move on. Being on the incomprehension side of not knowing a new language (not to mention jet lagged) was tough. But it was good for me. Tired as I was, I was also exhilarated and, stimulated.
For their research on the link between time abroad and creativity, William Maddux and Adam Galinsky, PhD, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, conducted studies to test the idea that living abroad and creativity are linked. According to the authors, "gaining experience in foreign cultures has long been a classic prescription for artists interested in stimulating their imaginations or honing their crafts."
Indeed. For the artist in me, that trip was just what the doctor ordered.
Natalie Zensius is a marketing communications strategist with experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Learn more about Natalie at http:www.linkedin.com/in/nzensius.
3 Tips For Avoiding Jet Lag From Business Travel
International business travel is not a regular part of my life, but when it happens the number one issue I have to deal with is jet lag. Unlike international travel for pleasure, professionals traveling overseas for work have to hit the ground running with their brains being mush during normal waking hours. And all while still being effective and getting the job done.
Some of the world's most economical printing and publishing options are inconveniently located on the opposite side of the ocean, so on one trip I crossed the date line to work in Seoul for a week doing a press check.
What worked for me was taking the following precautions:
Some of the world's most economical printing and publishing options are inconveniently located on the opposite side of the ocean, so on one trip I crossed the date line to work in Seoul for a week doing a press check.
What worked for me was taking the following precautions:
1. Stay well-hydrated and active during the flight.
The inside of a flight cabin is very dry and set at a higher altitude than sea level. Before and during the flight I drank as much water as I could. I also got up and walked the cabin and did stretches outside the bathrooms at least once an hour.
2. Stay awake for as long as possible the first day.
As tempting as it was, I didn't go lie down and take a nap after I checked-in to the hotel. I immediately jumped into the shower then got outside in the daylight and went for a walk. My goal was to try and stay up until 9 pm. It was hard, but it was worth it as I then got a good shot at sleeping through the night.
3. Have an alcoholic drink with dinner.
I love the hectic pace of travel, but the unfamiliar surroundings and culture shock all worked to make my head spin. I was amped up for hours after I arrived so I unwound with a beer. The key was I didn't overdo it and made sure to top off with water before going to bed.
For the record, I was still exhausted and out of sorts for the first several days I was there and I'm not sure I buy into the idea of avoiding jet lag completely. Like altitude sickness, which I've experienced in varying degrees and at equally varying elevations, I've found that sometimes it doesn't matter what you do or how you prepare. If you're gonna get it, you're gonna get it. But I do think I would have suffered more if I hadn't followed those three steps. With massive time differences and the often intense nature of international business trips it's unrealistic to expect to be firing on all cylinders at all times, but it's important to be as functioning as possible, which is the best one can hope for.
Natalie Zensius is a marketing communications strategist with experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Learn more about Natalie at http:www.linkedin.com/in/nzensius.
The inside of a flight cabin is very dry and set at a higher altitude than sea level. Before and during the flight I drank as much water as I could. I also got up and walked the cabin and did stretches outside the bathrooms at least once an hour.
2. Stay awake for as long as possible the first day.
As tempting as it was, I didn't go lie down and take a nap after I checked-in to the hotel. I immediately jumped into the shower then got outside in the daylight and went for a walk. My goal was to try and stay up until 9 pm. It was hard, but it was worth it as I then got a good shot at sleeping through the night.
3. Have an alcoholic drink with dinner.
I love the hectic pace of travel, but the unfamiliar surroundings and culture shock all worked to make my head spin. I was amped up for hours after I arrived so I unwound with a beer. The key was I didn't overdo it and made sure to top off with water before going to bed.
For the record, I was still exhausted and out of sorts for the first several days I was there and I'm not sure I buy into the idea of avoiding jet lag completely. Like altitude sickness, which I've experienced in varying degrees and at equally varying elevations, I've found that sometimes it doesn't matter what you do or how you prepare. If you're gonna get it, you're gonna get it. But I do think I would have suffered more if I hadn't followed those three steps. With massive time differences and the often intense nature of international business trips it's unrealistic to expect to be firing on all cylinders at all times, but it's important to be as functioning as possible, which is the best one can hope for.
Natalie Zensius is a marketing communications strategist with experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Learn more about Natalie at http:www.linkedin.com/in/nzensius.
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