I’m typing this post from row 34, seat F, somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, at about 31,000 feet. I’ve been on and off of the military travel circuit for about eight years now, averaging between four and twenty-four weeks TDY annually. I’ve had some great experiences over the years, from the jungles of Malaysia to the trains in Tokyo, but these experiences have come at a cost. Each hour on the ground in Malaysia requires days of travel, impacting the military professional, their organization, and their family. This post serves as a guide for those professionals on the TDY circuit and focuses on methods to reduce the stress associated with travel, maintain a healthy lifestyle while away, and maintain proper contact, both personally and professionally. Though I provide a bunch of links to useful products, I am in no way affiliated with or receiving compensation for endorsing them.

Before proceeding, let’s take a minute to talk about why we go TDY. Though technology has changed how professionals interact, Secure Video Teleconference simply can not replace face to face coordination. We go on Temporary Duty, or TDY, to solve hard problems, interact, and build relationships with our counterparts. Since the military invests significant resources in our travel, we owe it to the profession to be on our A-Game. That said, being on your A-Game does not require you to crush yourself mentally and physically. Maximum performance on the road requires a balanced approach while traveling, working, returning, and recovering. So let’s figure out how to travel like a pro.

Reduce Travel Stress. I spent the first few years of professional travel slumming it, waiting in line at the Starbucks or paying $26.50 for a beer at an overcrowded bar. Traveling this way sucks, leading to increased fatigue when you get to your destination. Here are a handful of tips to reduce stress while you’re on the road, making sure you arrive ready to get after the mission.

-Know Your Benefits. Before taking off, do some research and understand the benefits of being a service member on the road. As an example, there are several good travel credit cards out there who wave annual fees for the military. One of the key perks I receive is lounge access, a paradigm shift in business travel. Lounges are magical places with free drinks, food, and a significantly more relaxed atmosphere than out with the general population. Finally, I recommend joining loyalty programs for airlines, hotels, and rental cars to gain additional benefits and make check ins easier. These programs are usually free.

-Find a Purpose. If you’re like me, business travel leaves a lot of dead space while on planes, trains, and automobiles traveling around the world. Fill available time by traveling with a purpose. While I’m on the road I spend a lot of time reading, writing, engaging, and thinking of new ways to expand the professional conversation. Don’t have a blog? Provide a guest post (just click HERE). Not interested in writing? Nine hours on an airplane is a great opportunity to catch up on your reading instead of trying to watch all of the Justice League movies in order. There are certainly times when I relax with a beer and a movie, but my travel time feels better spent when I use available time productively.

-Get the Right Gear. I use a number of tools that make connecting easier, regardless of where I am. The iPad Pro is ideal for me, coupled with a subscription to Microsoft 365. I can set up my kit at any Starbucks, hop on the WIFI, and be ready to get things done within minutes. I use a Thursby CaC card reader to monitor unclassified email. It is an okay product, though a little glitchy depending on the connection strength. Finally, I recommend a good noise canceling headset. I use the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 headset. The sound quality is amazing, allowing me to focus on work or blogging.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle. I find that I make poor choices on the road if I don’t think ahead. Bad choices make me feel crappy, while good food and exercise help me adapt quickly and thrive in diverse environments. Over the years, I’ve developed a pretty specific packing list to help me make the best choices possible. I still eat some unhealthy things and miss workouts while on the road, but these tips have helped me stay balanced towards a healthy lifestyle.

-Plan Ahead. I travel with a stock of healthy food, primarily RX Bars and ProBars. These companies make products that taste good and are easy to throw in a backpack for a snack or lunch. If available, I’ll hit the commissary or grocery store as soon as I arrive at a TDY location to stock up on other easy food sources. I usually buy apples, bananas, and nuts. Finally, I travel with a LifeStraw water bottle to keep myself hydrated. The bottle makes any water drinkable, which is handy in some of the more remote locations we travel to.

-Build the Right Program. I try to maintain a fitness lifestyle that’s “exportable” and can be executed with minimal equipment. I travel with a TRX system, which is great for hotels without gym access. I do a pretty good amount of running mixed with bodyweight movements. Here’s a great list of road-ready CrossFit workouts to get you started.

-Recovery. There are a few items that I always travel with to help me recover and sleep well, often a challenge when transitioning through time zones. First, I bring a travel foam roller and lacrosse ball. I use these tools to help loosen back up after long flights. Additionally, I bring my own pillow, a Tempur-Pedic model that I’ve been using for a long time.

Stay in Contact. Personally, I struggle to maintain the right balance of contact, both personally and professionally. On the professional side, I often over engage, attempting to tackle tasks as if I am in the office. On the personal side, I often miss contact with my family due to misaligned time zones and schedules. Here are a couple of thoughts to help you balance things out while on the road.

-Share Your Trip. One of the best ways I’ve found to stay engaged is to include my family in the exciting facets of the trip. Even if the time zones don’t match up, I stay engaged by shooting short videos on my iPhone and sending them home over WiFi. Figure out a good time and make contacting the family part of your daily routine.

-Be Online, Don’t Micromanage. When it comes to work, look for the right balance of engagement. I check my unclassified email daily on my iPad and log into classified systems whenever they are available. I write a quick update weekly to ensure the command is aware of my progress and any challenges or friction points inhibiting progress. That said, I do my best to stay out of business that another group or team is handling effectively at home station. This is most important when you are in charge of a staff, section, or team. Empower your subordinates to act, give them good guidance, and get out of the way while you are gone.

-Write Your Trip Report. In my opinion, closing out business from a trip is a pretty lame way to spend the next few days in the office. Instead, write your trip report a little each day, then distribute it before heading home. Do this by annotating the noteworthy information in your notebook, then digitally consolidate it each day in a pre-formatted shell. This will save time after the trip and make sure you capture the most relevant info.

-Set up DTS. Finally, face the monster that is the Defense Travel System before flying back to home station. You can’t finalize and sign your voucher while still traveling, but there’s nothing preventing you from uploading receipts, adding and adjusting expenses, and ensuring the document is ready to sign when you get home.

I hope this post has provided useful tips to reduce the stress associated with travel, maintain a healthy lifestyle while away, and maintain proper contact, both personally and professionally. Traveling for work is often challenging, but there are many ways to keep it from being absolutely miserable. Do your best to enjoy the journey, wherever the profession takes you.