As the warmer months approach and summer tours begin to get staffed and kick off, here are Hype’s rules to make life on the road a little less bumpy! #RoadWarriorsUnite
Rule #1: It’s all about finding structure on the road; finding it on a personal level will ultimately help you be successful professionally.
Rule #2: Just because you are on the road doesn’t mean fast food is the only option! Take advantage when you’re near a grocery store and stock up on granola bars, fruit (that doesn’t need refrigerating like bananas & apples), and lots of water and Gatorade.
TIP: Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts also carry bananas! Also, don’t shy away from convenient stores, you’d be surprised with the healthy options you can find!
Hype’s Convenient Store Go-tos:
1.) Un-salted nuts
2.) Beef jerky
3.) Muscle Milk
4.) String cheese sticks
5.) Yogurt
6.) Fresh fruit
7.) Granola bars
8.) Hard-boiled eggs
9.) Water
10.) V8 tomato juice
TIP: If you do have a mini or full size fridge (residence inn and towne place suites FTW), highly recommended is coconut water and green juice. Long days in the sun require proper hydration and if you can’t eat your veggies, still keep your vitamin intake by drinking them. The breakfast buffet is a great place to prepare a peanut butter sandwich to snack on or supplement lunch with later (and saves that per diem $$ for dinner!)
Rule #3: Stay active! Check out some of Hype’s favorite hotel room workouts: http://goo.gl/79woIc. Moving heavy and often awkward equipment can take a toll on your back – don’t forget to stretch even if it’s for a few minutes each morning and at night.
TIP: Grab a fresh towel from the bathroom and use as a mat. Never workout on the hotel carpet as there may be bedbugs- seriously!!
TIP: Pedometer bracelets (FitBit, Jawbone) help you track your movement over the course of the day – sometimes it’s reassuring to read that your 10 hour day in the field resulted in 30,000 steps so don’t feel pressure to squeeze in a work out if you’re working long days – your body needs rest.
Explore: The best part about traveling around the county is all the different sites to see and they all offer different terrain! If you have a day off, mix up your routine and get out of your hotel! Find a local hike, or famous stairs to climb, there are a lot of free weekly trials available at gyms that will let you sign up for a FREE class.
Rule #4: End your day with a bedtime route. No matter how late it is, don’t just crash into bed! Whatever you do before you go to bed at home, do it on the road too!
TIP: I’ve recently downloaded a sleep app that wakes me up within a half hour of my set alarm time. When it feels I am at a lighter state it wakes me up. Often when I am sleeping in new places it is hard to fall asleep and then a nightmare to wake up! This app makes that wake up time a little bit more pleasant.
TIP: I bring melatonin everywhere I travel – helps lull you to sleep and knock you out for a solid 7-9 hours so you’re less apt to wake up at your natural east coast time zone for example. BUT if you are in for a quick nap or just a couple hours, sleepy-time tea is recommended in this situation. I keep both in a baggie in my suitcase along with Aleve and MIDOL (the road or event doesn’t stop for NUTHIN).
Rule #5: Pack appropriately! If you’re working a summer program, it’s going to be hot, sunny and probably sticky! Layering a light dri-fit tank top (and for the ladies- a sports bra) underneath your branded top helps keep you comfortable and from completely drenching your shirt! If you have the ability to steer away from khakis, then plain black soccer shorts or dri-fit capris are great options so you can keep moving easily. Learning what sneakers are good for your feet is extremely beneficial, or specialized insoles if you are required to wear certain shoes. Sneakers built for walking or cross training are especially recommended for long-term support. Leave the TOMS and Sperry’s for your downtime, exploring the local area!