Kathie Lingle's Work-Life Blog

The Art and Joy(!) of Traveling

Aug. 14, 2007 - People often ask me how and why I make lightning-strike cross-country trips to deliver a presentation that might last an hour or two, book-ended by many more hours on planes, with all the stress and aggravation that implies. Since I’m just back from such a jaunt, and because this was a particularly satisfying travel experience that I will never forget for all the right reasons, I’m going to share my strategy for traveling with maximum beneficial impact.

I set off for Raleigh, N.C., last week, flying across the country from Phoenix on Tuesday to give a presentation that opened the second day of the annual CAI conference. I returned home on a 4 p.m. flight that same afternoon. Not an unusual schedule for yours truly.

First and most central, I love what I do and have fun doing it. Evangelist at core, I overlook no reasonable opportunity to spread the word to those who can carry it back to their organizations and make things happen.

Next, my message is simple and well-honed.  What’s the word? Everyone has a life so everyone is in the work-life business, especially the human resources and other business folks in my audiences. They just don’t know it. Until I come to town.  Imparting this message and watching people catch my enthusiasm is fun and gives me great joy.

I customize lodging, selecting bed and breakfasts over hotels whenever possible. This way, I stand a chance of remembering where I’ve stayed. Fortunately, Raleigh is a B&B kind of town. But I’ve stayed in B&B’s from Boston to Denver on business trips, so look for them everywhere you go. The Cameron Park Inn was my destination on this trip, and it is a winner.  I had a great time, met interesting people, had a memorable dinner at a local restaurant recommended by the B&B owner, was served a delicious homemade breakfast, and didn’t want to leave.  That’s the earmark of a great trip.

Be sure to schedule time with friends and acquaintances in your destination city. On this trip, I had lunch with Vic Cocowitch, a management consultant from whom I took a workshop last year based on the book, If Your Life Were a Business, Would You Invest In It? We had a lot of notes to compare about the progress we are making in our various life businesses.

Travel throws an abundance of surprises and new experiences at you, ready or not. Savor them as the gifts they are. Always on the hunt for the unusual, I hit pay dirt at the Raleigh airport, where I was dropped off way too long before my flight. My usual tactic for handling long airport stays is to make a beeline for an airline club, far from the madding crowd. Don’t hesitate to invest in your own comfort. If your employer doesn’t pay for club membership, spring for one or more yourself, as I do. Given the variety of airlines and airports I traverse, I find two to be the optimal number. Of course it’s expensive, but so is negative stress, which will eventually kill you. You and your sanity are more than worth it. 

On this occasion, I never made it to the club, because I stumbled upon the XpresSpa, and immediately remembered reading about this new service in a travel magazine. What luck!  Ninety minutes and one deluxe manicure later, I had been whisked into a reclining massage chair, someone removed my shoes, the manicurist dipped my hands into a paraffin bath that left my skin feeling like butter, and I quite literally floated to my gate, deliciously unperturbed by the normal chaos that accompanies the boarding of a Southwest Airlines flight. These spas that push beyond the familiar chair massage are popping up at airports all over the country, from Atlanta to San Francisco, so be sure to patronize them before they go out of business. 

Yes, my cell phone rang while I was being pampered, and no, I didn’t answer it until my nails dried. That’s what voicemail is for.  Employ technology to your own advantage once in a while.

Great trip, great time I’ll never forget.  Take care of yourself.  You’ll last longer and be a lot happier at the end of the road, wherever it takes you.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of WorldatWork and its affiliate, Alliance for Work-Life Progress (AWLP).