Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2020 by Maureen Bonatch MSN, RN and was updated to reflect updated information in March 2024 by Mike Connors.Â
Traveling is exciting—but visiting different places and discovering new things might make adhering to your normal daily routines feel like an impossible task. If you’re a travel nurse or allied health professional, spending an extended time moving from place to place is a normal part of your life. Whether you choose to take on travel assignments because you like change or enjoy experiencing new destinations, maintaining a travel routine is important for your emotional and physical health. In this blog, we explore the benefits of keeping a routine, and give you some crucial tips on what activities you want to keep up while traveling on assignments.
What are the benefits of keeping a healthy travel routine?
A healthy routine can help you better handle stress, cope with change, achieve goals, and manage your time. During times of change, routines can provide normalcy and stability, making it easier for you to complete daily tasks. This is because a routine may free your mind from thinking too much about the task itself, provide time to concentrate on more complicated tasks, or allow for creative thinking.
How do I create and maintain a daily travel routine?
First, it’s important to take stock of yourself and your habits. Think about an average week in your life, and write down what you normally do each day. Once you understand how you operate on a daily basis, it becomes easier to plan ahead to adjust your time and incorporate healthy routines.
After that, you can get started on deciding what activities you want to implement into your daily life while you’re on assignment. This could be exercise, cooking healthy meals, setting an early bedtime, or anything else that you think would benefit you. Put each of these on a calendar or write them down in a planner, and hold yourself to following these activities. Over time, it’ll become second nature to you, and you’ll have created a routine.Â
Expecting to continue with the same routine can be difficult when everything in your environment has changed. As humans, we are creatures of habit—so incorporating some of the comforts of home in your new place by organizing your clothing, adding familiar scents, and other personal items may help you maintain more of your typical day.
What are some healthy travel routines?
There are many activities you can implement into your daily life that will enhance your physical and emotional health. Here are some examples:
Incorporate a Workout Routine While Traveling
There’s no doubt that exercising is beneficial for reducing stress and increasing energy and overall well-being, but without a little planning, even the most dedicated may be challenged to maintain a workout routine while traveling.
Consider what exercises you like to do, and determine ahead of time what’s available on your travel assignment so you can keep your exercise routine. Here are some tips for bolstering your workout routine while traveling:
- Consider if there are nearby bike rentals or trails for your commute
- Find the closest gym
- While networking, ask about exercise options, and healthy eating establishments
- Connect with a workout or an online accountability partner to maintain motivation
- Pack resistance bands, weights and/or a mat, and use online or televised exercise programs
- Walk during breaks, take the stairs, and explore the area
Start a Sleep Schedule That Leaves You Energized
If the rotating shifts that often accompany working in healthcare aren’t enough to interrupt your sleep, changes in time zones and sleeping in an unfamiliar environment might. If you’re sleep deprived, even the simplest tasks can become challenging, and may result in headaches, irritability, and fatigue.
A few ways to improve your sleep while traveling include:
- Adjust your sleep schedule 3–5 days prior to departure
- Avoid taking too much caffeine
- Use earplugs or white noise to fall asleep
- Silence your phone
- Use a sleep mask
- Bring your favorite pajamas
Focus on Healthy Eating As Part of Your Travel Routine
The fatigue and havoc associated with changes to your schedule, or daily stressors, can tempt you to opt for emotional eating. Incorporate time to shop for healthy choices to avoid choosing the vending machine, unhealthy convenience foods, or fast food. Take advantage of opportunities to try local cuisine and choose a smaller portion, or split the portion to take home for another meal.
Stay Connected With Friends and Family
In addition to physical health, it’s helpful to focus on nurturing your emotional well-being. Extended time traveling can result in disconnection with family and friends. Fortunately, in addition to a phone call, technology provides various ways to stay involved with our loved ones.
Use group texts, FaceTime, or browse through social media to view photos so you don’t feel as if you’re missing out on your family and friend’s day-to-day life. If you’re on an extended assignment, choose a location they might like to visit.
New Places, Same Daily Routines
It’s easy to let routines slide while traveling, but as a healthcare worker, your health should be a priority. Maintaining healthy routines while traveling may help you enjoy a better work-life balance, and can help improve your emotional and physical well-being.
Talk to one of our recruiters to learn more about the various travel nursing and allied health opportunities available in the places you’re visiting. And remember, a little planning can help you to maintain your routines so that each new place feels a little like home.