If you know me at all, you know that I travel quite a bit for my job. I'm on the road a lot meeting with retailers, doctors, hospital administrators, city staff, brokers, etc. Each trip that I go on is a new adventure and is unique in its own way.
This past weekend, I received a copy of a book from my cousin, Seth. We had seen each other recently at my brother-in-law's 40th birthday party in New Hampshire. We struck up a conversation about business travel, and he knew that I traveled quite a bit for my job. He asked me if I had ever read the book "Road Warrior: How to Keep Your Faith, Relationships, and Integrity When You're Away From Home." I told him I had not. It sounded like a pretty neat book. I got home from a trip the other day, and was pleased to find an envelope from Seth with the book in it. I picked it up and read it in one day. Let me just say that this book has transformed my thinking in so many different ways. It hit me between the eyes right where - and when - I needed it.
When you travel, it is a lonely place. You may not realize how loneliness sets in, but you find yourself in places where you are away from your loved ones. Look around you! If you're on the road, you're probably with people you don't know very well - if at all - places like airports, hotels, restaurants, etc.
Staying connected is key for me while I'm on the road. How do I stay connected? Well first and foremost, I have a Blackberry that has the Bible app on it that I can stay connected to God. I can read it on the plane, in the hotel, in the Admirals Club at the airport, or wherever I have an opportunity. I have to stay grounded in my faith FIRST before I can function with the rest of my day.
Connection to my family is absolutely crucial. It isn't easy as schedules are nuts with meetings, etc., but I MUST make an effort to call or even Skype my family every day to make sure that I know what's going on at home, and they know what is going on with me. Not being able to be there all of the time isn't easy, so you must be able to make an effort to reach out and touch base with family. Believe me, I can do a much better job of this, and after reading Road Warrior, it gave me a lot of new ideas to start to implement to be a better husband and father.
The other one that I recommend is to stay close to your friends. Friends can keep you accountable when you're on the road. I reach out to them daily through phone calls, emails, Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. Keeping connected with friends and family really keep your mind focused and "in control." Without them, it would make travel very difficult.
Travel will eat you up, if you let it. Believe me, I know. It has eaten me up in a lot of ways. I made a conscience decision this weekend, that I am not going to let it. I can't let my travel schedule me rather than scheduling it. If I continue to let that happen, then everything around me will suffer: God, family, friends.
I am excited about what lies ahead, and am thankful to Seth who took time to send me the book Road Warrior, and I'm pleased to say that I bought 10 copies to pass out to my close "Road Warrior friends." Hopefully, it will help them with their travels as I know it has already helped me.
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