It can happen to anyone. Maybe your flight gets delayed and you have a longer layover than you thought you would — or perhaps you just overestimated your own stamina. Regardless of the reason, you may find yourself heading to a critical business meeting barely able to hold your eyes open. When that occurs, you need to deal with your exhaustion, and fast. Here are a few tips.

Avoid Energy Drinks–Stick With The Coffee

“Energy drinks,” such as the ones with vitamins and herbs in them, tend to give you a brief rush and then send you down for a hard crash. Unless you want to lock yourself into a rollercoaster ride of alertness and exhaustion, they are best avoided altogether. Straight caffeinated drinks such as coffee or tea are less volatile.

Don’t Even Think About Driving

Studies have shown that driving while exhausted can be just as if not more dangerous than driving while drunk. It is always better to arrange for a car service in advance when you feel the exhaustion kicking in. Remember: even if you’re only a little tired on the way there, you’re likely to be extremely tired on the way back!

Get Some Exercise

It may seem like you should conserve your energy, but in fact getting your heart pumping and your blood moving is one of the best ways to wake your body up — at least for a short period. Before you head into your meeting, do a quick walk around the block or some aerobic exercises within your hotel room. Rather than exhausting you further, it will put your body on alert.

Have A Brisk Shower

A fast, cold shower is one of the fastest ways to wake yourself up when you’re feeling fatigued — though it may also be one of the more unpleasant methods. If you’re not willing to commit entirely to an icy bath, there’s a gentler option: drink a glass of ice cold water quickly. The cold will wake you up from within, though it may not be quite as alarming as the cold shower would be.

Of course, the best way to avoid exhaustion on your business trip is to avoid it entirely. Plan your trip carefully, pack light and give yourself plenty of time to rest. If at all possible, you should always plan to arrive a day early for any important meetings, so that you can conduct the meeting well-rested and refreshed.

Posted in: corporate travel, time management tips, travel tips