I’m a big believer in two things: routine and planning.
If you know me, you probably know about my “Ideal Week.” I have it mapped out in detail—starting at 5:45 in the morning and ending at 10:00 at night. It includes my morning routine, my evening routine, exercise, and everything in between. I know I’m extreme! Every week, I sit down and plan out the days ahead in detail.
But as Mike Tyson famously said: “Everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the face.”
In this video, I want to talk about how to maintain your planning and routines when you’re travelling.
TK and I are currently in an amazing place called the Dolomites in Italy. The surrounding mountains are absolutely breathtaking—it’s easily one of the most spectacular landscapes I have ever seen. We’ve spent the last few days hiking, slept in a mountain refuge, and loved every minute of it.
Yesterday we walked 25,000 steps, and the day before was the same. But when I am away from home—whether for travel or business—all my usual routines and carefully laid plans go completely out of whack.
This is a question I get all the time from the leaders I train: “Cyril, I understand the logic of the Ideal Week when I’m at home or in the office. But what happens when I’m travelling and everything gets thrown upside down?”
Here are three simple strategies I use to keep control when travelling:
1. Be intentional about self-care.
When you are away from your usual environment, self-care easily falls off the radar unless you plan it. For me, non-negotiables fall into three buckets:
- Sleep: I am very intentional about what time I go to bed and wake up, locking it into my calendar in advance.
- Exercise: On business trips, if I don’t intentionally schedule even fifteen minutes of exercise, it simply doesn’t happen.
- Learning: I make sure to read for at least ten to fifteen minutes every day to keep learning.
2. Ruthlessly prioritise.
Whether I’m travelling or at home, I sit down every week to review my “Big Rocks”—my top priorities. I look at my calendar, evaluate how much time I actually have available between flights, meetings, or hikes, and ruthlessly cut back. I decide upfront what I am going to do, and just as importantly, what I am not going to do.
3. Book specific meetings with yourself.
If I don’t block time in my calendar, the work won’t get done. When travelling, I look for specific windows of availability—like a quiet afternoon in a hotel or a few hours spent sitting in an airport lounge—and block them out as non-negotiable appointments with myself to complete specific tasks.
Travel will always throw punches at your routine. The goal isn’t to follow a rigid schedule perfectly when you’re on the move, but to protect the core habits that keep you grounded, focused, and energised.
My question to you is this: How do you manage your routines and stay in control of your priorities when you are travelling? What is one self-care habit you can lock into your calendar before your next trip?
This is this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip.
You have a lovely day.
À bientôt,
Cyril
