How many times have you returned home from a business trip feeling totally exhausted? Though it is often critical to meet in person, the impact of travel on your productivity and overall well-being can be adverse if you don’t take care of yourself whilst on the road. Susanna Hasenoehrl, Founder of Yourfamily.Kitchen, shares her best tips on how to keep up your groove on the go.

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This summer, I travelled to London for a workshop with my design team. Arriving at the Heathrow Airport, I was already feeling a bit sluggish. It had been a very early wake up. Though I never skip breakfast, I was also feeling hungry – yet lunch was still a long way to go. I knew I needed to boost my energy as this was a very important day. Many people had travelled from afar, and we had a unique opportunity to make something critically important work. As the leader of the team, I had to be on top of my game. It would require everyone’s full concentration, creativity, and resilience to arrive at the optimum results.

Next to ‘Arrivals’, I was delighted to find a Mark & Spencer store stocked with plenty of healthy snacks to-go: a variety of freshly cut fruit, wholemeal wrap options with plenty of veggies, chickpeas, lean meats without the usual mayonnaise. As I was about to check out, I also noticed natural nut mixes – without the usual sugar and questionable oil coating — so that was perfect.

Even if you don’t have such a great travelers’ shop en route, standard grocery stores offer better choices than typical snack places. I’m quite used to buying a banana and some whole grain bread, perhaps with natural yoghurt, as a practical snack to-go.These beat sugary buns or salty chips ten nil, giving you sustained energy for hours.

Sitting in a crammed plane for hours does not really help with blood circulation, so I also energise by walking briskly and using stairs instead of escalators on airports. Travelling light makes this possible. Public transportation provides the fastest way to move around in London, and without heavy luggage you’ll master the centuries old underground stations – mostly without elevators – easily. I always travel in flats, and carry laptop and other heavy items in a small backpack not to strain my neck and shoulders. I pack in sports gear, and go for a run or hit the hotel gym every morning — a routine I maintain also in Singapore.

My nutritious snack kept me going until a lunch break with my team. We had a light bite together, and took a stroll outside afterwards. I know from my own experience how even such simple movements such as standing up from the desk already gives you fresh ideas. And if there is an opportunity to catch a bit of sunlight - for the production of vitamin-D within our body – that’s even better. Isaac Newton’s statue greeted us on the way to the British Library’s park. Surely he did not just sit around and wait for the apple to fall onto his head.Moving around helps us think much better as blood flows into our brains at an improved rate.

Our workshop continued and whilst the team was working, I made sure everyone was well-hydrated and that adequate breaks – with healthy snacks - were taken. We achieved great breakthroughs, which I attribute not only to my great team but to a steady flow of glycose that feeds our brains and enough oxygen in our circulation. Our mental performance is really only a function of our bodies. Marcel Daane explains this very well in his book “Headstrong Performance”, but basically, you cannot concentrate unless your bodily needs are met. In the evening, we walked to a dinner at Grain Store-- a fantastic new restaurant in London's upcoming King’s Cross area. They serve delicious - mostly vegetarian – dishes you can feel good about eating. It was easy to toast for a successful day.

During you next business trip, remember to ‘check-in’ how your body is doing. Maintain as regular eating rhythm as possible, and pack in almonds or walnuts as an emergency reserve. If travelling to London, there is a good selection of healthy alternatives at major transit points, but elsewhere look for ‘real food’ options, as opposed to sugary and salty fast foods. Remember to drink water whenever you can, and avoid excessive alcohol. Ask for plenty of water refills in the air. Move around whenever possible and use stairs instead of lifts and escalators. Remember to get fresh air too. This way, you’ll return home much less strained and the chance is you’ve had a much better business day too.