The other day I was having a conversation about long distance travel with some family members.

It's been a LONG time since many of us travelled anywhere, let along to the far flung corners of the globe. The past year, especially, with the coronavirus pandemic locking us into our own 'space', even the shortest flights and boat trips  and even car journeys have been somewhat restricted.

But we can dream!

Anyway, I was saying that one piece of advice I received about long distance journeys by air sounds a bit weird, but it actually works, especially when you're travelling to somewhere which is in a different time zone  - say three or four hours 'behind' or 'in front' of home.

And it's this. 

When you get on the aeroplane, immediately set your watch, or your phone, ahead or behind to the time in the place which will be your final destination. In other words, start THINKING yourself into the time zone where you will eventually end up.

As part of this, I usually start to think of my meals differently. So although the crew on your flight may say it's 'lunchtime', in your destination it may be 'dinner' or evening meal time. Actually, to be honest, on very long haul flights I don't tend to eat masses at every opportunity. I find my digestion works better while flying if I keep to small 'meals' and lots of water drinking!

If you are travelling a long distance all this won't stop you feeling tired, that' jet lag' that many of us have experienced, but I've found it cuts down the 'disorientation' which you can feel, for example, when you land somewhere and instead of it being the middle of night (as it is 'back home') it's almost lunchtime. 

Oh, and the other thing I do is to avoid going to bed until it is actually night time in my holiday destination. When I travelled to Australia a while back we landed in Sydney around lunchtime and it was mid-afternoon by the time we reached our holiday home in the suburbs of the city. We were all exhausted and some of the family did have a nap but my niece and I opted to go to the beach, and although we were exhausted, because actually back home it was the middle of the night, we managed to survive until early evening and I, for one, had a good night's sleep. Again, it was a bit of mind over matter and it was such fun, although a bit surreal to be on a sandy beach in the middle of summer when just a day before we'd left London in the middle of winter!

Why am I telling you all this?

Well it's because it's the start of the working week, whatever that may mean for you, and I'm determined today to apply the same principle.

Thinking positively, thinking myself into the week ahead, not worrying about the things that I have to do or the long list of 'must dos' and meetings I have scheduled. Thinking myself into the week with optimism, believing I can handle anything that gets thrown at me and that life is great.

I found this image and it says it all I think.  It works for a Monday, but actually it can apply to any day! 

So - have a great day, and have a great week!