International Living: Strategies for Maintaining Balance and well-being
Living and working internationally brings a tapestry of experiences and challenges, from cultural immersion to frequent business travel. For professionals navigating this dynamic lifestyle, maintaining balance across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects is crucial for sustained well-being. This article delves into practical strategies tailored for seasoned business professionals to thrive amidst the demands of global work, travel, and living in another country, including considerations for family responsibilities and friends across borders.
5-point Summary
For those of you with limited time or attention to read a longer article, these 5-point summaries offer a quick glimpse into the key insights.
Cultural and Linguistic Integration:
Embrace local customs, cuisine, and traditions while investing in learning the local language and nuances. This enhances communication and integration whether settling abroad or navigating diverse cultures during travel.Prioritizing Physical Health:
Maintain a flexible exercise routine and healthy eating habits to support energy levels and overall well-being amidst the disruptions of frequent travel or adjusting to life in a new country.Managing Mental and Emotional Well-Being:
Develop adaptive stress management strategies and seek emotional support to navigate the challenges of living abroad or the intensity of frequent travel effectively. Stay connected with family and friends through regular communication and visits to maintain emotional well-being.Nurturing Spiritual Growth:
Engage in reflective practices and seek out community connections to foster a sense of purpose and inner peace, whether settling into a new cultural environment or managing the demands of frequent travel schedules.Balancing Work and Personal Responsibilities:
Integrate professional duties and personal obligations, such as family commitments, by setting clear boundaries. Embrace flexibility in work arrangements to accommodate cultural differences and personal needs, and prioritize self-care to sustain long-term well-being for both yourself and your loved ones. Remember, it's essential to care for yourself first to effectively care for others and maintain balance in your life.
Full Article
Exploring the intricate balance of international living, this article delves deeper into practical strategies tailored for seasoned business professionals to improve their well-being and thrive amidst the complexities of global work, travel, and cultural integration.
Embracing Cultural Adaptation
International living often involves adjusting to new cultures, languages, and societal norms. Embrace this opportunity for personal growth by:
Cultural Immersion: Engage with local customs, cuisine, and traditions to foster connections and deepen understanding.
Language Skills: Invest time in learning the local language, nuances, and even colloquial phrases to enhance communication and integration within the community. For example, even if the language is in theory the ‘same’ there are still differences. Arriving from England to America results in a discovery of a number of new words, phrases, and ways of saying things, and even expressing sounds can help you understand and be understood.
Prioritizing Physical Health
Frequent travel can disrupt routines, making it essential to prioritize physical health:
Exercise Routine: Establish a portable exercise routine that can be adapted to different locations, whether through hotel gyms, outdoor activities, bodyweight exercises, or stretching. Remember, even a few minutes of walking around the block or taking the stairs is better than no movement at all.
Healthy Eating Habits: Even though this can be exceptionally hard, choose nutritious options while traveling. Opt for local produce and balanced meals to maintain energy levels and overall well-being. Snack on fruit, vegetables, nuts, or seeds instead of processed foods when possible. Remember, whatever food you're choosing, select options that best align with your body and the place you're visiting to support your health and well-being.
Breathing: Practice regular breathing exercises to manage stress and stay grounded. Techniques like deep breathing, box breathing, or mindful breathing can help calm your mind and enhance your overall sense of well-being. A quick tip is to consciously take a full breath in through the nose, and out through the mouth, allowing the out-breath to be slightly longer than the inhale. Do this 2-4 times for a quick release of tension during busy schedules.
Managing Mental and Emotional Well-Being
The pressures of international living and business travel can take a toll on mental and emotional health. Strategies to promote resilience include:
Stress Management: Discover techniques that best help your body release stress. Everyone experiences stress differently, so it's essential to find what works best for you. Consider exploring techniques such as full or deep breathing, spending time in nature, carving out even just 10 minutes of alone time (even if it means locking yourself in the bathroom!), practicing mindfulness or meditation, making mindful food choices, reducing alcohol intake, and replacing caffeine with herbal teas to enhance focus in changing environments. Incorporating movement such as an early morning swim in the hotel pool or a gentle stretching routine can also be beneficial. Recognize when your body is feeling taxed, such as with jet lag, you may need to adjust your activities accordingly -- gentle stretching or a walk can be more supportive than high-intensity cardio during these times. We are all different so experiment with what your body needs.
Emotional Support: Build a supportive network of colleagues, friends, or mentors who understand the unique challenges of international living and traveling. While traveling, lean on these connections for additional support. Even a quick 5-minute message exchange or phone call with someone who understands your challenges can be soothing and help rebalance your emotional state. Beginning to connect with your body and recognize its needs, rather than pushing it, can be a profound form of support, especially during times of stress or jet lag.
Nurturing Spiritual Growth
Maintaining a sense of purpose and inner peace is vital in global settings:
Reflective Practices: Engage in activities that nurture spiritual well-being. While this can include religious practices for some, it's more broadly about connecting to purpose and life. Consider activities such as spending time in nature, meditation, prayer, or reflecting on what brings you a sense of vitality and meaning.
Finding Community: Seek out communities or groups that resonate with your beliefs and values, offering a sense of belonging and support. This isn't solely about religion but rather about finding connections with like-minded individuals who share similar beliefs and values, fostering a sense of community and mutual support. A good litmus test is to notice when you feel most connected and alive during conversations or activities. This often involves a sense of connection, compassion, and peacefulness, sometimes manifesting as feelings of expansion, brightness, and vitality. It's important to distinguish these moments from situations that trigger anger or cause you to contract in any way.
Balancing Responsibilities for Family and Friends
Navigating international living often involves significant responsibilities concerning family and friends. This includes balancing the challenges of young children at home or living abroad, managing caregiving responsibilities for aging parents or grandparents in different countries, and supporting friendships that span across various regions.
Balancing these diverse responsibilities requires careful planning and emotional support to maintain connections and ensure your own well-being doesn't get sidelined amidst these responsibilities. It's crucial to find a balance between caring for others and prioritizing self-care to navigate the challenges of international living effectively.
Emotional and Practical Support: Stay connected emotionally with loved ones through regular communication and visits when possible. Balancing the care of aging parents or grandparents, supporting friends, and managing the responsibilities of children who may live abroad or be at home while traveling can be emotionally challenging. Distance can amplify intense feelings such as frustration, exhaustion, guilt, or helplessness, so maintaining supportive relationships and open communication is crucial.
Physical and Financial Planning: Plan for caregiving responsibilities by exploring healthcare options and establishing contingency plans. Understand the physical and financial implications of managing caregiving from a distance for both family and friends. Consider the impact on children who may live abroad or be at home and seek professional advice as needed to navigate these complex responsibilities and ensure the well-being of all those you care about.
Establishing Work-Life Integration
Achieving harmony between professional responsibilities and personal life is key to long-term well-being:
Boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal time, ensuring dedicated periods for rest, relaxation, and personal interests. Remember, while setting boundaries may sound simple, it can be challenging to implement consistently. If you find it difficult, recognize that this is a common struggle and it takes practice, learning from failures, and persistence to find what works best for you. Finding someone to support you in this journey can be highly beneficial too.
Flexibility: Embrace flexibility in work arrangements to accommodate cultural differences and personal needs while maintaining productivity. Adjusting to different cultural norms and personal circumstances may require adaptability and openness to new ways of working.
Take Time Out
When you move to another country or travel extensively, it can be exhausting. Your senses are bombarded with information throughout the day at a much higher intensity than your usual routine. It's important to recognize and accept that feeling tired and exhausted can be a normal response.
If you've recently started living abroad, give yourself permission to have extra downtime. Your body is processing a lot of changes and needs time to adjust. Common complaints like "I used to be able to do X easily..." are cues not be ignored but to be noticed. Pushing through fatigue isn't the solution; forcing your body to comply can add unnecessary stress.
When traveling, acknowledge that you're putting strain on your system. Air travel affects your body, even if you don't feel immediate effects like jet lag. Upon returning home, prioritize carving out downtime. It can be tempting to say yes to commitments as soon as you arrive back home, yet this can leave you feeling drained and prolong the effects of intense travel. Instead, find ways to create space in your schedule to rest and recharge. This approach encourages respecting your body's needs and adjusting your routine to support overall well-being during transitions and travel.
Conclusion
Navigating international living and frequent business travel demands a proactive approach to maintaining balance and well-being. By embracing cultural adaptation, prioritizing physical and mental health, nurturing spiritual growth, balancing responsibilities for aging family and friends, establishing work-life integration, and cultivating resilience, seasoned professionals can thrive in global environments.
Remember, achieving balance is an ongoing journey that requires self-awareness, flexibility, and a commitment to holistic (complete) well-being. By experimenting with some of these strategies, you can navigate the complexities of international living with resilience and success, ensuring both personal fulfillment and professional excellence.
Disclaimer: The information and services provided by Birch Cove are for educational and informational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Content is provided for awareness and general guidance. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or health needs. Birch Cove is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information or services provided.
