Most people love to travel, but few people enjoy business trips. While that can partially be chalked up to the extra rest and relaxation you might have on a nonwork-related trip, unhealthy habits can make business trips even more draining. If business trips leave you feeling like you need a vacation, you might be making the following mistakes. Skipping Breakfast On hectic mornings with early meetings, it’s tempting to skip breakfast and just grab some coffee. But if you usually eat breakfast at home, skipping your morning meal can cause you to be a lot hungrier later, which can lead to excess snacking or overeating at lunch. When traveling, stick to your regular eating habits. Eating Restaurant Serving Sizes If you’re eating three restaurant-sized meals a day, you’re going to get more calories than if you were cooking at home. Don’t be afraid to order half-portions or stick to the appetizer menu. You can also ask about ordering meals à la carte — no one needs all those fries with their burger, anyway. These strategies will help you save money and stick to a healthy calorie count. Not Packing Workout Gear Research from the travel risk management company On Call International found that 54% of people say they’re less likely to exercise while on a work trip, but you shouldn’t let fitness take a back seat. Packing workout clothes can serve as a reminder to get some exercise. Get in a good workout by taking advantage of the hotel gym, walking to nearby destinations, or doing some yoga in the hotel room before bed. Not Taking Sleep Seriously Early morning meetings, late-night networking events, and unfamiliar hotel rooms are a recipe for lost sleep. Lack of sleep puts your body on the fast-track to poor health, so you need to make good sleep a priority. Do your best to maintain your sleep schedule and bedtime routine while traveling. Better yet, check the guest reviews before booking your hotel. Heed complaints about thin walls or uncomfortable beds and find accommodations that support a good sleep environment. You shouldn’t have to dread business trips. Build better travel habits to feel healthier and enjoy every kind of trip you take this year. BUSINESS TRIPS DON’T HAVE TO BE TERRIBLE 4 Travel Mistakes You Keep Making
MEET JEFF NICKLES, VP of Innovation
Are you going to be bored here?
This isn’t a question most people expect to be asked during a job interview, but it was a question Jeff Nickles was asked 15 years ago when he first applied to work for INSURICA. Today, Jeff is our Vice President of Innovation, but back then, he was an Information Technology (IT) consultant coming in to help a growing company with their new IT needs. “INSURICA, which was then North American Group, had several projects they were trying to accomplish from an IT standpoint. We talked a lot about those during the interview,” Jeff recalls. “Finally someone asked ‘Once all those things are done, are you going to be bored here? Will you still find this an interesting job?’” It was a fair question. As an IT consultant, Jeff was used to working with many different companies and handling many different projects. Would the needs of an insurance broker make him feel stagnant? “I wasn’t worried about being bored,” Jeff says. “I told them, ‘Based on what little I’ve learned about the organization already, I don’t see any boredom in my future.’ And 15 years later, that’s still true. We’ve been involved in a lot of acquisitions and experienced much growth. As an IT guy, I was heavily involved in all of that stuff and pulled it all together. It’s been a phenomenal ride, and I keep coming to work every day to see what’s next!” Until the end of last year, Jeff led the INSURICA IT team. Then, as INSURICA started to focus on digital transformation, we launched our innovation initiative. It became clear that someone needed to oversee all the initiatives under that innovation umbrella. Jeff was the man for the job. At the start of 2020, he took on the new title of VP of Innovation. “This career has been full of new things to do, just like this new role,” Jeff says. “I’m excited to look at and talk to what we call ‘Insurtech Startups’ — new, early stage companies that are trying to build a business that could help us do something better in insurance. That’s a lot of fun. I get to talk to interesting people from all over about what they’re passionate about. Then I get to bring these things into INSURICA so we can better help our clients and grow our company. That’s what’s most exciting to me. I’m part of moving the business forward and building something for the next generation to move into the future.” Creating something new that will last into the future is the definition of innovation. It’s good to know that the man leading the innovation charge at INSURICA is also someone who looks forward to the new challenges each day will bring.
2 • www.insurica.com • Specialized Insurance Programs for Specialized Industries.
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