It's 2:23 p.m. on a Monday, the first day back at work after a 10-day trip to visit family on the other side of the country. I took the red-eye home-in case you're not familiar, it's a flight that takes off in the evening and reaches your destination the next morning.
I consider myself a seasoned traveler; I've been everywhere from Shanghai to Seoul, Munich to Maui, London to Lisbon and many places in between. But I made some amateur mistakes this time, likely born from my overconfidence. Here I sit paying the price...luckily the coffee is brewing.
Here's where I went wrong. Avoid these mistakes on your next long trip so you can be productive when you land.
Perfecting the Airplane Sleep Routine
You likely have a sleep routine for a normal night at home, and you should also have one for the airplane.
When You Get to Your Destination
This advice can help, but keep in mind that a day or two of jet lag won't kill you and it's probably a price worth paying for the vacation you had. If all else fails, there's always a different type of "red eye" you can fall back on-a cup of coffee with a shot of espresso.
