Healthy Body and Mind for Better Exhibiting

 

An exhibition can be both mentally and physically draining and can take its toll on the body. This translates directly to the results you want to attain. The mistake a lot of exhibitors make is thinking they can burn the candle at both ends before and during the event, then thinking everything will turn out OK. Wrong!
I do around 35 events a year, sometimes in six week stints straight, and a lot of people ask how I do it. Over the years I have developed some simple practices that work for me and keep me going. So this month I am sharing some of my tips that may help you too.

 

Early Morning Walk
Whenever I’m travelling or attending an event I try to go for a walk every morning. Whilst there are a number of medical benefits for getting out into the early morning sun, including helping the circadian rhythms (helping you sleep), I find it also clears my mind and I can prepare a mental checklist of what I need to achieve for the day. I also just feel better starting out my day at the event this way.

 

Food
The old saying ‘eat three wholesome meals a day’ really does apply when you’re at an exhibition. It’s interesting to see how many exhibitors slip into the deep fried take away junk food habit at an event. There are some good options available and with a little planning you can get the most from meals that leave you feeling full, not craving for more. Our team usually stay in apartment style accommodation, and the first task on arrival is shopping for healthy breakfast ingredients and grazing foods. Breakfast for me is muesli as I find it fills me up so I am not left feeling hungry. We normally have apples, dried fruit and nuts or nut bars (from the health food shelves) to graze on throughout the day. The best options for lunch are salads or sandwiches, again avoiding the deep fried foods where possible. I try to avoid a high-carb meal at dinner time as it just leaves me feeling heavy when I’m going to sleep and it’s not the time when I’m going to need lots of energy!

 

Vitamins
Each day I normally have a high dose Vitamin B capsule. It’s one of the vitamin groups not present in a lot of food and they say it helps us cope with the stress we put our body under on long days on the exhibition floor. I am not sure whether its psychological or real but it seems to work for me!

 

Drink
I love my coffee and the first one is normally a double-shot soy around 6am. I will have a second one at around 7.30am if I can access it but then that’s it for the day. From then on it’s water for me. You see coffee and tea are diuretics and zap the energy out of the body. Fizzy sugar drinks aren’t much better. For a lot of exhibitors the combination of air-conditioning and long days standing on your feet contributes to that sluggish feeling. Drinking water all day keeps the body hydrated and feeling better. Coffee/tea can also leave you with bad breath, so this is also something to consider when you’re coming into contact with your customers. Around two litres of water a day is what you should be looking at as a minimum. Now while I like a drink of wine or beer at the end of the day, this needs to be tempered, for want of a better word. Yep I can hear the groan, but again alcohol saps the energy out of your body and it will affect your stamina the next day. Again, the smell of alcohol can be a real turn off, not to mention the hangover or headache! My tip is savour one or two at most.

 

Be Clean
Every time you are about to eat remember to wash your hands first. We carry hand liquid cleanser to wash our hands as it’s not always possible to get to the facilities. Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes because this is another way bugs can be spread. It’s a good idea to have some eye drops too, because the air-conditioning can be very drying. Using drops will reduce the likelihood of itchy eyes which will in turn reduce your chances of picking up unwanted bugs!

 

What to Wear/Shoes
What you wear will also greatly affect how you feel. Some exhibitors have a uniform and some don’t. The simple rule is that it should fit staff of all sizes, be comfortable and allow for all weather extremes. The most punishing part on your body will be your feet and the first day of an exhibition isn’t the time to break in a new pair of shoes! My tip is to rub some baby powder on your feet and sprinkle some in your shoes. This will help absorb the sweat but forms a barrier that allows your feet to move. Some people also like wearing inner soles to add some comfort. If you are walking to the venue, maybe wear joggers, then change into your shoes once you arrive.

 

Lips
Because you are in air conditioning and talking a lot, keep a chap stick handy to avoid cracked lips.

 

Breaks
It’s important that staff have regular breaks to mentally recharge as much as anything. These need to be short 15 minute breaks, leaving the stand and (if practical) walking outside to take in some fresh air. They will feel more refreshed for it and perform better.

 

Sleep
The body needs to rest and recharge and the best thing for this is sleep! Whilst the right amount of sleep varies from one person to the next, you need to get as much sleep as possible. It will help you to perform better and ensure you are mentally and physically ready and able to cope with the day ahead.

 

As I said at the outset, events can be punishing on the body, but with some really simple considerations you can come through the other side feeling pretty good.

 

I’ll see you on the floor – with a spring in your step!

 
 
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