Industry spotlight: ‘This is how we look after our mental health’

‘Meditation has helped a great deal in keeping my mood balanced’

Gold Travel Counsellor Guy Johnson

Running your own business in travel can be as tough as it is terrific. I have a separate “work” space that doesn’t encroach too much into my home. I always carve out time to get up from my desk, enjoy some fresh air, and take a proper lunch break – I often go for a walk and clear my head. The ‘problem’ I left behind seems different when I come back to it with fresh eyes and a new point of view. Of course, long hours can be hard, but the pictures on my office wall help me to remember the rewards that come from it. Meditation has also helped a great deal in keeping my mood balanced, and I found it particularly helpful during the dark and uncertain days of the pandemic.

If you have a bad day (and we all have them!), please do talk. Say it out loud to a friend and don’t bottle it up. Find people or a community that you are as comfy sharing your highs with as you are your lows. “A problem shared….”! And perhaps the most important of all, remember that you are not alone, especially in this amazing industry of ours, and support is out there for you.