Tour guides are always on the go. Whether you’re leading a 3-hour walking tour or working as a tour manager for 10 days straight, it’s stressful out there. Especially in a world where everyone’s acting irrationally and coming out of years of forced social hibernation!
Every day I’m in contact with tour guides and operators around the world, and it seems like a lot of guides just need a good hug. While travel is at record highs for many regions right now, so is the craziness.
So how do you take care of yourself when you’re out there guiding?
The photo above is TripSchooler and tour guide extraordinaire David Shaw taking a quiet breather during TripSchool’s 2022 National Parks training trip.
We all probably need that breather right now. It’s so important amongst this frenzy that we take care of ourselves. It’s a topic that keeps coming up with everyone we talk about.
So I posed the question in our Facebook group, Tips & Tools for Tour Guides. And we crowdsourced some fantastic tips from our community of guides and entrepreneurs. Here are some of their responses:
- create a sleep routine at night and stick to it.
- No phone for an hour before bed
- Take a shower at the end of the day.
- While traveling with a group, bring a paper book that is totally unrelated to travel, to stop obsessing over the tour.
- Treat yourself to something decadent (a glass of expensive champagne at an overpriced classy hotel!)
- Take proper advantage of any alone time you can have throughout the day
- Pack as light as possible, both for trips or while you’re out walking with groups
- When traveling, bring elastic bands for some stretching and exercise.
- Listen to a mindfulness podcast
- 10 minutes of yoga at the end or beginning of the day using Down Dog app
- Packing cubes
- Bring sage or incense
- Stay hydrated
- Brisk walk at the end of the day to clear the head.
- Use a white noise app while you sleep
- Use the “Headspace” meditation app.
- Call, don’t just text friends & family.
- Bring lavender spray for the pillows while you’re traveling.
- Epsom salts and light a candle to unwind
- Vitamin powder C, D, Zinc and B every day.
- Warm cloth on your eyes during a bath.
- Getting in bed as soon as I possibly can.
- Sit quietly for a moment at the beginning of the day and summon joy.
- Lay out your tour clothes for the next day
And finally, an absolute favorite from a wonderful guide, Jolie:
“I visualize the faces of those I love — family and friends — as I drift off to sleep. Especially my mom and dad who are no longer on the earth. I tell them I love them. I kiss them and hold their hands in my mind. I thank them for being with me and giving me courage.”
Read the Facebook thread by joining our Facebook group, Tips & Tools for Tour Guides.
Thanks to: Milli, Kaitlin, Mireille, Annie, Denise, Nina, Tammy, Kevin, Christine, Suzanne, Janet, Jolie, and Danielle for your comments!
