I’ve never won big on the National Lottery or Premium Bonds but I have been lucky enough to live my entire life by the sea. It makes me slightly less bonkers than I might otherwise be. And a poet apparently.

Anyway, whatever else is going on, knowing those waves will keep rolling in day after day truly keeps me grounded and makes me reflect on the things in life which really matter.

I am especially fortunate because my home is the earthly paradise that mere mortals know as Lowestoft. This town is the first place in Britain to see the sunrise each day, and perhaps that earlier brightening of the skies keeps our peckers up a little more than elsewhere.

“Constant red eye flights, not exercising or eating as well, plus all the things that go wrong on a trip, can take their toll”

I’ve been thinking about mental wellbeing quite a bit lately. Thanks to the sea, and great family and mates (not to mention my ’emotional support animals’ Rocky the cat and our three dogs), I’m lucky enough not really to suffer from depression. But I see it around me more and more, and I’m increasingly aware of the pressure on business travellers.

For frequent road warriors especially, constant red eye flights, not exercising or eating as well, plus all the things that go wrong on a trip, like delays and mislaid baggage, for example, can take their toll.

It’s an issue that I’m not sure employers consider enough when sending their people out on the road. We all understand the demands businesses face to cut costs and deliver shareholder value, and the travel industry is responding by offering lower-priced options, like hotels without bedroom windows or lounges. 

But putting your travellers in that kind of accommodation night after night will surely have an impact, especially as technology keeps those same employees “always on”: answering emails or having to join conference calls no matter what time zone they are in.

The same pressures are increasing on those of us who work in travel. There was a terrible case last month of a cabin attendant in Asia who died after flying while ill. Her family and unions allege the carrier she worked for discouraged employees from taking sick leave. 

Pressure to keep working is everywhere. In this shrinking world, if you’re a travel manager of a global company,  you and your suppliers are expected to provide service with a smile 24/7.

“If you manage people, always be willing to cut them a bit of slack”

So much for Dr Wylie’s diagnosis. What’s my cure? If you’re a travel manager, see what you can do to make your travellers’ lives that little bit easier. That starts with ensuring the technology which supports them really delivers. Travellers need slick booking and expense tools and, running in the background, top-class profile management and tracking systems.

Meanwhile, if you manage people, always be willing to cut them a bit of slack. You never know what they might be going through at home. 

Above all, be kind to yourself. Driving yourself into the ground isn’t going to benefit anyone, including your bosses. I reckon you’ve earned yourself a break by the sea. Come and join me on Lowestoft sands, ‘cause looking after ourselves is in all of our hands.

Scott Wylie is Chief Technology Office at TripStax