Combatting a Fear of Flying

Being a frequent business traveler does not necessarily mean that you love traveling. It simply means that you have to do a lot of it – so if you have a fear of flying, that can be really problematic.

Certainly, there are other ways to get around when you’re a business traveler, but unless you fancy long hours in the car (if your normal work route is even close enough for driving) or have access to a decent rail network, you are likely to be doing a fair amount of flying. Self-medication is a popular method for many people to deal with a fear of flying, whether that means a stop at the airport bar before boarding or some kind of medication taken just as you sit down, but that doesn’t necessarily address the root problem.

There are classes you can take and books you can read about how to overcome a fear of flying, and they have varying success rates – one method won’t work for everyone. One frequent traveler went so far as to take a flying lesson in an attempt to overcome her fear of flying, but that didn’t quite go as planned.

In this article, there are some other excellent tips for combatting a fear of flying that don’t involve signing up for a course or meditating – including letting the flight attendants know about your fear (you’re not alone, and they can check on you periodically to make sure you’re doing okay) and knowing where to sit in the plane to reduce the things that cause you fear. It may be as simple as investing in a good pair of noise cancelling headphones to block out unfamiliar sounds on a flight so you can sleep, or making sure you’ve got something to distract you (like a good book or a movie to watch).

You may never fully let go of your fear of flying, but if you can find ways to manage it well that will make your life as a frequent business traveler much easier – and as a bonus, you might not be so reluctant to scoop up cheap flights for leisure travel, either.

photo by notsogoodphotography