Why "Work-Life Balance" is a Myth: Reframing Wellness for Travel Pros

Is the travel industry's obsession with "work-life balance" actually making us less healthy and more stressed? In this provocative discussion, ALG Vacations' David Pritchard argues that the concept is a myth that celebrates unsustainable multitasking. Join us as we explore why work-life harmony and mindful presence are the keys to thriving, and how travel pros can lead the way in redefining wellness for themselves and their clients.

Welcome to No Tourists Allowed

Welcome to No Tourists Allowed, a podcast where two travel industry executives with a combined 71 years on the inside of travel and technology give up their secrets to do the thing everyone wants to do. Travel better, pay less, and see more of the world. Here are your hosts, Mike Putman and James Ferrara.

Mike Putman: Hello everyone. I'm Mike Putman.

James Ferrara: And I'm James Ferrara. Welcome to No Tourists Allowed. We have our usual array of tips and information and subjects that we're going to cover with you on this episode. We hope you're having a good time. We're having a great season. We have a very special guest with us that we're going to start off with this time, Mike. It is something very near and dear to my heart, which is a topic we haven't really gotten into before: wellness. Of course, I could be the expert coach here. I’ve got the guns and everything.

Mike Putman: Is this your alter ego coming through?

Introducing Wellness Expert David Pritchard

James Ferrara: We're going to dispense with the fakery and bring in a real expert, someone who's a nationally certified health and performance coach with over twenty years experience, although he doesn't look like it. He holds degrees in both exercise science and nutrition and has had the privilege to work with Fortune 500 companies, executives, and professional athletes from the NBA, the NFL, and even the Olympics. What's really interesting for me is that he has been an important part of ALG Vacations. That's Apple Leisure Group, one of the largest leisure organizations in the world and a very close partner of my company's. There, he advocates for health and wellness in the travel industry, motivates staff and travel advisors to maintain a healthy lifestyle. He focuses on all aspects of wellness to best assist his clients in their self-care journeys. His passion is helping people live their best lives. Why wouldn't we want to have David Pritchard with us on this special episode of No Tourists Allowed? David, welcome.

David Pritchard: Thank you so much, James. Thank you so much, Mike. It's my pleasure to be here. Great introduction. I love that. I wonder who wrote that introduction.

James Ferrara: When I said you don't look like it, I didn't mean that you don't look well. I mean that you don't look old enough to be at this for so long. We're happy to have your expertise. Before we jump in, we'd like to get to know you a little bit. Mike has a little tradition here at No Tourists Allowed that we're going to ask him to share with you.

Rapid-Fire Travel Questions

Mike Putman: One of the things we do with our guests is run them through a series of rapid-fire questions. If you'll just respond with a word or maybe a short phrase, we'll go through six or seven questions. This will help our listeners and viewers find out a little bit more about how you travel. It's nice to see you're sitting outside. Are you sitting outside?

David Pritchard: I am outside. I live in Wisconsin. It is almost November and it is about 75 degrees and there's a warm breeze. I said I have to show all our fellow travel professionals just how beautiful Wisconsin is in fall. This is a little unusual, but I'm here.

James Ferrara: You can see the trees in the background and tell he's outside, but it's hard sometimes to tell if these are fake images or if it’s real. I can see from the movement that this is real.

Mike Putman: Let's kick it off, David. What's your favorite hotel or hotel chain and why?

David Pritchard: I'd have to definitely say our Hyatt Inclusive Collection. The reason for that is just the family. They make you feel like you're at home.

James Ferrara: I'm proud to say I was on the Hyatt Inclusive Collection advisory board last year. Those are amazing properties. We're used to seeing you outside in Mexico or the Caribbean conducting a wellness class, movement, or yoga.

David Pritchard: The beach is my gym for sure. That's what I love about those properties. As much as I love that they have facilities like gyms and fitness centers, I really encourage guests to just get out and walk on the beach and take advantage of that backdrop because you're probably not going to have that at home. I'd rather you have the water and the beach as the best source of inspiration. You can move around, go for walks, and stretch. James, I'm going to have to one-up you on this. This pendant was actually given to me by Fernando Garcia, who was the guy who founded the original properties that turned into Hyatt's all-inclusive products. He has passed away at this point, but he owned several hotels in Mexico and was the originator of that.

Mike Putman: James and InteleTravel actually had an event this past weekend at the Hyatt Zilara in Jamaica.

James Ferrara: We did our wedding and honeymoon event, which we call the romance event. It was great fun. I've stayed at that property several times for golf tournaments and the Jamaica Pro-Am, and I've taken my family there as well. Both are great properties, the Ziva and Zilara.

Mike Putman: Tell us your favorite destination, David. What is that and what makes that destination special for you?

David Pritchard: That's like trying to pick your favorite kid, and I only have two. I would have to say just because of how I grew up in California, Mexico was always such a close neighbor for us. It wasn't always luxurious resorts as a kid. It was just driving over the border and finding a beach. As I've gotten older in the travel industry, going to Mexico a lot for work, I have grown accustomed to having so many incredible nurturing relationships there. It really does feel like I'm going home. The Mexican people are some of the most resilient, passionate, and sincere people I've ever met. All of our destinations around the world make me feel that way, but there's something about Mexico that gives me a little bit more when I go there. My heart is just a little fuller with the people. I made it a point in the last couple of years to learn Spanish so I could do some of my sessions in Spanish versus English. They certainly really appreciated that.

James Ferrara: Mike and I would tell you that we think it's a good tip anywhere in the world to attempt to use the language. It's a respectful thing to do.

Mike Putman: David, what's your favorite airline?

David Pritchard: I fly out of Chicago a lot, so I fly on American quite a bit. I've gotten to know the crew; I’m on the same flight pretty much all the time there and back. That's what I think makes our industry so unique. It’s all of the different touchpoints and connections you make with companies that help get you there. When I walk onto a plane with other passengers and they hear the flight attendant or even the pilot say, "Hey, David, how you doing? Nice to see you again," it kind of just stops them because it's not like that for everyone. That's the luxury of being in the travel industry. We get to nurture those relationships and know all the different parts and pieces that go into travel. American is really one of those airlines that I have a deep connection and relationship with for that reason.

Mike Putman: When you fly on American, do you fly in an aisle seat or are you a window guy?

David Pritchard: I'm an aisle seat. I'm tall, so I kind of like having that control to be able to stand up and get up whenever I want.

Mike Putman: Do you check your bag or do you carry on?

David Pritchard: Carry on. No checking. Not at this point in time in my life. Even with my kids, my family knows if it can't fit in a carry on, we have to redo it.

Defining the Well-being Concierge

Mike Putman: That wraps up our rapid-fire questions. Can you just give a brief overview to our audience of what your job entails on a more practical level?

David Pritchard: Many people you might talk to at ALG would say they have the best job in the world, but I really do feel like I have the best job in the world. Being able to work with our colleagues and help nurture and elevate their well-being journey is so fulfilling. It encompasses meeting our colleagues where they are. We have a very robust well-being program covering mental health, physical health, social health, and emotional health. I see myself as the concierge of well-being for our company. I help steer our colleagues in the right direction and curate the support pieces they need. We want them to feel supported at work, at home, or anywhere along their life journey. I see myself as that concierge or coach to go along that journey with them from start to finish.

Mike Putman: What does that entail on a day-to-day basis?

David Pritchard: If you had asked me that question five and a half years ago pre-pandemic, I would have said it was a really in-office program. Even though the scale of our company was global, we thrived on this experience-based well-being and how we were showing up for you at work. That certainly still is the case, but we had to pivot our program to more of a virtual program where you were able to access support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We were already in the process of moving towards that platform, but we had to fast-forward it. Now it is about making sure our strategic plan of five different languages across our company is relevant. We make sure all of our programming and support is mattering to all of our cultures around ALG so we service them with everything they need. Whether they need help with healthy eating, stress management, ergonomics of their desk, or financial health, we take a very holistic approach. Well-being is bigger than just going to the gym or a diet. That's not what well-being is anymore. It's really about how you're feeling and how you're showing up for yourself. Every colleague has a different jumping-in point. It's not always going to be, "I want to lose 30 pounds." It can just be, "Listen, I need to sleep better," or having muscle-skeletal health issues, or a family member going through a health journey. We meet them where they are.

Holistic Wellness and the Travel Experience

James Ferrara: That's a really big goal, but all the good goals are big and visionary like that. I always say in our businesses that an unhappy employee cannot deliver good service. It's really important to help employees be whole, happy, fulfilled, and safe people. I applaud you for that; it's a great philosophy.

David Pritchard: That's a great point. We even look at data and surveys over the years, and we can connect our colleagues' health and wellness to how they're feeling and how they show up at work. We know if their cup is full, then the guest cups are going to be full. Our first priority is making sure our colleagues are safe and healthy and fulfilled, and we know if we do that, it's going to pass on to the guest experience.

James Ferrara: Do you get involved in wellness for the guests also, David?

David Pritchard: Not as much. I sit primarily on the colleague-facing side. However, in my experience of travel and working with teams in destinations, I do find myself in meetings with our commercial team collaborating on ideas and special projects. Our colleagues are guests as well. Being able to nurture our colleagues and understand what they need is not much different on the guest side.

Mindfulness and Being Present While Traveling

James Ferrara: People really seek out this part of their lives when they travel. For a lot of people, it's going to the gym at the resort. But it goes beyond that. I've had great experiences at Canyon Ranch in the Southwest doing Tai Chi early in the morning with an incredible view of the desert. Wellness can be so many different things. What about you when you travel personally? Have you had good wellness experiences you want to share?

David Pritchard: I have gotten a little older and I've had some knee issues, so I have gotten to fall in love with walking. I used to be a runner back in the day and did some marathons. Now, no matter where I travel, I make it a point to get out there and walk. To go into a gym at a property just doesn't excite me anymore. I'd rather get out into that neighborhood. I encourage friends and family to bring comfortable walking shoes and get out there with the locals. I love to research and find feedback on where the locals go. I was just in California for a meeting and stayed in Santa Monica. I made it a point to eat at local, family-owned restaurants and not take Ubers. It allows you to see so much of the destination that you would never see. Well-being is a sense of peace, joy, and being present. My mission in this second half of my career is to help people live longer and live better, but also to help them become more present in their life. That is a big issue in our industry: the ability to just be in the moment and reflect. Coming off of Ascend and having 1,500 travel professionals over the course of three days, really forcing them to be present is not always easy. I try to tell them how important it is to put your phone away in a conversation or close your computer screen at a workshop. The bookings are going to be there and the emails are going to be there, but allow yourself to learn and make connections you wouldn't make if that laptop is open.

James Ferrara: That last point might be a little controversial for people, but as I travel around the world, I wish more people would pay less attention to social media and their phones. It's a joyful thing, and I do post on social media, but I try not to let it take me out of the moment. We have Instagram kids all over the world running through fountains and doing dances while there's a twelfth-century church right behind them they should see. It's a matter of finding the right balance so that you can be present.

Shifting from Balance to Harmony

David Pritchard: In my background, I'm a physical therapist with a master's degree in PT and kinesiology. I made a living early on trying to get people to get stronger and healthier, and I really didn't care if they were present. That wasn't a factor in my regimen. When I think about our industry now, we have really leaned into this work-life balance piece and I don't believe in it. I believe balance is allowing you to celebrate multitasking. I really feel like if we can shift into this harmony mode, it allows you to be in the moment of whatever you're doing and do it 110%. Right now in this conversation with you both, I have about 50 emails waiting for me when I'm done. But to just allow myself—and this takes a lot of practice—to be 100% present in this conversation gives it clarity, energy, and creativity. If you can shift this mindset from doing things at 70% or 30%, it really gives you the freedom to enjoy it. The higher-level quality work shows up, I promise.

Mike Putman: I often think of multitasking as being mediocre at a bunch of different things.

James Ferrara: We didn't expect to have this conversation. I thought we'd be talking about Pilates and yoga, so this is really cool and very much in line with the ethos here at No Tourists Allowed. We like to talk to people about traveling in a more memorable, authentic way and not being tourists in the typical sense of the word.

David Pritchard: I've been supporting the travel industry for 17 years now. I can count on my hands how many Pilates and yoga conversations I have had. It is usually about stress, money, sleep, and whether people should stay in the industry. Those are the deep, relevant conversations our industry is finally having now. It's about how to thrive. Yeah, I might need to lose a little weight, but it's also about how to be more productive and how to manage stress. Not to say Pilates and yoga aren't good, but we're turning the light on and addressing the elephant in the room.

Taking Ownership of the Travel Journey

James Ferrara: Now the question is, can we talk to the airlines and the airports about their end in all of this? Your company, my company, and Mike's company kill ourselves to make the experience for our guests and team members a beautiful one. Then we turn our guests over to the airlines and airports, and they get this stressful experience. We need to get you to consult for some airlines.

David Pritchard: That's a tough one. It only takes one thing at an airport to ruin a magical experience. I used to be a Midwest Express guy. You’d get the cookie and the two-and-two seating, even in economy. When that went away and we went into regular economy, it just became the way of life. I tell people that the airline experience is important, but I take ownership of my own experience. I bring my water, my own snacks, my podcast, and my work. The last thing I'm going to do is let an airline ruin my trip. I have had cancellations that were a pain, but I try to find the gratitude somewhere. When you're traveling, just try to create your environment the best you can because your goal is to get to that destination. Don't let the transportation get in the way of an experience that has been waiting for you and has been crafted over a year or two of planning. Do whatever you can to own that experience.

James Ferrara: We normally ask for a tip at the end of these segments on how to travel better, but you really answered it without us asking. I think it's a wonderful tip: keep your sights on what's coming and what you've invested in. The process of getting there is secondary. Don't let it overtake the real prize. Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure having you. This is a first for us to approach this topic.

David Pritchard: I love this industry. It's an industry that is incredibly unselfish and people don't put themselves first very often. I would just say to prioritize your health and your self-care. You're important and we want you to be doing what you love for a very long time. In order to do that, you have to prioritize yourself. I'm here for all of you.

James Ferrara: This is fantastic. Thank you, David.

The Practical Realities of Healthy Travel

Mike Putman: David was quite the guy, James. A lot of information about wellness and good things to have on the podcast.

James Ferrara: It went to a place I didn't expect, Mike. He's worked with NFL players and major league baseball players, so I thought we'd be dropping names or talking about pumping iron on the beach. But we got this very thoughtful idea of well-being and wellness. It gave us a lot to think about. I recently went to a doctor for a checkup. He was looking at my blood results and said, "You've been traveling again." I asked how he knew, and he said he could see it in the test results. My blood sugar, sodium, and cholesterol were up. When you're traveling, it's really difficult to stay healthy. You're eating out in restaurants and maybe overindulging. We were in Italy, and we had an antipasto board for ten people between just the two of us. He said at a conference, you're sitting in a ballroom for hours. You’ve got to push yourself to get your steps in, exercise, and eat carefully.

Mike Putman: Do you count your steps on your watch?

James Ferrara: I do. When I go to London or Europe, the amount of steps I take are ten times what I would do at home. Using public transport is great because you're not being let off at the door. You have to walk to the train station or tram. I'm not sure the Mediterranean diet is the magic as much as the Mediterranean exercise is, because people live a little more healthy and spend less time in cars. European cities are more compact and conducive to walking. David was a great guest, and I look forward to welcoming him back again.

Podcast Updates and Giveaways

Mike Putman: I look forward to speaking to all of our listeners next week as well. We're getting to the point where we're going to announce another giveaway. We're giving away a Virgin Voyages seven-day cruise for two and an all-inclusive trip to Jamaica.

James Ferrara: Maybe next week we'll start to announce the next run-up to a big giveaway. Make sure you're back with us and tell your friends to join. We're going to give away some travel in addition to all the valuable information we share. Thank you for being here. This is James Ferrara and Mike Putman for No Tourists Allowed.

Mike Putman: See you next time. Thanks.