It’s easy to idealize the concept of business travel as sophisticated and exotic, but if you’ve ever actually traveled for work, a few alternative words might come to mind: "exhausting" and "chaotic," for instance.
Whether you’re attending a conference or pitching your Next Big Idea, business trips require a level of attention to detail and focus beyond that of a typical work day. The combination of stress from travel, work, and sleeping away from home makes it easy to get overwhelmed and fall back on unhealthy habits, like staying up super late and skipping breakfast in favor of a giant vat of coffee. That’s why incorporating a wellness routine while you're on-the-go is so important.
To help you keep your stress levels low and positive moods high on your next work trip, we've partnered with Hilton Hotels & Resorts to find five workout ideas perfect for business travelers that are easy and fun. The best part? You’ll be getting fit on the company dime!
1. Pack Your Sneakers And Hit Up A Walking Tour
Pro tip for fitness on the road: never forget your sneakers. It's easy to forget them in the stress of it all, but you can easily get into the habit if you're mindful. Your comfiest shoes will open the road to practicing our number 1 travel hack: hit up a walking tour!
OK, sure. This might sound like something your parents would do, but it’s actually a great way to take in the sights and sounds of a new city while getting some exercise. Not only will you be getting your walk on, but your tour guide will likely have recommendations on what to see and do (and eat) while you’re in town. After all, you’ll surely need to refuel after logging all those steps!
2. Make Every Step Count
One of the best ways to make anything — even exercise — more fun is to fire up some friendly competition. Create a step contest with your coworkers to see who can log the most steps over the duration of the trip. (Conferences are great for this.) Come up with a prize people actually want, like movie vouchers or cold hard cash.
Nothing motivates me to take the stairs more than the possibility of beating Debra from sales. (Okay, and the chance to win back the $5 I threw into the prize pot.) For those who don’t wear a fitness tracker, most phones have a health app that counts steps that works just as well!
3. Work Out in Your Hotel Room
I’ll be honest — most of the time I travel, I tell myself I’ll work out in my hotel but never actually end up doing it. Without the fancy equipment and machines my gym at home offers, the motivation isn't always there. Luckily for all business travelers, the Five Feet To Fitness™ initiative from Hilton Hotels & Resorts is bringing the best of every hotel gym straight to your room!
The Five Feet To Fitness guest rooms house 11 different fitness accessories from TRX bands, to sandbells, to stationary bikes, so you can strength train, practice yoga, push through HIIT intervals or even take a cycling class just five feet from your bed. And with the in-room kiosk featuring over 200 bespoke exercise tutorials and over 25 workout classes, you’ll be getting the instruction and motivation of a personal trainer without having to leave your room, or even put on pants if you don’t want to. Even better — working out in your room means that you'll be able to knock out a quick sweat first thing in the morning, opening up plenty of time for fun for later.
4. Join A Local Running Group
While the idea of running alone outside makes some people feel overwhelmed, I promise you that the benefits of going for a run far outweigh any negative feelings you have about the practice. Running can help reduce stress levels and stimulate the production of endorphins to keep you cool, calm, and collected, even during a hectic work trip.
Most cities have regular morning and evening runs that leave from local running stores, so do some research before your trip to find one that fits your schedule. Not only will you get a personalized running tour of a new city, but you might even make some new friends in the process!
5. Plan An Active Team Bonding Exercise
A business trip is a great excuse for your entire team to bond and de-stress while staying active. Find a locally-loved boutique fitness class, take a hike, or kayak the nearest waterway, and invite your coworkers to sweat with you. Not only will you get some much-needed endorphins, but you’ll also have a great opportunity to pass around ideas in a casual environment—win-win!
For more content on making the most out of your business trip, visit our "Doing The Most" hub.
This post is sponsored by Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
