For others, work-related travel may present an unwanted stress or disruption. It could mean that valuable time with a partner, family or friends is lost. Long-distance travel may mean much earlier mornings, or later finishes than usual, and will of course involve more time spent on the road or a busy rush-hour journey on our crowed public transport networks.
Health and wellness is becoming an increasingly important priority for more and more working professionals. However, traveling with work can make it more difficult to maintain usual exercise routines, posing quite a substantial fitness threat, especially for more ‘frequent flyers’.
Here we will discuss some of the common challenges that traveling workers may encounter, and share our top tips to support employees in knowing how to stay fit while traveling for work.
Have you told your employer about Hussle? Gain access to our network of fitness venues as an employee benefit- refer your HR team
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Avoiding the temptations: stay on track while traveling with work
Traveling with work offers numerous opportunities to indulge. A few drinks in the hotel bar? A luxury coffee at the motorway service station? The all-inclusive hotel breakfast? A working lunch? An awards dinner? The list goes on.
The travel itself can make us feel much more tired. We may feel far away from our usual pre- or post-work fitness routines. After a long journey in the car, or on a crowded commuter train we can be much less likely to feel in the mood to do something active.
While it’s easy to think that a few days off-schedule won’t do much harm, fitness levels can drop quite quickly. Many of us tend to adopt healthier routines during the week, while treating ourselves at the weekend. When we do travel with work, if we’re not careful, the working week’s routine can become more like the weekend, with the benefits of keeping active greatly suppressed.
But it doesn’t need to be this way.
Making healthier choices while traveling with work
Maintain healthy food choices
Business travel needn’t be the time to over-indulge. By planning ahead, you can make more health-aware food choices, that needn’t have a negative impact on your fitness levels.
Staying at a hotel with an inclusive breakfast? There will always be healthier choices available. Resist the temptation to choose the fried breakfast items. How about some wholegrain cereal? A fresh fruit salad? Some poached eggs on granary bread? Fuel yourself for a busy day with a good combination of protein and slow-release carbohydrates.
Go for a run
Perhaps the simplest way of staying on top of your fitness goals while traveling for work is to pack a pair of running shoes. Every town and city will have some great running routes. Ask your hotel staff for some recommendations of where to go, or download a running app to discover a new route. If you’re traveling over the weekend, many locations have an organised Parkrun on a Saturday morning – a great way to run as part of a group, in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
Stay at a hotel with good fitness facilities
Plan ahead for your business trip and request that your employer makes a reservation for you at a hotel with a gym, pool or fitness centre. Schedule your work commitments so that you have time to make use of the facilities. Make time for a gym session before your evening meal or social activities. Perhaps set that alarm a little earlier to allow for a quick swim before breakfast.
Take a walk, when you can
If you’ve got a hectic schedule over the traveling period, you might not have time to fit in a high-intensity workout. If this is the case, then try to get in those additional steps where you can. Climb the stairs rather than taking the lift. Walk along the carriages while you’re on the train. Take a longer walking route from your meetings, back to the car or hotel. If you are blessed with a little free time in your working day- take the chance to explore the city. Popular tourist locations may offer free walking tours- a great way to get some exercise while seeing the sights!
Ask your employer to invest in a multi-venue corporate fitness benefit for you and your colleagues
Multi-venue corporate fitness benefits are an ideal option for businesses with regular travelers who have a desire to help their employees maintain good health and wellbeing while on the road. Hussle’s network of 1,500+ amazing fitness venues across the UK has a 94% postcode coverage, meaning that it’s more than likely you’ll be within close reach of high quality gyms, pools and spas when traveling on business.
Consider a virtual workout
The coronavirus pandemic saw many of us turning to our TV screens to access daily fitness classes with our families. A wide range of virtual workouts remain accessible online and across a large number of good-value fitness apps. Hussle members have inclusive access to Yogaia, offering a collection of stress-free online workouts, yoga and mental practice – an ideal option for relaxing and unwinding in the comfort of your hotel room.
Manage stress, and stay fit, happy and healthy when traveling with work
Planning ahead so that you can keep on track of your fitness goals while traveling with work can help you to strike the balance between making the most of your time away, and not letting your health take a kick. You’re much more likely to perform better too – fitness will bring energy and self-confidence to your business commitments.
Exercise can help relieve many of the stresses associated with a hectic traveling schedule, helping you to stay happy, productive and relaxed while you’re away from the office.
