A traveling business person can spend a lot of time sitting down—planes, cars, meetings, meals, they all add up to a pretty sedentary existence if you don’t pay attention to your body’s need for exercise. It is not just your body which suffers from immobility; it is the effectiveness of your brain, as well, and that can be detrimental to your business results.
Why Exercise?
There are plenty of reasons why exercise will help you to work at peak efficiency. Here are some of them:
- Stress reduction. People who live with stress are more likely to get sick and find that their decision-making abilities are reduced. Exercise reduces the hormones that are associated with stress and increases the endorphins which enable you to go on functioning better for longer.
- Brain function. The brain uses about 20% of your energy, more than any other organ. That energy usage demands a good supply of blood, and exercise is the best way to get the heart and lungs delivering fuel and oxygen where it is needed.
- Energy levels. It is no good trying to make good decisions when you are tired. Routine exercise has the effect of boosting your energy levels throughout the day.
Exercise Indoors
When planning your business trip, make sure that your exercise requirement is one of the criteria that you keep in mind. Suppose you are heading for Dallas. Even if your visit is quite a short one, choose a hotel that has good facilities for exercise, like the fitness center at the Marriott Residence Inn Dallas DFW Airport South. Schedule into your day the times that you will set aside for exercise—and stick with them!
If you really can’t manage time in the gym, find a regular schedule of exercises that you can do in your room. This will help to keep you at a reasonable level of fitness throughout the working day.
Exercise Outside
Make the most of every opportunity to get into the fresh air. You don’t need to run or jog, as prolonged brisk walking is one of the best aerobic activities for all age groups and requires no special equipment apart from comfortable shoes.
Make the most of the opportunities which even big cities offer to get outside and exercise. Dallas, like many cities, is prioritizing its commitment to outdoor leisure and the health benefits it brings, so take advantage of what is on offer.
Dallas now has superb parks, including the nearly complete Trinity River Corridor and the well-established Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Both of these, along with many of Dallas’ other parks, provide facilities for workouts most days.
Mens Sana in Corpore Sano
The relationship between a healthy body and a healthy mind has been known since ancient times. Wherever you are working, you owe it to yourself and to your business to keep on top form both physically and mentally. Today’s working world is making that goal a little easier to achieve.
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