As a business traveler, do you ever feel like you’re leading a double life? One at home and the other up in the air? Work commitments, travel plans, family outings—not to mention the organization of all of the above—can cause unwanted stress. Fortunately, the right tools can help you wade through the chaos and arrive on the other side, on time and unscathed. Here are some of my favorite apps to help you manage your life when you’re always on the road.
For managing your fitness regimen
Touted as the most flexible fitness membership ever, ClassPass allows members to book classes across partner studios, without having to commit to a traditional gym membership. Business travelers, you can leverage ClassPass when you’re on the go by booking classes in any of the 50+ cities where the program is offered via the app. Peloton—the at-home cycling workout taking the US by storm—offers sweat sessions wherever you are. Workouts stream via their app, and aren’t just designed to click into a stationary bike anymore; members can choose from a variety of workouts, including running, bootcamp, yoga, and more. Peloton also partners with select hotels to provide in-room bikes to guests during their stay—an ideal scenario for the time-crunched business traveler. Prefer a more social approach to fitness? Try a group workout! Orangetheory Fitness offers the ability to work out in your home studio while also booking classes through the OTF app at more than 1,000+ other studios around the world, too. And while I can’t promise you your favorite treadmill, there are plenty of reasons to break a sweat while traveling for business: Getting a HIIT workout in on the day of your scheduled flight helps get more oxygen into your brain and releases endorphins, which will help when you’re sitting for long stretches of time on a plane.
For managing your furry friend
Now that you have your upcoming workouts sorted, it’s time to think about your favorite four-legged running buddy. While you’re out of town your pup needs exercise and, of course, some love and affection, too. The solution? Download the Rover app and schedule appointments for dog walking, drop-in visits, or round-the-clock dog sitting. You can book walks for when you’re not traveling, too. Experiencing extra long days at the office and need someone to pop in? You can book that right in the app.
For managing your travel plans
Whether you fly once a year or one hundred times a year, TripIt helps keep all of your travel plans in one easy to access place. Plus, the Pro version of the app ($49 for the year) gives you a heads-up as things happen—like a reminder of when to leave for the airport or letting you know how much time you’ll spend waiting in line at security—and helps you navigate any surprises along the way. You can focus on landing your next client knowing that TripIt has the travel details (and disruptions) handled.
For managing your hunger
You’ve been away from home for two weeks, and the thought of walking in the door to an empty fridge is already making your stomach grumble. Thankfully, apps like Instacart and Peapod make replenishing your fridge with healthy snacks and ingredients for meal prep infinitely easier. Need a more immediate solution to your hunger? Delivery apps like Seamless, DoorDash, and UberEats get your favorite local dish to your doorstep in just a few taps. Plus, these apps are handy when you’re traveling, too. They deliver food right to your hotel room—meaning you’re no longer bound to room service options only.
For managing your peace of mind
Need a tool to keep the business in your business travel organized? Meet Trello—an app to help you organize (and prioritize!) your work, side gig, extracurriculars, and everything in between. The tool is built for collaboration, so whether you’re in the office or jetting from place to place, you and your team can coordinate on every ongoing project, on-the-go. Finally, let’s talk self-care. With the help of the Calm meditation and sleep app, business travelers can prioritize moments of zen, no matter where you are. The premium version of the app offers over 100 guided meditations, Sleep Stories designed to help you sleep better (even in a hotel room) and wake ready to tackle that to-do list, and more. You might even catch Calm at the airport—the brand is partnering with XpresSpa to help members relieve stress while traveling. What apps make your business travel life easier? Tweet @TripIt to share your favorites.
