With the new year and new decade, people are setting goals and resolving to improve their lives. Fitness and wellness, as always, top the list of ways people seek to add enrichment or make changes in their daily routine.
Busy work lives often become obstacles to these goals, especially when attending corporate out-of-town functions. When attending an event, guests are often traveling with limited access to exercise. Corporate events are rich with decadent foods, long buffets, and designer drinks. This works against those new year resolutions of focusing on health and wellness.
Hosting a healthy event will help guests stay on track with wellness goals and keep attendees focused. Whether your event is a product launch or a black-tie gala, incorporating health-centric options can reduce stress and energize your audience. Read on for 6 ways to create a healthy event!
Event and Chill
Yoga and meditation are excellent ways to keep your guests focused and relaxed. Sitting in meetings for hours at a time, often absorbing a lot of information, can leave guests stiff and stressed. Research shows that participating in yoga for just a few minutes a day provides lasting health benefits. This includes reducing stress and anxiety, decreasing back pain, and stimulating brain function.
Hiring a Yogi or meditation guru will help attendees decompress during long days. Provide access to a quiet and dimly-lit space for guests to reset. Also, consider contracting instructors for personal sessions for extra post-event relaxation. Namaste.
Yoga isn’t the only way to decompress. Another great relaxation tip is to encourage your attendees to take advantage of on-site saunas and massage therapists, or other spa services
Challenge Accepted
What better way to get your guests moving than with some classic competition? Creating challenges that are health-centric not only implements a competitive spirit, it also keeps guests active and energized.
Technology makes that easier than ever. Have guests bring their FitBit or Apple Watch to track their activity during events. Often, events are spread out through large venues and tracking steps, heart rate, and sleep patterns are a great way for guests to monitor their progress.
Consider gifting branded fitness trackers to all guests and create contests that encourage mobility. Add a hashtag so attendees can post their adventures on social media and clients can track engagement. #winning
Teamwork Does a Body Good
It is not uncommon for team building activities to take place during corporate events. They serve as ice breakers and foster trust and interaction between employees. When done right, they can set the right tone for the whole event.
Consider foregoing the traditional trust falls or drum circles and create exercises that get your blood pumping. Incorporate relay races or mimic childhood “field day” by implementing activities that encourage motion. When possible, schedule these activities outside so guests have ample exposure to fresh air and sunshine. Make sure that management is at the helm; leading by example will solidify your healthy event.
Sweat It Out
Does your venue have a fitness center? Gather information on their gym hours or exercise class schedules and promote these sessions in your guest’s itinerary. If your location does not have a gym, rent out a ballroom, find a vivacious instructor and let the sweat begin!
Many locations throughout the country offer sport court rentals. Having a basketball or volleyball court set up at your event is a great way to network and team build while staying active. You could also host a portable rock climbing wall and incorporate challenges to see who can reach the highest goals.
Eat Well
When planning catering options, be sure to consider healthy options and smaller portion sizes. Buffets encourage people to overeat, resulting in sluggish movement and blood sugar spikes and crashes. Be sure to provide lighter and healthier options, as well as alternatives to people who have dietary restrictions, such as those who are gluten-free or vegetarian.
Each mealtime should give guests access to optimal health. Plan for a protein-packed breakfast, lean lunches and light yet satisfying dinners.
Drink Up
Happy hours are a common culprit of health disrupters. Alcoholic drinks are usually loaded with carbs and sugar and wreak havoc on health goals. Offer non-alcoholic beer and wine and provide alcohol-free mocktails at all your bar stations. These can be just as fun as craft cocktails without the dreadful hangover.
Guests who overindulge would benefit from a raw-juice bar. These nutrient-dense drinks are a super energy alternative to coffee and teas and are great for hydration and focus. Have ample water stations throughout your event. Dehydration is the leading cause of fatigue and feeling unwell.
As you can see, any event can incorporate wellness and help guests stay on track with health and wellness goals. Using these methods, corporations can prove their investment in the guest’s wellbeing and establish a deeper connection. It shows your attention to detail and your commitment to your employees.
Ready to turn your event into an occasion your client will never forget? Contact our designers at Sublime Event Designs for a perfectly holistic event!