Exercise does a Body, Mind & Company Good!

When we think about exercise, we think about the value that it brings to our body. We lose the weight, we get stronger, we lower our blood pressure. What we often don’t recognize is the boost that it brings to our brains and how that can positively affect our productivity in the office.

When incorporating regular exercise into our routine we can expect the following cognitive benefits:

• Improved concentration
• Sharper memory
• Faster learning
• Prolonged mental stamina
• Enhanced creativity-Lower stress

And one of the greatest benefits, exercise helps to immediately boost our mood. And when we are in a better mood, we get more done and are easier to work with.

So many roles involve regular collaboration and connections with coworkers. And who would you rather hunker down on a project with; someone who is in a good mood after a lunchtime run, or someone who is irritable and grouchy after working through their lunch?

Exercise enables us to soak in more information, work more efficiently, and be more productive. And yet many of us continue to perceive it as a luxury; an activity we’d like to do if only we had more time.

But exercise, doesn’t need to be a huge deal, adding little bits in throughout your workday can add wonders for your energy.

Here are some tips to help you increase your activity throughout the week:

Tips:

• Find an activity you actually enjoy doing – if Zumba is not your thing, then you will dread each workout and skip it more often.
• Add reminders to your calendar to break up long working sessions with a 5-10 minute walk/stretch break. After 45 minutes our ability to fully concentrate on a task dramatically lowers, use this break to get up out of your chair, grab a fresh glass of water and a quick walk around the building.
• Join a group or find an accountability partner – being social makes exercise more fun, and you are also less likely to bail on the class if other people are expecting you there
• Make it easy to build up the habit – keep an extra pair of runners at the office so you can pop outside for a walk on a sunny lunch break, or keep your stocked gym bag in the car so you are ready to hit the gym right after work.
• Keep in mind that something is better than nothing! A 10 minute walk outside at lunch is better than scrolling Facebook on your phone while you cram a donut in your mouth. It doesn’t have to be a long sweaty workout to reap the benefits for your brain & body.

Check out our other blog post for overcoming the challenges that come with working during this pandemic: