Start exercising today to increase your work productivity!
It is no secret that exercise has various impacts on your physical health but, on your work productivity? Yes! By exercising regularly, not only will you notice those toned muscles in the mirror, your boss will notice how productive you have become which in turn might get you that promotion. Grab those weights and renew your gym membership as you won’t want to miss out on these 6 benefits of exercise on your work productivity!
Increased Alertness and Focus Increasing Your Productivity
One way that exercise can improve your productivity is by increasing your alertness and awareness. When you exercise, you are changing your brain’s chemistry to allow for an increase in productivity after you are done burning all those calories. A protein called a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, is released which improves your memory, learning, and efficiency.
This is a combination of great productivity as your brain will feel refreshed allowing you to accomplish your work with ease and efficiency. Remember that new concept your boss mentioned? You will, after just a few days of exercising, you will feel more focused and engaged!
Improved Energy Levels Increasing Your Productivity
Not only does your brain release BDNF but it also releases endorphins, also called ‘feel-good’ chemicals. These are responsible for making you feel good or happy during and after your exercise session as these are our body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins are also released in response when we need the energy to complete a task thus, making us perform and are continued to be released after your exercise session has ended.
When you open up your laptop to start work, these endorphins are continually being released which in turn gives you that boost of energy to complete your project quickly. Exercising before work will give you that extra boost of energy to crush your tasks and make the most out of your time.
Reduced Stress Increasing Your Productivity
Not only will you feel good after exercising but your stress levels will decrease allowing you to be more productive at work. We all experience those days or weeks in which our stress levels are unmanageable but, exercise can help! Exercise can help you feel less anxious, relax your body, and create a positive image of yourself.
You might think that working out your muscles my increase the tension within your body but it is the opposite as exercise will decrease the electrical activity within your muscles. This relaxation throughout your body will leave you less tense and better able to handle those annoying emails increasing your work productivity.
Improved Time Management Skills
With your increasing energy and brain function, you will benefit from your improvements in your time-management skills. You will be better able to meet your deadlines in the midst of all those meetings and overwhelming emails. The increased blood flow to your brain gives you that extra boost of focus allowing you to spend less time completing projects and more time optimizing your productivity.
Exercise Can Prompt Fresh Ideas
Feeling stuck? Can’t think of the next big thing? Take an exercise break! By taking 5minutes to get up and move around, this will increase the blood flow carrying oxygen to your brain. This increase might be just what you need to get your creativity flowing again. Get up from your chair and walk around your workspace, take the stairs, or take a walk outside. Taking those exercise breaks will be a sure way to increase your creativity and in turn, increasing your work productivity.
Work-Life Balance
It is said over and over again of how important a work-life balance is on your productivity, and I am going to say it again. A work-life balance is important in increasing your work productivity! Make time for your health, as this will improve your time management skills and confidence in managing multiple demands of your time.
Your exercise session should not be placed last on the list as it might be just what you need to help your productivity at work. Stepping away from your work to make yourself a priority will not only be beneficial to your health but also for your work. You will feel refreshed and energized which in turn will reflect in your productivity at work.
Where to begin?
Adding exercise into your daily routine may feel daunting but don’t worry, we have you covered. Read our other article, “You Need To Try The Split Routine Workout!”, for an exercise routine you can start today! Remember, taking 5-10minutes daily to either walk around your house, neighborhood or get up and stretch will help you reap all the benefits exercise has to offer to increase your work productivity.
