Many people struggle to get to the gym because the daily grind saps all their energy. Juggling exercise and office work can seem like a daunting prospect, and it has even been suggested working in an office can be as harmful as smoking. Research has found that if inactivity is reduced by just 25%, 1.3 million deaths could be prevented a year.
Working out and performing well in the office aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, regular exercise can not only help sedentary workers stay healthy, it can actually help your career in more ways than you might think.
Exercise to sharpen concentration
Exercise, whether it’s a trip to the gym or a morning run, is a great way to clear your mind before starting a day of work. By increasing blood flow, and therefore oxygen to the brain, exercise can actually make you sharper and more tuned in.
Perhaps that’s why some great business leaders start their day by exercising. Starbucks President Michelle Gass and Virgin’s Richard Branson both credit morning runs as a factor in their success. They’re not alone, many office workers use morning walks and runs to stay alert and productive during the working day.
If climbing out of bed and into the dark and cold for a morning run seems like an Everest-sized undertaking, a morning yoga session or this 10 minute home workout suggested by the NHS could be a more palatable alternative.
Exercise to enhance productivity
Exercise doesn’t just help you concentrate on the task at hand, it can also increase the amount of work you complete each day . Perhaps that’s why 55,000 companies are involved in employee fitness and promote physical activities.
A 2012 study found employees report higher performance during the weeks followed by intense exercise on the weekends. If your time to exercise during the week is eaten up by the morning commute and your weekends spent with the kids, there are exercises you can do at the office.
Marylebone-based personal trainer Jon Denoris advises ways to balance fitness and work life in his book ‘The Pop-Up Gym’. He claims the secret is to be patient and not expect to do everything perfectly first time around. Getting fit is a habitual process that takes time.
Exercise to maximise memory
As we’ve established, exercise can sharpen your brain. Not only does this help you focus, it can also help your memory. In fact, physical exercise can even help fight against the effects of dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, exercise is beneficial for physical and mental health and may improve the quality of life for people in all stages of the condition.
Exercise also reduces stress and improves clarity in your mind by boosting a brain chemical called norepinephrine, which plays a strong role in memory function. The key is making it regular. Even 30 minutes of brisk walking each day should make a noticeable difference.
A good memory is important to most if not all jobs. However, it is more useful in some professions than others. Business Insider found that memory came in particularly handy for teachers (specifically foreign language teachers), entertainers such as actors and singers, and economists and scientists.
Exercise to unwind – getting you ready for the next day
Although many wouldn’t link physical exertion with relaxation, exercise does help you to unwind after a busy day at work. This is because exercise gives you something different to focus your attention on and allows you to burn excess energy leftover at the end of the day. In contrast, sedentary office jobs can leave you feeling worn out and stressed.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, physical exercise can also help you sleep better, which will ultimately have a knock on effect on your performance at work. Sleep deprivation costs American companies $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity, with millions of employees not getting enough hours of shut-eye.
Sleeping properly can prevent burnout, help you make better decisions and avoid mistakes. It’s all important if you want to progress your career and do a good job.
