Exercise: The Underrated Key to Greater Work Performance

Every professional strives to boost their performance, develop greater work-life balance, and achieve lasting career satisfaction. Since most of us dedicate a sizable percentage of our lives to our work, it’s understandable that we often look to organisations and employers to help us accomplish this state of being. However, part of the onus lies with us as individuals, and there is one proven practice that many struggle to embrace: regular exercise.

 Personal testimonies from successful professionals and evidence from countless academic studies illustrate that exercise boosts energy and improves memory, mood, mental stability, and concentration. In addition, a daily exercise routine can enhance overall performance at work and satisfaction at home. Let's dive into why exercise is essential, why it works to boost performance, and how to incorporate workouts into your daily habits more easily.

How Does Exercise Help You Think and Perform Better?

Exercise has powerful effects on the brain, most notably in terms of personal energy. Simply put, the more often you move your body, the tougher your cardiovascular system becomes, producing more energy to help you get through each day and focus on work without hitting that afternoon slump.

 Regular movement offers a further significant benefit: reinforced cognitive abilities. For example, light exercise boosts memory accumulation and can accelerate your creative problem-solving process. A brief bout of aerobic activity can also supercharge your concentration levels and help you push aside distractions, allowing you to drill down on demanding projects with time-saving efficiency.

Furthermore, exercise improves sleep quality, which is also necessary for mental endurance. Research also demonstrates an undeniable link between physical activity and decreased depression and anxiety, which helps you bring your best self to your daily work.

Lastly, you can enjoy an escalated sense of self-efficacy, that confidence in your ability to conquer personal and professional challenges. For example, when you achieve an exercise goal (such as circling the block, lifting weights, or wrapping up a tennis match), there’s a sense of accomplishment that flows into other areas of your life, including your work.

The conclusion?

Beyond the commonly considered benefits of appearance, weight, and muscle building, exercise has a profound positive impact on your mental health and mindset.

5 Ways to Get Motivated and Build Exercise into Your Routine

Although the multifaceted benefits of exercise are widely known, the single biggest challenge most of us face is finding the motivation to stay at it consistently. If you’re having trouble integrating it into your lifestyle, try these tips: 

Do Something You Enjoy

You’ll embrace exercise far more easily when it’s fun instead of a chore. For example, consider the difference between lifting weights and playing a game of soccer or tennis. Pick activities that you truly like, so you’ll have the motivation to put in more effort and reap greater benefits over the long run.

Workout With a Partner or Group

It's harder to put off a round of exercise when someone you know holds you accountable. Joining a group (online or in-person) or exercising with a partner is not only more social and enjoyable; it also helps you keep your exercise commitments by collaborating with like-minded individuals who have the same goals.

Exercise at Lunch to Prevent the 'Afternoon Slump'

Remember that a short aerobic session can surge your memory, learning capacity, and stamina. Lunchtime is an ideal opportunity to get in a quick walk, run, or ball game alone or with a friend to re-energise and refocus, fighting off the afternoon slump.

Create Fitness Milestones

Instead of repeating the same exercise activity day in and day out, aim to set and accomplish goals, whether it’s lifting heavier weights or swimming longer laps. Again, this goes back to increasing your satisfaction, self-efficacy, and sense of ability to take on challenges outside the realm of physical fitness.

Unwind Through Family Exercise at Home

Lastly, get your family involved. Take a long walk with your partner after dinner or play a basketball game with your kids. Use exercise as a rewarding opportunity to bond with loved ones and help them experience the health benefits. 

Make One Simple Change to Achieve Lasting Results

With the pandemic and its effects remaining a daily reality, stress and wellness management have never been more critical. While looking good for the summer is a perfectly good goal, it’s vital to recognise that exercise has far more substantial benefits. Professionally speaking alone, physical movement offers enhanced mental acuteness, improved personal energy, better time management, and many other benefits necessary for improved performance at work.