It turns out exercise isn’t just good for your health it’s good for your brain too. Researchers from Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute have found that a regular exercise habit can make us more productive at work.
In the study, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, two workplaces were divided into three groups. Two groups were asked to add two and a half hours of exercise to their week, and the other group had no obligatory exercise added to their weeks. One of the exercise groups substituted work hours for exercise, and the other exercise group did it after hours. Both groups saw an increase in productivity, and fewer days of sick leave, but the one with the best results were surprisingly from the group who cut out work time in order to exercise.
One of the reasons that scientists believe exercise helps with productivity is that that it helps the brain to function better by increasing the amount of oxygen that gets into the brain, according to the website Livestrong.
The reason we begin to perform better at work is because exercise changes our brains, making us more alert, while improving our mood which helps make us more productive, says Robert Pozen, author of Extreme Productivity and contributor to The Huffington Post.
The happy alert brain connection the secret to productivity?
Increasingly, it is the link between having a more alert, less fatigued brain while experiencing fewer feelings of anxiety and an overall better mood that has the biggest impact on improved productivity.
A study by British researchers published in the American College of Sports Medicine of around 200 workers from three different companies in non-related fields were asked to complete questionnaires about their job performance on days when they exercised during their lunch break and days when they didn’t.
The participants were free to choose whichever type of exercise they enjoyed, with some doing yoga, others basketball, some walking, and others strength training, amongst many other activities, for a period of 30-60 minutes.
Study author, Jim Mckenna, told NBC News that he was surprised at just how effective the lunch break workout was on improving the participants work performance.
6 out of 10 workers reported an increase in time-management skills, the ability to meet deadlines, and mental performance on the days they exercised, with an overall increase of around 15% on work performance. Interestingly, the results were the same no matter what activity the participants chose to do during their lunch break.
Furthermore, the participants were asked to rate their mood in the morning and afternoon. Unsurprisingly, post-workout, the participants reported an improved mood, which has been supported by other research, says McKenna. When the researchers spoke with the participants in focus discussions, many reported that exercise helped them to deal better with the demands of their job and to be more tolerant of others, as well as less likely to lose their tempers than before.
McKenna hopes that these findings will encourage more companies to create areas for gym facilities within their premises. If that’s not something that your company can offer, however, remember that getting out and about during your lunch break by taking a walk, joining a local fitness class, or going to a nearby gym can be just as effective. And while exercising during work hours has proven benefits, you can also get the same effects from fitting it in after hours.
At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do for improved productivity, or when you do it; what’s important is that you exercise to begin with and stick to a healthy, regular routine.
Reference