Exercise for Focus: How Your Workouts Can Improve Work Performance

Blog Lifestyle Exercise for Focus: How Your Workouts Can Improve Work Performance

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11.19.2019 0 comments

Exercise isn’t just about weight loss and muscle-building—it can also be a great way to do better at work!

Yes, most of the physical benefits of exercise revolve around your general fitness: easier movement, more strength, better cardiovascular function, and more fat loss. However, you’ll find that there are other secondary benefits including better concentration, more focus, and enhanced brain function.

All of these benefits combine to make you a better, more productive worker. And who doesn’t want that?!

Activity = Productivity

One of the most common complaints among office workers is that they feel achy, stiff, or in pain. Long hours spent hunched over a desk or typing at a keyboard can lead to all sorts of discomforts—everything from wrist problems to neck strain to fatigue.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, stiff necks, and lower back problems are all common among office workers that spend long hours sitting. The sedentary nature of your seated work also slows your metabolism, leading to less energy generated throughout the day.

Exercise cures those problems!

First off, exercise tells your body that it needs more energy in order to keep up with your daily activity, so your body turns more fats and sugar into energy. You’ll find you’re much more awake and energized thanks to your workout, which makes you more productive.

But that’s not all. Exercise also strengthens your muscles, improves joint health, and combats the aches and pains common among those who sit down all day. You’re far less likely to suffer from wrist aches, stiff neck, and lower back problems when you work out regularly.

Fair warning: You need to do a lot of exercise to counteract the negative effects of sitting for more than 6 hours a day. Prepare for some active weekends along with your daily workout if you want to avoid aches and pains completely!

Exercise Increases Brain Blood Flow

Your brain is the body part doing the hard work most days, and it relies on a steady stream of oxygen and nutrients—both of which are supplied via your bloodstream.

When you exercise, you stimulate the flow of blood throughout your entire body, including your brain. Your circulatory system remains active for hours after you finish your workout, as it’s busy replenishing the nutrients and energy burned during your training.

Obviously this is great for fat-burning, but it’s also great for your brain function. The enhanced blood flow leads to more alertness, better focus, and enhanced concentration. Plus, the influx of nutrients energizes your brain, helping it to be more active for hours after your training session.

Exercise Boosts Your Mood

Depression, boredom, and emotional fatigue can make it hard to get work done. When you’re in a “funk”, you may have no desire to be productive.

Exercise can combat that!

Physical activity triggers the release of feel-good neurochemicals and hormones, which is why you always feel better after a run or workout. Exercise increases the production of the feel-good chemicals that drive away those moody blues, leaving you less likely to feel depressed at work.

Exercise Boost Your Overall Energy

Your body is designed to adapt to its circumstances. When you need less energy, energy production slows. When you need more energy, your natural energy production increases.

Exercise sends signals telling your body that you need more energy. When you work out every day, it signals that you’ll need more energy on a daily basis. This causes your body to increase its energy-producing functions, ensuring that you have more energy every day.

The more exercise you do, the more your body knows it needs to produce energy, so the faster your metabolism. You’ll find that a daily workout helps you to have more energy as you exercise, but also when you’re sitting at your computer and putting in the hours at work. You’ll be able to move around the office, check items off your to-do list, and get your work done with far more energy to spare at the end of a long day.

The truth is that your workout results aren’t just limited to muscle-building and fat-burning. Workouts are critical for every aspect of your life, including your workout performance. If you want to be more productive, better able to focus on your tasks, happier, and more energized throughout your day, it’s definitely worth doing a workout every day. Even just 20-30 minutes of exercise can make a huge difference!

For more inspiration and information on topics that cover all areas of your healthy lifestyle, join our exclusive video streaming platform for FREE today.

Resources:

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-physical-fitness-boosts-your-work-performance-2016-7

http://excellenceinfitness.com/increase-productivity-through-exercise

https://www.inc.com/laura-garnett/5-workday-exercises-that-will-improve-your-performance.html

https://www.thecut.com/2017/06/6-tips-from-exercise-science-to-improve-work-performance.html

https://blog.fitbit.com/performance-at-work/

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