We’ve all heard it; exercise, fitness and health are crucial to our general wellbeing. And while many of us may try to fithealth into our lives somehow, fitness usually stays firmly planted in our personal lives — just one more commitment we try to fit in outside of the hours we dutifully spend behind our desks. But, like so many other things in our lives, it’s never that cut and dry.
When you really get down to it, your health and your work are more connected than you might realize. You may think their only relationship is how difficult it is to fit both in a busy schedule, but the healthy living you institute in your personal life can have dramatic positive effects on your career.
So how exactly does being mindful of your health help you from 9-to-5? Below are five surprising ways being fit can have a positive effect on your career.
Serotonin, Endorphins and Feel Good Mojo
We probably all know that getting a good sweat can really make you feel good. Exercising increases serotonin and endorphin levels that positively affect mood and can help you better tackle your stressful workday. Even short workouts can get your body releasing all sorts of chemicals that can alter your attitude and positively affect your work.
Be Better at Getting Stuff Done
Not only does being active sharpen your mental performance; it can also help boost your time management skills and increase output. Exercise can boost your overall work performance as much as 15 percent, according to Jim McKenna of Leeds Metropolitan University. Additionally, McKenna found that on days people worked out they reported better time management skills, increased mental performance and an easier time meeting deadlines.
Decrease Stress, Increase Productivity
A little sweat equity will go a long way to relieving tension that is ever present in a busy workplace. No matter what time of day you can fit in your gym time, you’ll relieve a host of physical and mental pressures. Employees who exercise report increased tolerance, lessened tempers, relieved anxiety, heightened morale and a sense of calmness allowing them to tackle workplace issues with ease.
Avoid Taking Sick Days
According to a study from The Journal of Exercise Physiology, working out can decrease absenteeism by 22 percent. And while this might not all be time you spend feeling under the weather, it’s a fact that exercise can make you more resistant to bugs.
Make More Money
Believe it or not, according to the Journal of Labor Research, being active three or more times a week can lead to higher earning potential. The study, by Vasilios Kosteas, asserted, “engaging in regular exercise yields a 6 to 10 percent wage increase.” Other studies have exhibited the opposite end of the earnings spectrum; a 2007 study by Dalton Conley and Rebecca Glauber found that obese women earned, on average, 18 percent less than their lower weight peers.
So hit the gym, go for a run, roll out that yoga mat and get moving. No matter how you choose to add exercise to your day you’ll experience benefits beyond fitting in those skinny jeans. Not only will you being doing something good for yourself, you’ll probably being something good for your career too.