- Improves your mood - Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Combats chronic diseases - Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Regular exercise also boosts HDL ("good" cholesterol) while decreasing LDL ("bad" cholesterol). It can also help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.
- Helps you manage your weight - When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control.
- Strengthens your heart and lungs - Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system work more efficiently. When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to do the things you need to do.
- Promotes better sleep - A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. The benefits of a restful night’s sleep can be quite obvious when the alarm clock goes off the next morning.
- Can be — gasp — fun! - Exercise doesn't have to be drudgery. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find an activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!
You’re probably still thinking “that’s great, exercise is good, I get it, but I thought this article was about how to improve my business.” In a nutshell, In addition to being more productive during the day, workers who participate in a regular exercise program showed a decrease in bodyweight, increased immune response, and increased metabolism. These improvements lead to a fewer sick days, fewer doctor’s visits, and reduced healthcare costs.
For some of the not so obvious benefits of exercise, consider another study done by a company called Steelcase. They spoke to over 700 employees and found that 80% of them believed that regular exercise would increases their productivity and 85% said exercise gives them the energy to stay awake and focused on their work. Another study found that exercise during a work-day improved the employee’s ability to manage time, increased their mental and interpersonal performance, and demonstrated higher productivity on days they worked out.
Some of the newer trends in exercise gear towards group or team oriented training. Training in a group, particularly a group of your peers or coworkers increases the sense of teamwork, respect and responsibility among workers. What steps can you take to encourage your workers to exercise?
- Make it accessible – encourage your employees to exercise during their lunch break at least a couple times a week.
- Hold workout meetings or power lunches – rather than meet at the conference room, take a small group on a brisk walk or to the nearby gym. You can catch up on the day’s business while getting a good workout.
- Use exercise as a reward – some gyms provide guest passes or short term memberships that you can use as rewards or bonuses.
- Sponsor gym membership – most gyms offer corporate membership rates. You can use the membership as an employee benefit, or pass the savings onto your employees.
- Hold challenges – encourage gym attendance and set goals such as participating in a local 5k or other sporting event.
- Most important of all... Set the example by leading a healthy lifestyle and making your own workout a priority.
