6 Ways Exercise Can Improve Your Job

6 Ways Exercise Can Improve Your Job 

If you have difficulty squeezing exercise into the busy workweek, you're in good company. Despite all the perks of physical fitness, many people still can't seem to find time to get active. But what if exercise could enhance your work skills and improve job performance? Turns out, it can. In fact, exercise won't just benefit your current job; a daily workout may help increase your marketability and advance your career.

Ready to give fitness a regular spot on the schedule? Here's why a session of exercise could end up being the most important task of the day:

Your Workday Focus is Sharpened

Workloads can create clutter in the mind, especially when you're having a particularly busy day or week. Focus is essential to get everything accomplished, and exercise can help. Similar to meditation, exercise encourages you to concentrate on one thing at a time. When you're running, for example, you may focus on the rhythm of your breathing as you inhale and exhale. The ability to center your attention on a single task carries over into the workday routine, allowing you to perform duties more efficiently and effectively. With a sharper, clearer mind, productivity increases exponentially.

Job Stress Lifts

While exercise won't eliminate job pressures, it can lift and help you manage stress, known to cause headaches, muscle pain, shakiness, and digestive problems. The brain chemicals released during physical activity help relieve the effects of stress by relaxing the body and mind and calming nerves. Exercise also puts you in a better mood, so job-related problems become less burdensome and difficult to solve. The best part? The peaceful, collected feeling you get after exercise won't quickly dissipate. You will reap the calming rewards of your workout hours after you complete it.

You See Your Work More Clearly

Vision and other eye problems become more prevalent throughout adulthood--and that can affect how well you see the computer screen, slide presentations, and reading material. But research has shown that exercise strengthens eye health by increasing blood flow to the optic nerve and retina and reducing overgrowth of blood vessels in the eyes known to cause vision problems and diseases. Break up the workday with a brisk walk outside or a midday trip to the gym. Your eyes will benefit from the diversion and feel more hydrated, clear, and refreshed when you sit back down at your desk.

The Number of Sick Days is Reduced

According to studies, people who exercise call in sick less often than those who don't. The reason? Exercise increases the immune response, helps fight off infection, and lowers the risk of illness-causing inflammation. It's no surprise that exercisers are typically healthier people year-round, experiencing fewer colds, flus, and other ailments that would necessitate calling in sick. When you feel good, you usually have more energy and stamina too, so the time at work is more likely to be time well spent. Incidentally, exercisers also tend to be healthier eaters, which further enhances wellness.

You Gain a Stronger Work Presence

Regular exercise strengthens organ, digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and other body systems, but it also does wonders for your outer appearance. Your waistline trims up, muscles develop tone and definition, your skin glows, and your posture straightens. Since exercise improves sleep, you look more rested too. All these changes culminate in a strong and positive presence, which coworkers and business associates will notice. And that's not all. Having a powerful work presence can do everything from grow your confidence to increase your job responsibilities to open up new career opportunities.

Positivity Grows Among Coworkers

Looking to spread a little more cheer on the job? Starting your day with an exercise session might do the trick. Thanks to exercise's "happy hormones," or endorphins, a workout can make you a more positive, optimistic worker. You're not the only one who will profit from your upbeat demeanor, either. Positivity rubs off on coworkers, which heightens the energy level on the job and promotes better teamwork. The likelihood of a successful, productive day is much higher when everyone's in a good mood than if the hours are filled with grumbling and complaining.

Busy jobs require sacrifices, but don't let exercise be the task you forgo. The benefits to your livelihood--and health--are far too great to neglect this important daily duty. Plug it into the workday calendar and see how a little physical activity can go a long way to boost productivity, job performance, and career potential.