Avatar photo

By Letshego Zulu

Contributor


Studies show exercises can lower stress and heighten productivity

Exercise creates happiness. You feel energized you’re more efficient. The bottom line is exercise is better than medicine.


Studies show that work-day exercise, not only improves well-being but participants noted a 72% improvement in time management and workload completed on days when they exercised. Low-intensity aerobic exercise is more effective than high-intensity exercise for improving productivity.

“Sit less, move more” workplace studies show that exercise boosts energies to recoup lost productivity. Ways that exercise increases your productivity Not only does exercise give you more energy and stop that afternoon fatigue slump, but exercise also keeps momentum and it improves mental capacity. In theory, exercise helps remove “brain fog”.

Exercise is shown to reduce stress, combat fatigue, improve performance and lead to fewer workday absenteeism. With exercise your sleep quality also improves, thus, you wake up feeling rested and ready to tackle another day.

Moreover, exercise increases your energy capacity, every time you exercise and push your limits, your body recovers and your energy capacity are increased. Exercise and work More and more companies are allowing employees to exercise at work. Big giants like Google led the way with in-office gyms and Nike has in-office yoga classes for their employees.

ALSO READ: How ending workouts by meditating go hand in hand

Companies are noticing the benefits exercise has on employee productivity.

Let us look at which types of exercise are scientifically proven to increase productivity and creativity.

Picture: iStock
  1. Walking: Yes, simply walking as exercise gets those creative juices flowing. Walking to work or a lunchtime stroll is a cheap form of exercise that raises your heart rate and is easy to fit into your schedule. Indoors on a treadmill or outdoors walking are both beneficial for increasing your productivity.
  2. Yoga: Yoga’s principle teachings help to improve production. Studies have shown the positive effects on self-esteem and motivation of practising yoga, and in turn, how this increases a person’s ability to cope with stress load. Increased creativity and abilities to problem-solve were seen.
  3. Low-intensity aerobic exercise: Low-intensity aerobic exercise is better than intense aerobic exercise. Studies show that individuals’ symptoms of fatigue are higher when intense exercise is performed and lower with low-intensity exercise workouts.
  4. Strength train exercise: Resistance training exercises using weights is popular. Studies show that mixing aerobic exercise and resistance training exercise increases brain function.

Conclusion

Exercise is recommended for a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of exercise improve attention span, accuracy, memory and how fast our brain processes information. All these benefits of exercise enable you to make decisions quickly and therefore increase your productivity.

Just doing a short exercise workout gives results and you don’t have to break a sweat to get your brain in top form. Increased productivity is noticeable within weeks. Exercise creates happiness. You feel energized you’re more efficient. The bottom line is exercise is better than medicine.

Article contributed to by Thapelo Mowela

Read more on these topics

exercise fitness and health Health

Access premium news and stories

Access to the top content, vouchers and other member only benefits