EXERCISE IMPROVES YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Find out how exercise can make you more productive.

Let’s face it. No matter how much we read about the benefits of exercise, many of us still struggle to do it. It’s not always easy to find the motivation needed to leave an important task that we’re working on, get into our active wear and get a workout done.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many people struggle to fit in exercise, despite knowing the vast amount of benefits.

So, what can we do? One thing that has helped me a lot is to realise that exercising brings greater levels of productivity.

Here are three ways that exercise helps you be more productive: 1. Exercise can improve your brain function.

Exercise increases blood-flow to the brain, improving circulation and focus. Years ago, I remember studying for some important exams and constantly feeling that I wouldn’t get everything done. But I remember telling myself, ‘It’s just half an hour out of my 24 hours’. I always came back to my study feeling clearer in my mind. Exercise increased the blood-flow to the brain and improved circulation and focus. I noticed that by sticking to my routine, I would think faster. Exercising throughout exam-time was a great lesson for me in the importance of keeping up the routine. I continue to remind myself of this when I’m tempted to miss a workout.

As a person ages, the body generates fewer and fewer brain cells (a process called neurogenesis). However, a habit of regular exercise can assist in mental clarity throughout our entire life. A study in the Journal of

Experimental Psychology, demonstrated that walking triggered a burst in creative thinking, with the average creative output rising 60 percent when a person was walking. Also, when you exercise, the brain releases serotonin that helps you feel better and improves your state of mind, making any stresses of work easier to handle so you’re more likely to be more productive.

2. Exercise can increase your energy.

Exercise enhances your body’s ability to transfer glucose and oxygen throughout your brain and body, so it increases your energy levels. Having more energy helps you feel more awake while you’re working, which can help you perform your tasks to the best of your ability. Many of my clients report that when they are exercising regularly, they are sleeping better.

Remember - it doesn’t have to be a long session. If you don’t have time to put in a full workout each day, make small changes to your lifestyle, such as walking during your lunch break and taking more stairs.

3. Exercise can help you get more done.

Devote 1 hour to exercise – or even 30 minutes – and it means that I get MORE done! I sometimes feel tension when I have urgent deadlines between getting work done and taking time for self-care and movement. I want to exercise because it feels so good, I know that my body loves and needs it – but I also feel stretched in every direction and it’s easy to

want to postpone it for tomorrow. One thing that really helps, is reminding myself of the ‘quality over quantity’ concept. I may feel that sitting at my laptop for 12 hours is going to be the best way to get my work done. But what if I sit there for 11 hours instead and devote 1 hour to exercise – or even 30 minutes. It means that in the hours that I am at my desk, I get MORE done! This is a concept that makes sense. Even though it’s not always easy to implement, if I can convince myself that I will get more done by taking time to work out, then I will prioritise. And experience proves that this is true.

If you are using your brain a lot during the day, you want to look after it and keep it sharp. Our brain needs a rest just like the rest of our body does. When you exercise, you change your focus from one activity to something completely different and the brain loves the change.

The evidence is hard to deny. A habit of regular exercise can help you improve your brain function, increase your energy and get more done.

So, it does not matter how busy you are, find a way to fit some movement into your life today!

Kat Millar owns Get Results Training, dedicated to helping people transform their health, mind & body. Since 2003, Kat has helped thousands of people achieve their goals. She’s a coach, speaker, awardwinning figure competitor, fitness lecturer & NLP practitioner. Her passion helps people achieve life-changing results & fulfillment, with a range of programs for holistic health & body transformation. Contact via Kat’s website or Facebook

PEOPLE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE SCORE BETTER ON COGNITIVE TESTS THAN PEOPLE LIVING A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE. - John Medina, Brain Rules.