#WINNING!
How signing up to a team sport can make you fitter, happier and better at your job
If the idea of team sports immediately transports you back to your memories of a rainy PE lesson and an hour of torture on the netball court, then you might have written them off as something you would ever try as an adult. However, studies have shown that the benefits of taking part in team sports can affect not only your physical and mental health, but can even help you to perform better at work, too.
Research by the Institute of Leadership and Management found that three-quarters of employees who have played sport competitively believe it equips people with skills and capabilities that give them an edge in the workplace – from team-building, to confidence and mental toughness. Another study, by the London School of Economics, found that participating in team sports led to an increase in long-term happiness and life satisfaction. This is believed to be down to the sense of belonging and social interaction you get from rolling up to a hockey field or netball court once a week with a bunch of likeminded people. Smug faces all round.
After more than a year of socially distancing and, for many people, working from home and away from their colleagues, joining forces as part of a team to play sports offers a great way to connect with others and perhaps the opportunity to make a few new buddies along the way, too. Not to mention the added satisfaction that you get from thrashing your opponents – or the shared camaraderie when you suffer a defeat.
If you think that you might fancy dusting off your wing defence skills or trying your hand at being a goalie, we’ve put together some contacts (right) to help you get started…