How much can be done on the workplace to increase employees wellness?
We know we should be exercising and eating right, but it can be hard to fit fitness into our schedules — especially because it can be so tempting to skip the gym and pick up takeout on the way home after a long day at work. But staying fit does more than just help you look and feel good. It can also make you more productive at home and in the office. And if you’re spending less time on work or chores, you might have more time to hit the gym or sit down to a healthy meal. Read on to learn why focusing on exercise, diet, and sleep is important and how fitness can affect your productivity, leaving you more time AND energy to do what you enjoy the most.
1. Exercise helps your brain grow
Your brain is like a muscle. The more you use it, the more it grows. But if you don’t use it enough, it will deteriorate. So keep hitting the gym or jogging around the block. Exercise actually uses more brain cells than many other activities, Ratey said. Though you might not realize it, you’re giving your brain a workout along with your body when you exercise.
2. Your diet affects your ability to think clearly
If you don’t eat enough during the day or if the food is not nutritious, you might find it hard to get your job done. Your brain needs blood glucose and protein from foods. If you don’t eat properly, you are likely to become less energetic, and it could be harder to think clearly. So instead of saving you time, skipping lunch might just make your work take longer to complete and seem more challenging. If you’re too busy for a break, try keeping a stash of low-sugar protein bars or other healthy snacks in your desk to eat throughout the day.
3. Exercise helps you stay positive
The more you exercise, the more likely you are to have a positive outlook on your job, home, or any other aspect of your life. That can give you more mental energy too. Positivity can help you become more productive because it allows you to respond easily to situations as they arise, he said. It allows you to be aggressive or go after what you want if necessary.
4. Fitness combats mental sluggishness
Exercise can help you think better. In addition to waking you up and helping you become more alert, Ratey explained that it can actually increase the amount of space you have in your brain to think about things. t can even affect “brain flexibility,” or the ability to change your line of thinking quickly. So the next time you’re exercising, remember that it might help you pay attention better during those long meetings or think on your feet during a presentation.
5. You can get more work done if you’re fit
Several studies have found that employees who are fit — including many who worked for companies that offered employee health or fitness programs — tend to be more productive. They can often get more work done, and their work requires less of an effort, according to a paper prepared for a 2007 World Health Organization conference.
Of course, being healthy can also allow you to miss fewer days of work because of illness. That same World Health Organization paper reported that, in some studies, obesity caused people to take more sick days. And people who are less fit are likely to have to take more time off of work for doctor’s appointments.
If you are getting more done at work and spending less time away from the office for health-related reasons, you’ll be able to better enjoy your free time. Instead of using days off to recover from illnesses or injuries, you can use them more productively: to relax, take a vacation, or spend time with friends or family.
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
BRAINSTORMING
Would you like to encourage more physical activity at your workplace, but don't know how? Let's sit around a coffe and discuss the possibilities.
WORKSHOPS
Choose from a variety of health topics from nutrition to exercise that I can present at your workplace in a funny, interactive way.
CONSULTANCY
Let's build together a strategy to promote more physical activity and health at your workplace, 100% based on proven and efficient interventions.
Max Icardi
As an independent fitness & health specialist I combine personal training for individuals and companies with professional education courses for trainers.
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