A familiar excuse I am always hearing from people is “I don’t have time to exercise”.
In this post I’m arguing that it’s exactly the other way round. If you actually take a bit of time out of your day to do some structured exercise you will get more time back in terms of your concentration, energy, productivity, creativity and focus. You don’t have to go out for hours, it can just be a 20 min walk or a short burst of gardening or dancing around your living room for 15 minutes!
Lunchtime is a great time to exercise
For 15 years I worked in a 9-5 (ish) office job. For most of these years I’d do exercise in my lunch break at least 3 times a week. I was responsible for the running club whilst working at SAGE Publishing. Every Tuesday and Thursday a group of us would go out and run around 5K and sometimes we’d also add in some strength training too (see the picture at the end of this blog). I’d always make time in my diary to do this as it was super important to consistently do this a) for myself and b) to encourage others in the group. We’d also organise group events such as 10K runs, or charity fundraising events which helped motivate and inspire people.
Exercising with other people has been shown to be really effective in encouraging adherence and motivation. Kelly McGonigal talks about this in her book The Joy of Movement. I covered this in my earlier blog post on the topic. It’s even better if you have a scheduled time every week you know when the session will take place. You will be more likely to go as you won’t want to let other people and your self down. A healthy dose of competition can also be motivating!
Here are 5 reasons why exercising in the middle of the day is a great idea:
1. Exercising in the day increases productivity, focus and creativity
On the days i’d do exercise at lunch time I’d find I’d have more energy, be more focused and more able to do my job more effectively than days I hadn’t gone out or taken a lunchbreak. It can also reduce the effects of the afternoon slump we are all prone to.
Fran Saint-Geris, a friend who ran the running club with me, said
“I realise that I’m lucky to have a job that is flexible enough to allow me to exercise at lunch time, but I just don’t think there’s a better way to use a lunch hour. After a lunch run I’d come back into the office with a sense of accomplishment that completely outweighed the fact that I had a big red face for the next couple of hours. Whether I’d run with colleagues, and have conversations I would never normally have otherwise, or whether I’d run by myself, I always come back to an afternoon of work feeling refreshed. These afternoons never seemed to drag like they could on other days and I’d be left way more productive”.
Even getting out for a short walk at lunchtime can have enormous benefits for your productivity for the rest of the day. It’s also a great way to get away from the screen, get some fresh air and enjoy some respite.
2. Exercising improves memory and learning
Exercise promotes changes in the hippocampus region of the brain which is the area involved in learning and memory. Aerobic exercise in particular increases oxygen flow to the brain which encourages the growth of new brain cells. So it’s not surprising it helps if you can get an exercise dose in at the start or middle of the day.
Brendon Stubbs talks about this in his research and I wrote about this in my blog post on exercise and mental health recently if anyone wants to read more about this.
3. Moving your body helps if you are stuck in your mind
If you are stuck at work with a task or something complicated that you can’t get your head around then getting out for some exercise or a walk can be a game changer. It can even help with decision making.
There were times in my previous career when I had to write long documents and I was up against tight deadlines. I’d often be in the office late (which is never ideal for our wellbeing generally) and knew that I couldn’t function without getting out. So I’d go out for a run sometimes at 5pm and then return to the office with a new sense of energy and vigour ready to get a couple more hours under my belt.
When you exercise it enables your brain to work more efficiently, allows for greater focus and enhanced concentration. It also importantly gives you a break and allows you to think from a new perspective.
4. Reduces sick days and absenteeism
Exercise has been shown in many scientific studies to reduce the number of sick days employees take. It also reduces presenteeism by encouraging people to be more focused and present. Thus saving businesses and people time. Also importantly it can help prevent you from feeling ill and rubbish as exercise is proven to help the immune system by reducing inflammation.
5. It frees you up for the rest of your day!
By exercising in the middle of the day you get more time back in your evenings. Instead of rushing home to get to the gym. As Fran said: “Running at lunch instead of after work, for me, means one less thing to do in the evening when I’m trying to pack in, commuting home, cooking, and anything else I want to do. It gives me back more time and makes evenings less stressful and more relaxing”.
Now so many of us are working from home there’s no better time than ever to fit exercise in to your day. So give it a try so you can gain from more energy, creativity and productivity and all the other amazing benefits moving your body has to offer!
