Despite the feeling that choosing to exercise means abandoning ‘more important’ job commitments, prioritising time to exercise is actually doing your work performance a favour. 

Previous research has shown that regular exercise can directly influence the degree to which you are successful and productive at your job. For example, one study observed the following immediate benefits after only 15 minutes of exercise: 

• Improved concentration
• Sharper memory
• Faster learning
• Prolonged mental stamina
• Enhanced creativity
• Lower stress

Another study reported similar benefits among office workers who exercised during the workday, including: 

• Improved time management
• Increased productivity
• Enhanced social connections with colleagues
• Increased satisfaction 

Better yet, these positive effects in the latter study were observed regardless of exercise type, intensity, or duration. This means that you can choose to exercise according to your preference while still reaping the rewards!

Besides improving cognition, regular exercise has a host of other benefits too, such as decreasing the risk of colds and flu by up to 50%, improving sleep quality, and uplifting your mood – all of which may further enhance your productivity and degree of success at work.

Despite the convincing evidence, exercise is still perceived as an activity that many would like to do “if only there was more time in a day”. But let’s be clear: the same way you set aside 8-hours for work each day, you should also be setting aside time for exercise. 

That’s not to say it isn’t challenging to fit in regular exercise on top of your work, family, and social commitments, especially on the days when exercise is the last thing you feel like doing. Try these three tips to help set aside time for exercise in your weekly routine:

1. Discover exercise activities you genuinely enjoy. You are far more likely to stick to an exercise routine if you look forward to doing it in the first place.
2. Invest in your exercise performance. Set goals and commit to achieving them. Making a financial investment, whether it be purchasing new exercise gear or signing up for classes, can further increase your commitment.
3. Find accountability colleagues. You are far more likely to commit to an exercise routine if someone is expecting you to show up.

In essence, choosing to exercise does not equate to abandoning your job commitments. Schedule exercise into your weekly routine as if it were equally important as your other work responsibilities. Because it is.