To Improve Your Work Performance, Get Some Exercise

June 12, 2023 Harvard Kenny for Harvard Business Review

– Graham Kenny for HBR (Harvard Business Review)

Did you know? – Worldwide, 1.4 billion adults are insufficiently active, with one in three
women and one in four men not engaging in adequate physical activity. In fact, there has been no
improvement in physical activity levels since 2001, and physical inactivity is twice as bad in high-income
countries than in low-income countries.
According to recent research Approximately 200 employees from the UK and China participated in a 10-
day study in which was captured self-reported and objective physical activity data (via a wearable smart
band device), as well as self- and supervisor-reported work outcomes. The research uncovered some
noteworthy findings about daily physical activity that impact employees and organizations as below:

1. Physical activity promoted overall well-being – Quality sleep, Improved Vigor, Gain in task focus
2. Physical activity improves next-day job performance and health

To ensure we get more physical we can try the tips below:

1. Develop a daily habit of doing physical activity – Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate work-related benefits from physical activity. Day by
day, concentrate on forming new healthy habits, and results will unfold in time.
2. Remember that some is better than none – WHO recommends that “some physical activity is
better than doing none.” To realize health benefits and minimize the harmful health effects of being
sedentary, the WHO recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 years should engage in at least 2.5
hours of moderate-intensity or at least 1.25 hours of high-intensity physical activity each week.
Further research identifies moderate-intensity physical activity as most impactful for generating
physical, affective, and cognitive resource gains that further benefit next-day task performance,
creativity, and health outcomes.
3. Motivated or not, just get moving! – The research done also reveals that even employees who
dislike exercising can reap benefits from daily physical activity. Also any autonomously motivated
individuals are more likely to participate in physical activity, implicating the “fun factor” as a key
driver of physical activity engagement — so find an activity that makes exercise less onerous and
more enjoyable.
So, in conclusion if you’re looking to up your game at work, try to include more physical activity into your
days. Your body will thank you, and your mind will reward you with more energy, better task focus, and
improved creativity.