When you think about the ways to improve your business, and create more success, what comes to mind? For many people things such as working harder, spending more time at the office, and seeking business advice come to mind.
All of these are great things, and do contribute to more success in your business. But there is something that is far less common to think about that has even more of an impact on your business success. What is it?
Working out.
I have been a big believer in the power of exercise for a very long time.
It is a common belief that “jocks” are not smart, and that many of them perform poorly in the classroom. However, growing up I played a number of sports, and always believed that doing so helped me in the classroom.
It never made sense to me how sports could detract from your intelligence.
The facts show that physical exercise improves our success in all areas of our lives.
Unfortunately most people don’t make time for exercise. This is especially true for entrepreneurs. Even though we are supposed to have control of our schedules it is very easy to feel like you can’t make the time to workout.
It seems like there are better things that we could be focusing our time on. It’s hard to justify taking an hour or two away from of the office to spend at the gym when there is so much work to be done.
But this thinking couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you want to have more success at the office, you first need to start spending time in the gym.
Working out helps to create business success in 4 critical ways:
1. It Makes You Smarter
Working out increase blood flow to the brain. It also increases nuerelectric activity, and production of hormones that are beneficial to the brain.
A 2013 study in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research reported that a thirty minute session of exercise can improve memory, planning, and reasoning, and shorten the amount of time needed to complete cognitive tests.
And they aren’t the only ones who feel this way.
In an interview with U.S. News & World Report, John Ratey, a psychiatrist with Harvard Medical School said:
“Exercise is the single best thing that you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning.”
I don’t know about you but I could use any extra brain power I can create. There is massive amounts of competition out there. If working out can help me become, and work, smarter I can’t pass that up!
2. It Prepares You For A Long Day
If there is one thing most entrepreneurs know, it is that work doesn’t always stop at 5 o’clock. For many entrepreneurs, the clock does not determine their work schedule. Their day lasts until the work is done.
Exercising energizes your mind and body for a long day at work. It gives you the strength to make it through a tough day, and have the energy to get up early the next day to do it all over again.
It may seem counterintuitive but I find that when I work out, especially in the morning, I have far more entry at the end of the day that I would have had if I had slept in and missed my workout.
3. It Builds a Routine
Success in the gym requires you to make it part of a routine. It requires that you have a plan that you stick to consistently.
If you don’t stick to it you won’t make any progress.
So how does creating a workout routine help you at the office?
It inspires you to start other routines as well. Once you begin positive routines in one area of for life, it is easy to let them spill over into other areas as well.
Creating and following through with plans and routines is extremely important in the office. It is one of the things that allows us to get our work done on time, at a high level of quality.
4. It Makes You Happier
As I said above, exercising stimulates blood flow to the brain. This causes the brain to be flooded with all sorts of great nutrients.
The increased blood flow helps to fight depression and anxiety, both of which have a direct impact on our level of happiness.
Have you ever heard the saying, “to be successful you have to love what you do.” Success on the job requires us to be happy.
Why so?
Happy people are more productive. Happy people are more driven. Happy people have higher self-confidence.
Have you ever been sad, or upset, and felt like you can’t achieve anything during the day?
If so, you may have noticed that even if it is something that has nothing to do with work, being depressed or upset about something can have an extremely negative impact on your work. If you can’t take your mind off of it, and focus on work, you will never be able to get things done.
Start Spending Time At The Gym Today!
If you are looking to improve your business and increases your level of success, you might want to take a look at the gym first.
If you don’t currently make exercise a part of your daily routine, you should give it a shot. You don’t have to get into heavy weightlifting or running marathons, just get in the habit of doing some physical exercise.
It can be any form of exercise. It could be swimming, running, weightlifting, yoga, or anything else. Just get in the habit of getting your blood flowing and getting in better shape.
You may think you don’t have time to workout, but in reality the opposite is true. You don’t have time, and can’t afford, to not work out. Your success at work is depending on it!
Question: How often do you work out?
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