As a business leader, you always have a lot on your plate. Your world is set at a ‘gogogo’ pace, and there’s just never enough time to get things done. How are you supposed to add anything else to your schedule, especially if it’s something like going to the gym? Arianna Huffington who was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post said, “A culture of burnout cannot be a culture of sustained creativity.”
Taking the time out of your schedule to exercise regularly has more benefits than simply improving your health, even if it’s hard to get yourself started on a routine and justify the need for self care. Regular physical activity (and sleep) are vital to your health which in turn aids you in becoming a better leader. Consider this, after 17 hours without sleep, you’re functioning like you’ve got a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. Taking care of yourself and exercising good self care habits are essential to that work/life balance we’re hearing so much about.
Exercise retrains your brain.
Have you ever noticed how you have trouble with the simplest problems when you’re tired? When you work out, the increase in blood flow can help nourish your brain, giving you more energy to formulate difficult and complex thoughts. Physical activity can counteract the natural deterioration of the brain due to aging and enable you to respond to challenges with better outcomes.
Exercise is also shown to help reduce stress and anxiety levels. This makes it an excellent way to help you manage your work/life balance, and get your schedule under control. When you’re less stressed, you accomplish tasks more easily and can get things done more effectively.
A study at Stanford found that walking (even a boring indoor treadmill walk) had more positive effects on cognitive and creative abilities than sitting. The study participants’ creative output increased by an average of 60 percent while they were walking.
Exercise builds vital business skills.
Taking the time out of your schedule to exercise regularly helps you strengthen not only your physical body, but leadership skills that are useful to running your business. Self-discipline, planning, problem-solving, and focus all benefit from a regular exercise routine. There is also a huge boost to your self-confidence – not only did you finish that difficult workout, you stuck to your plan and the results speak for themselves. Boosting your self-confidence will give you the drive you need to go for important opportunities. Combine this with the other skills you’ve been working on, and you have the recipe you need to get things done well.
It’s that little bit of ‘me time’.
In your hectic day, how much time do you take just for yourself? Probably none, right? How many times have you heard “I just need a little bit of alone/me/quiet time”? The beauty of working out is that no matter how much time you take – whether it’s ten minutes or an hour – that time is purely you time. About a year ago, I joined the Village Health Clubs, and I feel better every time after I stop making excuses and take time for myself away from the office and technology.
When your body is busy, it leaves your mind free to pursue other things. You can take the time to map out plans and solve problems you’d be too busy to deal with otherwise. Removing distractions can help you tremendously in finding different solutions to problems that plague you, and the mental silence can be a great time for new ideas to present themselves. Alternatively, this time could also be used to simply meditate and clear your mind, refreshing and recharging your brain for the rest of the day at hand.
When you ask yourself, “Can exercise really make me a better leader?” the answer is a resounding yes! There’s no time like the present to get started – your health and your business will thank you. Do you have other tips to share or questions? I’d love to hear from you!
