The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that “adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity”. We often view such exercise goals as unrealistic or low down on our list of priorities with long working days and family responsibilities, but should exercise be put on the backburner and be forgotten about? Of course not. But what if we could slot our daily exercise into our work hours?
The proven benefits of exercising for productivity are abundant and perhaps company leaders should take the initiative to attempt to reap the rewards of improved productivity by paying their employees to take some time out of their working day to get moving. Physical activity programs have positive effects on work related outcomes such as reducing healthcare costs, lower absenteeism levels, improving work performance and reducing sedentary time to name but a few [2; 3]. Research has even shown exercise can change the brain itself…for the better! Regular aerobic exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with memory and learning. Exercise is thought to boost learning and memory by stimulating the production of hormones which in turn lead to the growth of brain cells [4]. Giving our brain a much needed boost is a no-brainer (we make no apologies for this pun 😉), both for us and the companies we work for. Some companies have already adopted this philosophy, making workout or movement breaks compulsory for employees. Is working out at work the way forward?
Should we pay our employees to exercise during working hours?
Google, which is considered one of the best places to work at in the world, has exercise facilities including gyms, swimming pools, and dedicated play/exercise areas at every floor in their buildings. Their support of exercising in the workplace comes from an understanding of the benefits associated with physical activity. These include improved concentration, sharper memory, faster learning, prolonged mental stamina, enhanced creativity, and lower stress [1].
Home as the New Office & New Gym
With Covid-19 making many of us swap office desks for kitchen tables or home offices (if you’re lucky!), now might be the perfect time to try adding exercise breaks to our work days. And an exercise break can be just that, a short break. Scientists show short sessions of exercise (called ‘acute exercise’) have benefits, especially for the brain. Exercise breaks are shown to boost brain functioning in the part of the brain (prefrontal cortex) we use for planning, paying attention and staying focused on and completing tasks [5], all mental skills usually required for work! Working the same long days without ever leaving the house can leave many of us feeling unmotivated and unproductive, we may feel we have ‘brain fog’ and lack focus. An exercise break could be just the Duracell bunny we need to boost our productivity.
How do I take an exercise break?
As you work from home, some factors may work in your favour in terms of establishing a routine for exercise or movement breaks during your day. You may have greater control over your time schedule, which means you can slot in a short break.
If you have little ones housebound also, why not incorporate an exercise break into play time? Simply exercise together! Joe Wicks’ P.E. with Joe has become something of a sensation, with exercise workouts at 9am over Youtube every weekday. Pop on the TV, go to https://www.youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1/videos and get moving with the kids. Schools have already begun to incorporate exercise breaks into the schoolday, with many schools using exergame or video-led exercise bouts to get kids moving in the classroom and boost energy and attention levels. GoNoodle is a popular platform for this, with colourful cartoon monsters encouraging kids to move and groove (https://www.gonoodle.com/)!
If you prefer solo exercise, open Youtube or Instagram and find a HIIT session to your liking, or simply go for an old-fashioned run around the block. Effective exercise can be done without a need for any fancy equipment or tonnes of space. See below for an example of an efficient exercise circuit which can be done on the spot with 15 seconds of rest in between each 45 seconds of exercise. The circuit should be done four times with 3-5 minutes between each circuit.
Many of us view exercising as something we would like to do in theory if we had the time. It is viewed as somewhat of a luxury. But, as something that enables us to soak up more information, work more efficiently and be in a better mood, should it not be something we view as a priority? Perhaps instead of viewing it as something people do for themselves, it should be viewed as part of work; a worthwhile investment for the company, the workforce and most importantly you!
References:
1) Hogan, C.L., Mata, J. and Carstensen, L.L. (2013) ‘Exercise holds immediate benefits for affect and cognition in younger and older adults’, Psychology and Ageing, 28(2), 587-594.
2) Conn, V., Hafdahl, A., Cooper, P., Brown, L., & Lusk, S. (2009) “Meta-Analysis of Workplace Physical Activity Interventions”, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37(4), 330–339.
3) Whitsel, L., Pate, R., Ablah, E., Lemon, S., Pronk, N., Wojcik, J., … Lobelo, F. (2019). Editor’s Desk: Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace. American Journal of Health Promotion, 33(2), 312–326.
4) Kirk-Sanchez, N.J. and McGough, E.L. (2014) ‘Physical Exercise and cognitive performance in the elderly: current perspectives’, Clinical interventions in aging, 9, 51-62.
5) Chang, Y. K., Labban, J. D., Gapin, J. I., & Etnier, J. L. (2012). The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis. Brain research, 1453, 87-101.
