Are You Sluggish or Unfocused During Points of the Workday?
Do you feel mentally sluggish in the afternoon? Is it a struggle to stay focused at a particular point during the day? Do you lose creativity as the day goes on, or even as the week goes on?
Some of this is natural as our brains/minds have rhythms and cycles throughout the day, just as our other physical functions do. BUT…there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that physical activity during the day can indeed help to keep your mind sharper and more creative throughout the day. You can just search Google, or you can find some useful articles on this subject here and here and here.
I am a big believer in this phenomena and have personally received its benefits. I discovered this approach over 15 years ago, before there was much, if any real science behind it.
Training Every Workday
My goal for EVERY workday is to get my physical training in. Many people actually save their exercise, or at least the bulk of their exercise for the weekend. As a physical training strategy, maybe that works to meet their goals. However, I do exactly the opposite, and I do it intentionally. The workdays are when I need to be the most productive and most creative, and therefore, I prioritize my training during the workday over my weekend training. I do try to get training in on the weekend, but if it can’t happen, I don’t stress about it, because my weekdays have usually accounted for the volume necessary to meet my goals (i.e., training for a particular race, etc).
I created the “Pushups to Practice the Slight Edge” accountability group (see this post) for 3 main reasons:
- Use pushups to get yourself in the mindset of the Slight Edge
- The physical benefits
- The MENTAL benefits
What Type of Exercise
Current science seems to suggest that endurance workouts are better for improving mind functionality throughout the day. But “better” simply means better than other physical activity. Pushups or other strength training workouts are heads and shoulders better than no workouts. “Better” in this context is like choosing a Ferrari vs Lamborghini vs Maserati. They’re all great, even though one may be better than another for something in particular.
How Do I Fit It In?
I also realize that many of you are saying to yourself, “There’s no way I can fit exercise into my workday”. OK, maybe that’s actually true, but for most of you, I doubt it. If you prioritize it, you can find time. You can do pushups anywhere (yes, I do them in my office) and it doesn’t take much time. You can go for a walk anywhere, and you choose the time. If you really, honestly can’t get 30 minutes during the day to go for a walk, then you can get up earlier or replace some other entertainment time with whatever training you want. We all have the same 24 hours, it’s just about how you choose to use them.
Your charge is to go ahead and disprove this…and you have to give it at least a week. We’d be honored to have you join the “Pushups to Practice the Slight Edge” group, since every one is welcome. To do so, just send me a message and I will add you to the group.
Do It
Daily physical activity may be just what you need to turn that corner on your productivity during your workdays. However, it’s quite possible that daily physical activity is only one piece to the puzzle to get you truly energized and focused to be your most productive. I also have other solutions for energy and focus, and if you are interested in hearing more, just get in touch with me. I’d love to hear from you!
Have a great day!
