According to new research, exercise may not just be good for your waistline but also for your work life. A team in Bristol who monitored employees found that on days that they did exercise either before work or during their lunch break they coped better with the stresses of the working day that followed. While mood stayed the same on days when exercise had not been done, when they had worked out the participants were calmer regardless of how hectic their work day was.
The researchers also discovered that on exercise days, the worker’s performance was significantly improved. They displayed better interpersonal skills and their time-management and productivity was enhanced. The study asked some 200 university staff and employees at a pension company and an insurance firm to fill in questionnaires relating to how they felt about their work. 79% of those surveyed said they felt they showed better interpersonal and mental ability when they exercised, 72% felt they displayed better time management and large numbers also felt their concentration and commitment to the job deepened.
While we have known for some time that exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of depression these findings show that it can also have other beneficial effects. There is a suggestion that making time for working out gives us a sense of greater control over our working day and how we react to what happens. The irony is that with most of us doing desk jobs, it is extremely hard to fit exercise into the working day. Jo Coulson, Research Associate at Bristol University's Department of Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences pointed out that the data collected might encourage employers to ensure their workers had access and time to visit a sports facility: 'The study also begs the question whether employers can afford not to be encouraging active breaks. The suggestion is that employers who are ahead of the game in offering proper on-site facilities actually get less from their employees on days that they don't exercise.”