There is an age-old analogy that the brain is like a muscle and must be trained, academically, to remain adaptable and healthy. While there is a strong element of truth to this belief, it’s not the whole story.
A mix of studies suggest that when it comes to your grey matter, physical activity can actually boost your brain function.
When your brain works at optimum capacity, you become sharper, more innovative, and more productive. If your employees are working to the best of their abilities, you stand to catalyse the success of your business—which means that fostering a culture that encourages movement and exercise will prove beneficial to your long-term commercial success.
Here’s how.
Better memory
The hippocampus is a section of the brain that responds well to aerobic exercise.
Recent studies have shown that brain structure improves, as people become fitter, physically — and this applies to children, adults, and seniors.
As the hippocampus has strong ties to retrospective brain function, improved cardiovascular health can boost memory. When you’re learning a new skill or taking on a challenging project, walking and cycling can prove particularly effective — providing your workouts are moderate.
Enhanced concentration
In addition to improving one’s memory, aerobic exercise also helps to enhance cognitive concentration.
An experiment conducted among school children discovered that 20-minute spurts of aerobics-type exercise enhanced the attention spans of Dutch school children. Moreover, a study carried out among a group of German teenagers shows that a mere 10 minutes of light exercise or physical coordination skills have a positive impact on concentrations levels.
Apply this to the workplace and you’re likely to see a swift rise in your organisation’s productivity levels.
Creativity and innovation
Many revered creative people have attributed regular physical activity to the acceleration of their trains of creative thought.
Not long ago, some of the world’s best psychological minds put their heads together and uncovered a link between aerobic exercise and creativity. The experts found that walking or running on a treadmill had an incredible effect on innovative thought and ideation. Essentially, moderate running or walking can boost creativity and foster innovation.
In the world of business, creative thought and innovation are the very components that will set you apart from your competitors, regardless of sector or industry. Get the best from your talent and you will propel yourself ahead of the pack.
Wellbeing
Physical and mental wellbeing are the very cornerstones of a happy, rounded existence. And, it’s well documented that regular physical activity can enhance your wellbeing, significantly. If you’re in charge of a team of employees, it’s your responsibility to ensure maximum levels of wellbeing are reached across the board.
That said, it might be time to incorporate regular physical activity into your organisation’s everyday operation.
Runners enjoy an endorphin high, yoga goers trigger an internal relaxation response that helps them tackle stress, and regular moderate exercise is known to tackle the effects of depression.
Wellbeing is vital to a happy, productive workplace — and in that sense, regular physical activity could be the recipe for success.
By reviewing your internal culture and offering your talent the opportunity to incorporate aerobic activity into their daily agendas, not only will you boost cognitive performance, but you will also enhance wellbeing while improving internal communication.
The result? A more cohesive, more successful workplace destined for long-term success—and how can you put a price on that?
“Good health IS good business.”—Paul Dreschler, Chairman, Bibby Line Group
To gain a deeper understanding of the importance of company culture and how to hire the right talent for your business, read ‘Three ways to find the right cultural fit.’
