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Researchers at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, found that office workers are most productive on the days they exercise.
The research led by the University of Bristol entitled, Exercising at work and self-reported work performance is published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management.
The researchers examined if being active during the working day affects people's mood and performance. Two hundred people took part in the study. They exercised on a fairly regular basis using worksite-provided facilities, such as the gym or exercise classes. Volunteers worked at one of three large, well-known companies in Bristol. Their positions at work were desk-based and they rated themselves as good at their jobs.
Volunteers were asked to fill out short questionnaires about their mood on two working days of their choice: one set for a day they decided to exercise and a second set for another day. At the end of each day, they answered questions about how productive the day had been.
“Critically, workers performed significantly better on exercise days and across all three areas we measured, known as mental-interpersonal, output and time demands,” research associate Jo Coulson said in a statement.
Jo Coulson added: "It's generally well-known now that there are many physical and mental health benefits that can be gained from regular exercise. If people try to fit an active break into their working day, they might also experience the added bonus of their whole day feeling much more productive. And that always feels good in our busy lives.
"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 onsite facilities actually get less from their employees on days that they don't exercise."
Hmmm, how many businesses would be willing to sacrifice such time?
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