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MOVING MAKES YOU RICHER

Are You Ready For Exercise?

Writer's picture: James MicklemJames Micklem

Finally…a blog all about you!


This week promised ‘Easy’ ways for busy professionals to become more active, and the entries so far definitely ticked that box:

Each can be adopted by everyone and anyone with little/no planning or disruption to their daily routine and all have significant, tangible health benefits that I’ve given along the way.


At first glance the final suggestion to ‘prioritise exercise into your routine’ may not seem to fit the ‘easy’ aspect of the series title so well…but bear with me.


I’m not going to close this week by telling you that it’s ‘easy’ to prioritise exercise into your routine. It’s not. Whether it’s your job, your partner, your child, your hobby, all or none of these…your life is really busy.


What I am going to tell you is that it’s easy to check in with yourself and ask whether you want to prioritise exercise in your routine, whether you would get value out of it…and to keep an eye on your answer.


If it’s a firm 'no', do your best to utilise the tips given already this week, they will be transformative.


If it leans towards a ‘yes’, that’s great and let’s make it happen!


To help you answer the question 'do I want to prioritise exercise into my routine?', we're going to delve into the pros and cons of exercise, starting with how it impacts one of the most significant aspects of your life, your job.


How Does Exercise Effect Your Job?


One of the key reasons many of us don’t prioritise exercise into our routine (but by no means the only) is because we’re flat out at work. If doing something means staying late(r) at the office to catch up…why would you do it?


The answer is easy to brush off as flowery but it deserves your time. We can’t immediately see or measure the cognitive benefits of exercise so it’s easy to overlook them, but by introducing exercise you become more creative, energetic, focussed and time efficient…you can deliver more in less time.


It’s no coincidence 76% of the rich exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.


A Harvard study shows that exercise boosts mental abilities like:

  • Enhanced creativity

  • Quicker learning

  • Sharper memory

  • Improved concentration

  • Prolonged mental stamina

  • Lower Stress

Research also suggests that exercising during working hours can pump-up performance. A Leeds Metropolitan University study found that workers who visited the gym during working hours were more productive, managed their time better, and felt more work satisfaction.




So, if the benefits of structured exercise definitely positively influence physiological and mental health, generally improve your energy levels and have the power to increase productivity at work…why doesn’t everyone do it?


The Value Equation


It’s because we don’t make the decision on whether to exercise as a professional, we do it as a human being. A human being with a LOT of other things on our plate.


The Value Equation is a crude view on how we as humans decide whether do to a ‘thing’ or not:


Value = [Benefits Received] - [Price + Hassle]


Put simply, if the ‘Benefits Received’ from doing something are bigger than the ‘Price + Hassle’ that comes with it, it has a net positive value to us and we will choose to do it.


If the opposite is true, that thing has a net negative value and we will choose not to do it.


If you don’t do structured exercise, it is because you have, subconsciously or consciously, crunched the numbers and decided that:


[Benefits Received] < [Price + Hassle]


Each of us has different motives and challenges when deciding which side of the equation is greater. In order to do/adopt structured exercise into our routine, the equation must look like this:

[Benefits Received] > [Price + Hassle]


I’ve talked about the Benefits of exercise all week, so it’s only fair we acknowledge the reasons exercise might not tick your boxes right now.


Let’s look at ‘Price + Hassle’, the perceived barriers to entry:


  1. TIME – You’re finding it hard to find any time for yourself already. Can you sacrifice more?

  2. LEARNING CURVE – Finding the right answers to your questions in a world saturated with ‘experts’ can create more confusion than clarity. Who do you listen to?

  3. IT’S HARD – When you eat chocolate, your body releases some endorphins and dopamine. You feel good. When you exercise, you go red, get tired, out of breath, you sweat, and you smell. Your body releases more endorphins and dopamine. You feel proud, accomplished, great. But is that feeling really that much better than what chocolate gave you, is it worth the exertion?

  4. DELAYED RETURN ON INVESTMENT – Progress takes time. In a world where we get instant gratification almost everywhere, there are no short-cuts. Have you got the patience?

  5. PRICE – There are costs associated with anything new. Is this within budget?


In the next section we explore the importance of answering these questions accurately and honestly.


What Impacts Your Exercise Value Equation?


Both sides of your own Exercise Value Equation change with time. If ‘Expected Benefits’ goes up or ‘Price + Hassle’ goes down enough…you may even find yourself in a position where, for the first time, you think exercise would add value to your life. So let’s explore what could change this:

[Benefits Received] < [Price + Hassle]

into this:

[Benefits Received] > [Price + Hassle]



Option 1: ‘Benefits Received’ Goes Up

This happens when exercise directly contributes to solving a problem that is, or has become, significant to you personally…it doesn’t have to be ‘big’ from the outside, just significant to you.


For example:

  • You decide you need something new in your life, a personal challenge can get your teeth into that isn’t work related.

  • You become a Grandparent and want to be physically able to play sport in the garden with them as they grow up.

  • You’re struggling with stress, anxiety or anything mental health related and need an outlet.

  • You get engaged and want to fit into a particular dress size on the big day.

  • You’re tired of looking in the mirror and feeling too small or too big and now’s the time.

  • You realised you get out of breath when you climb the stairs at home, and it shocked you.

  • You’re fed up feeling constantly exhausted and believe exercise will energise your body and mind.




Option 2: ‘Price + Hassle’ goes down

This happens when barriers to entry are reduced or removed.


For example:

  • You realise you can fit exercise into your schedule without paying for it professionally (due to having more time or accepting that it would improve your productivity overall).

  • You become financially able to afford membership or to sign up to a programme, or aware of a cheaper option within your budget.

  • You engage with a person or source of knowledge who imparts it clearly and concisely. With these questions answered you feel more in control and comfortable to embark on a new journey and learn new skills.

  • You’re presented with a realistic plan. One that, instead of making you sacrifice things important to you, works around your current commitments and allows you to chip away at your long-term objective through small, achievable goals.


It’s important to measure up both sides accurately, otherwise you might be accidentally overlooking exercise as something that can enhance your life tremendously.



Conclusion


When it comes to exercise, is there a chance that you’re giving too much weight to the factors that make up ‘Price + Hassle’? Is a lack of knowledge or confidence potentially making that side appear bigger than it really is?


On the other hand, are you underplaying the ‘Expected Benefits’? Not quite recognising how amazing you’d feel if you achieved something huge that exercise could enable? Or are you thinking too short-term and therefore struggling to see what it really has to offer you?


If you can’t answer those questions immediately that is amazing, it just means you aren’t sure what your Exercise Value Equation looks like right now.


The best thing to do is find someone who can help you think big with your goals, who understands your lifestyle and the importance of managing time and resources effectively…and talk to me…sorry, them!


Having worked in Banking for 7 years, I know how difficult it is to find a coach who fully understands the challenges of managing a busy career, a lengthy commute and long hours with setting realistic goals, developing effective workout plans, and achieving results efficiently.


You can work professionally at the intensity you need to and achieve your personal goals through physical exercise. It is easy if you have the right support.


I needed someone who could help me break out of old habits, try new approaches to fitness and adapt them to my schedule, instead of me having to adapt mine. I couldn’t find one so I left my job to see if I could become one.


I’ve watched friends and colleagues sacrifice their mental and physical health to get one more deliverable over the line. My goal is to help professionals in similar situations re-learn how to put themselves first through information, flexibility, support and some expertise.


If you want to discuss anything, from the content of this blog series to where/how to start getting into exercise, you can find all my contact details at www.JamesMicklem.com and connect with me on LinkedIn here.

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