Published in The Thrive Global, October 21, 2020. Thrive Global Community welcomes voices from many spheres.
A little bit like chicken and egg or egg and chicken, which one was first on this planet?
It made me think more about why we often struggle to stick to good habits, lack commitment to exercise, yet have no problem with reaching out for that chocolate or a coffee.
Scientists tell us that the answer lies within our mind.
What often prevents us from exercising more?
Well, for many of us, the answer is: I don’t have the time. In fairness, this is a legitimate explanation, because to have time, you have to make time not only physically in your dairy, but also mentally. Your mindset plays a key role in this, as if you don’t put enough value, benefits why you should do it, it drops from your priorities list. You could have weeks when work feels overwhelming, deadlines which seem to be outside your control, which you need to meet, so it’s easy to draw the line and put things that are not priority on the shelf.
I have a problem though with putting your health, exercise on the shelf, as over the years, I learnt that exercising regularly, eating healthily boosts your mental capacity, energy levels and you are more productive at work and able to manage stress better. This is not just me saying this, I experienced it myself when in the past, let’s say “things in life and work weren’t going so well.” Your health is your first pillar of success. Your mindset is your first step to get you there.
Work and home life are interconnected, and one affects the other. Numerous studies confirm that the cognitive benefits of exercise enable us to memorize information quicker, we work more efficiently, and become more productive. Why? One of the answers lies within your cells. Your cells need energy to create energy, so through a workout you are waking up all your body systems into action. You are helping to regulate your cortisol levels within the body, you simply supercharging your body through movement.
And yet, many of us continue to perceive exercise as an activity we’d like to do, if only we had more time, not one that is essential to our wellbeing.
We need to flip the script of what we think about exercise is in our minds and start considering physical activity as part of our working week itself, so we giving an equal priority to this, and scheduling time, the same way as we schedule time with a client.
You may ask my friend: How can I successfully incorporate exercise into my routine and stick to it?
Here are a few research-based suggestions:
If you are able to still socialize while exercising amidst Covid19, even better, as when exercise feels like fun, pleasure, the chances are you’ll keep doing it. It is also a lot harder to make an excuse to a friend or a trainer than to persuade yourself to have ‘just this one time a night off.’ If you allow for that night, you can see when that’s leading you the path of undoing all the good you achieved to date. Tony Robbins states that as humans we all have 6 human needs. We have a need for connection, contribution, so we often will do things, because we want to feel needed and know that others are dependent on our participation.
Research also indicates that exercising as part of a team is very effective. So, consider football, badminton, doubles tennis, basketball, cycling club and any enjoyable, competence-enhancing activity, which depends directly on a team’s collective effort.
Reframing it is a key to your success. Remember, an exercise is an integral component of your body and the mind, staying healthy and young. Having little physical strength or energy surely impacts on your wellbeing, so is weak mindset which bows under a little pressure. It is then a bit of chicken and egg, but healthy mindset will allow you to action things well from the start. Reaping the benefits from exercise contributes to a sharper mind, better mental health, which positively affects our wellbeing.
What are your thoughts on this, I would love to hear it? x
Published on October 21, 2020
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