The state of your body has a lot to do with the state of your professional success - even for graphic designers and people with web design careers who work at their desks all day!
Those whose daily fuel consists of donuts and coffee and who swear by desk acrobatics may not be convinced. In that case, here are four good reasons getting off your bottom and burning some calories could just be the boost your career needs.
- Working out gives your brain more oxygen. If you’re gasping for breath after doing ten jumping jacks, you might have a hard time swallowing this one. But the fact is, the activity of getting your heart pumping is delivering more oxygen to your brain. The more oxygen it gets, the better equipped you’ll be to focus more clearly. As you can imagine, the result of increased mental focus can have a drastically positive impact on your professional life, boosting your work output and cutting back on the likelihood of making minor mistakes.
- Depression and anxiety are kept at bay by maintaining a regular schedule of exercise. Regardless of how much you may love your job, there is always some level of anxiety that you face on a daily basis. The pressure to do a good job, to impress your bosses, to earn enough to keep your family fed – it can all get pretty stressful. High levels of stress can lead to depression. Exercising regularly can help keep this in check by giving you a much needed release. Who knew doing pushups wasn’t only good for your guns, but also good for your mental health? Well, okay – it’s been known for quite some time. But now you know, too.
- Exercise boosts your energy levels. This may be difficult to believe, especially if exercising leaves you feeling wiped out. But the facts bear out: staying physically fit through a regular regimen of exercise actually results in giving you more energy. Have you ever put in a 12-hour day and found yourself completely exhausted by the end of it? This is normal. Everybody has their limits, and regardless of what kind of shape you’re in, the body needs time to rest. But people who are in excellent physical condition are better at working long hours without risking physical or mental burnout. Imagine how much more productive you would be if you could work 12 hours a day and not need to sleep 14 hours to recover.
- Being fit can help you land jobs and win clients. This isn’t to say that people who make hiring decisions do so based on how good you look in a business suit. Yes, there are people like this in the world – but the majority of hiring managers and clients are interested in the person who will do the best job. Unfortunately, subliminal stereotypes have a way of playing a big part in these kinds of decisions. There’s also the fact that people who are in good shape have more energy, and if you’re applying for a position that’s in a high energy environment, you could get passed over if you don’t look like you’d cut the mustard.
If you’re interested in reading more career tips, visit artisantalent.com. Artisan is a creative staffing agency with an emphasis on placing highly skilled workers like graphic designers, web developers, content writers, and marketing experts. Contact us today to learn more.
Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
