How can exercise reduce stress and improve team creativity?

Experts say exercise reduces stress. Sure, but when do you get the time to exercise? You're busyt all the time, right! The answer might be to reframe how you think about it. I recently interviewed a book publisher. She runs every day - and has done for over 2,000 days consecutively. I asked her how she did it. The answer was that she reframed her relationship to exercise. "I am not someone who tries to run each day", she told me. "I am someone who runs every day". That reframe helped her realise that even if she pulls on her trainers and runs just 2km, she has had a run. And that's where things changed for her. She didn't say "I run 5km each day", she just runs every day. I loved that idea and use it often when trying to set new habits.

Exercise acts as a buffer to future stressor. It can replicate many of the same stresses experienced in business and work but in a safe environment which can help build better physical and mental resilience.

Speed agility and quickness, this impacts and improves cognition, including planning, thinking, reaction times, timing, precision, risk awareness, physical awareness, injury prevention.

Relevant ist die Intensit?t. Z.B. Ausdauersport oder Krafttraining sollte nach einem stressreichen Tag nicht zu intensiv gew?hlt werden, da dies für den K?rper zus?tzlicher Stress bedeutet und kontraproduktiv ist. Darum sollte die Intensit?t von Sport/Bewegung immer mit dem Alltag einhergehen.

In my opinion, exercise is a multifaceted tool in our well-being arsenal. For example, the act of stepping out of the regular work environment and engaging your team in physical activity plays a crucial role in boosting creativity. During exercise, our bodies release endorphins, natural mood lifters, which combat stress. For instance, after a 20-minute jog, team members might feel less tense and more relaxed. This reduction in stress levels clears their minds, making them more receptive to new ideas and able to approach problems with a calmer, more focused mindset. Additionally, shared physical activities can break down formal barriers and hierarchies, fostering a sense of equality and camaraderie among team members.

To handle stress and ignite creativity, let's start with "Tiny Habits,” as BJ Fogg discusses in his book. The idea is to do small, consistent exercises that can bring about big changes. I've found that incorporating short, daily physical activities like taking a quick walk or doing mindful stretching can make a difference. It's not just about keeping fit it's about paving the way to a more creative and stress-free mindset.

El ejercicio puede ayudar a la creatividad de un equipo por todo lo que aporta. Una buena práctica puede ser una jornada compartida para juegos y actividades deportivas que ejerciten mente y cuerpo fomentando la unión y conocimiento de los que participan.