Latest research published last week in  Science Daily suggests that you can get around physical tiredness experienced at the end of the day by exercising in the morning or at lunch time – rather than after work, when our minds are full of the day’s issues. The heat of the summer can be draining and despite our best intentions, a cold beer or glass of wine is a much easier choice to make than a run around the park after work.  Sound familiar?! A key reason is that our brain’s ‘braking system’ is worn out and our resilience lowered.   This is particularly the case if there is high stress and change in the workplace as this places additional ‘load’ on our executive centre of the brain.

We always encourage our clients to leverage yet an additional benefit of taking a break to get exercise:  It is likely to HELP you solve some of your most complex problems.  That sudden flash of insight and new idea for a solution has been shown in numerous studies to be more likely when we are relaxed and letting our mind wander AWAY from the problem we have been focusing on.  One recent UBC study found that significantly more brain regions than initially thought,  come on line when we let ourselves participate in a simple activity, such as exercise.  So – get those running shoes on and head outside!