By cycling, I perform 10 times better than my colleagues at work!
- 26 March 2024
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Do you find yourself more focused after cycling? It could be true, as cycling fosters deeper concentration, better endurance, and even stronger social skills. All of these qualities are beneficial in the workplace. Curious about my experiences? Read on to discover: Cycling Makes Me Perform 10X Better Than My Colleagues at Work!
Why Cycling Around Work?
I often find myself swamped with tasks, never seeming to have time to hop on the bike. To-do lists and calendar appointments often overflow. Sometimes, I spend hours staring at my screen, searching for the right solution, only to come up empty-handed. And of course, the more you have to do, the tougher it often becomes to make decisions. Perhaps you can relate. Taking a bike ride can be the perfect solution. Wondering why? Keep reading to learn why exercising leads to better performance at work:
Much Better Concentration and Fewer Distractions
As many of you know, cycling enhances concentration and reduces stress. Research even suggests that it helps your brain filter out background noise. How handy is this in a bustling work environment? This is due to several factors:
Cycling lowers your resting heart rate (unless you push too hard)
Significant reduction in blood pressure after a nice cycling session
Decrease in cholesterol levels
Improved blood circulation
Stimulates Creative Solutions and Decision Making
Exercise promotes the ability to think quickly and thoughtfully. As you likely know, the human body is connected to the mind. These physical attributes manifest in how you feel and the decisions you make. Cycling can make everything fall into place. This is partly because you solve problems in a different setting. When you’re on the bike, distractions are minimized, allowing you to focus on what needs to be figured out.
I often try to get colleagues on the bike when we hit a roadblock. Problems are easily solved in this peaceful setting. Believe me, the most impossible things get the most creative solutions. I have rounds where I suddenly come up with solutions to problems that seemed unsolvable for ages. My colleagues are used to me sending a lot of voice messages on WhatsApp while cycling. Then I often hear, great solution, but next time, please with less wind in the background.
Tip: Try having a team meeting on bikes for fantastic and unexpected results!
Reduced Absenteeism!
Yes, it’s true! There are countless theories for this. But these are the three main points:
Exercise, in general, boosts your immune system. This increases the circulation of white blood cells, leading to earlier detection of diseases.
Additionally, sweating and lung air circulation improve the removal of toxins and waste from your body.
The increase in temperature also reduces the growth of harmful bacteria. Furthermore, good bacteria in your intestines increase, promoting overall health.
Increase in Efficiency
Additionally, I had a hobby to look forward to. This forced me to finish my work efficiently so I had enough time to continue with my hobby. Rushing through work is not an option in my field, so this worked perfectly. I looked up how this could be, but it turns out that exercising leads to a 47% increase in productivity in men. In women, this is 40%. Probably because women are naturally a bit more productive ?.
And a nice bonus was that I got to know the roads in the Netherlands. This way, I found beautiful places to go with my family and friends. You’ll never guess, but these unique places were featured in our new company outings. Coming up with a nice company outing was always something that took a lot of time for us.
Dealing with Setbacks
Cycling also taught me to deal with setbacks. I often hop on the bike after work, even if the weather isn’t great. In the winter, it can be very cold and dark (cold actually has a positive effect on your health). As every cyclist knows, you often push yourself to the limit. This made it a habit to keep going until it was really impossible. Giving up seemed no longer an option.
Exercise Even Makes You Smarter and perform 10 times better
Exercise seems to have a positive effect on intelligence. It turns out that athletes are 10% more likely to graduate (!). Additionally, athletes have a more positive outlook on life and are more accustomed to working together in a team.
So, all great points to tell your colleagues about ?. Do you notice that you perform better after a good cycling round? Let us know!
Do you want to create a custom kit for you and your colleagues? See how we can produce that for you.