The week of Christmas is here and for many it seems that there is an abundance of “last minute details” that show up. It seems that all the things to accomplish that were due, are now due and past due. To complete all of these lastminute items, one answer for most people is to drop normal daily routines and concentrate on getting everything done in a few short days.
For runners and physically fit people working out, it seems the fitness routine is an easy one to stop. The rationale is that they will only stop for a few days and then get back to their normal routine after Christmas or a few days after Christmas.
While it may seem logical to give up a daily workout to get more time to do all the lastminute items that appeared this week, the best method to get the last-minute items done on time is to keep working out. Research has demonstrated in several areas that exercise actually increases work output.
Companies that started a program of exercise for their employees by letting the employees work out during work hours had equal or better productivity. The employees now only worked seven hours instead of eight. The results showed that no production was lost by giving up that one hour of work and in some cases actually increased. It came down to a fit and alert employee who was able to concentrate and work harder because they did not tire out as easily.
Here are some suggestions for this type of program and how to make it work.
Texas State tried this approach. Employees signed up and were scheduled to go to the gym areas where an instructor would put them through a good workout of their choosing. The problem was that a check system was not in place and some employees went shopping or ran errands instead of working out. One key to prevent this is to make one open space for the exercise room. A meeting room that is only used a few times a week or a goodsized storage area can be converted into a good workout space. It may help to have a sign-in sheet to double check on attendance.
CenturyTel did this and even hired an aerobic instructor to offer programs. It seemed to pay off by the fact that the employees became more fit and were able to accomplish their work load in less time.
Another example was the Naperville School District in Illinois had a ‘zero hour physical education class’. Students would show up one hour before the school bell rang and were given a fitness class with running and exercises. The results were improved grades and better attention in class. In fact, this middle school was the only one in the country that ranked in the top five in the world on an international test in science and math. The class took first in the math portion of the test. This is against the usual winners from Japan, China and Korea. You can read about these results in the book “Spark.”
The logic of giving up your daily run or exercise hour to allow more time to accomplish all those ‘last minute items’ that need to get done in three or four more days is not valid. The tasks are more likely to get done if you keep running or exercising. Shopping can be an exhausting task with lots of walking, carrying packages, and lifting everything into the car so you can lift and unload them when you get home. A fit person has a much better chance of getting all of this done and still have energy to take on a few more tasks on the list.
Where you put in that exercise period or run is best to do it at the normal time of your routine. Whether it is early morning or during a lunch hour is a matter of personal preference and work schedule. A fit person is better able to accomplish those ‘lastminute’ tasks and enjoy Christmas with energy and enthusiasm.
Enjoy Christmas and smile when you go for a run.
