3 Reasons Exercise is Essential for Entrepreneurs

You might be tired of hearing that you need to hit the gym, or you might just be plain old tired.

That on top of managing your business is enough to be exhausting. After a long day of crunching numbers and developing product, the last thing you want to do is head to the gym.

This is a huge mistake for entrepreneurs! Sure, you might be tired, but you’re missing out on 3 great benefits for your brain and your business by skipping some cardio.

Here are 3 reasons why exercise is essential for entrepreneurs!

Exercise Banishes Stress

It seems like every day there’s a new product on the market that claims to banish stress. People just don’t want to turn to exercise as a solution; it seems too obvious. Being realistic here is a smart move for you; as an entrepreneur, you definitely are living with high levels of stress.

The United States has a work culture built on uncompromising dedication. It can feel like a badge of honor to brag about how little sleep you got or how hard you’ve been working, but this attitude will inevitably lead to burnout, and can have long lasting effects on your health.

You’ll eventually need to take a break, and you might as well take that break at the gym!

Working out releases endorphins and improves the quality of your sleep. Hitting the gym gets you two benefits for one action.

Exercise lets you get creative

When you’re stumped by a problem or hitting a mental roadblock, it can feel counterproductive to take a step back. However, the answer is more likely to come to you after a few minutes on the treadmill.

HuffPost reports that regular exercisers perform better on tests of creativity than peers who are less active. This is because regular exercise is “associated with improved divergent and convergent thinking, which are considered the two components of creative thinking.”

Exercise also promotes the growth of new brain cells inside your hippocampus, according to Business Insider. The hippocampus is responsible for memory, but also helps promote imagination, which in turn will sharpen your problem solving skills.

This area of the brain is also responsible for the ability to imagine the future, which is crucial when running a business. You need to be able to see the big picture and have a planned mapped out for the future of your business.

It’s exciting to think that a few miles on the treadmill can do just that!

Exercise Helps You Meet Your Goals

When you work out, you have to be self-disciplined. No one is going to force you to the gym; you are responsible for getting yourself there every day. If you can make it happen, you get all the benefits shared above. If you don’t, then you end up at home, on the couch.

You have to cultivate discipline within yourself: “If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you absolutely must be self-motivated. When you’re working for yourself, no one is going to be holding you accountable.”

This self-discipline doesn’t just happen overnight. It’s a skill you need to practice to develop fully.

“Setting goals provides the clearest way to measure the success of the company,” says Inc.com. “When you are looking at your company from a three- or five-year perspective, you are looking beyond the tactical side of your business and instead taking a much more macro view, which allows you to see the company from a competitive, business vertical or economic perspective.”

Hitting the Gym as an Entrepreneur

As an entrepreneur, you need to be focused, self-motivated, and ready to face whatever challenges life is throwing at you. By going to the gym, you won’t just improve your body; you’ll improve your memory, your creativity, and your day to day life. Grab your running shoes and experience the benefits first hand.