Top Fitness Tips for Men to Increase Job Performance

In celebration of Men’s Health Week, we thought we’d take a minute to discuss men’s fitness and its connection to happiness, productivity, and overall wellbeing.

As Harvard Business Review writes, studies link exercise to improved concentration, sharper memory, faster learning, lower stress, enhanced creativity, and prolonged mental stamina.

Considering how competitive today’s workplace is, if time in the gym means gaining a competitive edge, that’s time well spent.

Last year, we posted Top Health Tips for Men, which discussed preventative medicine, strategies to work exercise into your daily routine, and offered other helpful information.

This year, we’re going to get more granular in terms of specific ways to enhance fitness, and in turn, overall performance.

Men’s Fitness Tips to Improve Productivity

1. Do Flexibility Exercises.

While touching your toes doesn’t impress like bench-pressing 300 pounds, stretching still needs to be part of your weekly fitness routine.

Why? According to the Harvard Medical School, “Activities that lengthen and stretch muscles can help you prevent injuries, back pain, and balance problems.”

Needless to say, injuries and pain are sure-fire productivity killers.

In addition to that, Harvard Medical School says well-stretched muscles improve performance in your sport of choice, while also making the stuff you do every day (e.g. tying your shoes, picking up a box off the floor) easier.

2. Mix It Up.

While many believe the currently-trendy term “Muscle confusion” isn’t entirely accurate, experts do generally agree that mixing up your exercise routine will provide a chance to work a wider variety of muscle groups, and in turn provide more benefit.

In practical application, this might mean going for a bike ride or hitting the weights if you typically run. Or perhaps going for a jog or taking a high intensity interval training class if you mostly do yoga.

In addition to physical benefits, this can help keep exercise fresh and fun while preventing burnout.

3. Make Time for Recovery.

The time guys spend pumping iron or going into the red zone on a spin bike is meant to break the body down. But if all you do is break yourself down, you’ll just wind up…ummm…broken down.

The other half of the fitness equation is recovery.

As Michigan State University writes, “…rest and recovery is also an important aspect of an exercise program because it allows the body time to repair and strengthen itself in between workouts. It also allows the athlete to recover, both physically and psychologically.”

In the case of elite athletes, effective recovery is a complex science in and of itself. For us mere mortals, the easiest and most straightforward way to work in the recovery we need is simply to get enough sleep. As Michigan State University explains it, “Athletes who are sleep deprived are at risk of losing aerobic endurance and may experience subtle changes in hormone levels, which can lead to higher levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) as well as a decrease in human growth hormone, which is active during tissue repair.”

For you, this might mean hitting the sack at a reasonable hour instead of binge-watching a favorite show or going out every night.

In addition to boosted recovery, the extra sleep will translate to a more alert version of you at the office.

4. Eat for Success

This may seem a bit counterintuitive, considering that many people exercise to lose weight. But eating before, during, and after a workout can be just as important as the workout.

 This article published by the American Heart Association recommends:

• Eating before exercise gives you the fuel to maximize your workout
• Staying hydrated during your workout, while consuming 50-100 calories every half hour for workouts that last more than one hour (no food is needed for workouts lasting less than one hour)
• Following up your workout with fluids, carbohydrates, and protein

The Mayo Clinic, meanwhile, recommends timing your meals so that (depending on the size of the meal), at least 1-4 hours has passed before you start a workout. The article also goes into some specifics with regard to the types of foods to eat before an after a workout, as well as the amount of fluid you need.

5. Get a Standing Desk.

Even if you’re disciplined about working out five days per week, you still may be considered a “sedentary athlete.”

 What’s that? Someone who works out but still suffers the effects of sitting disease.

As Athletico Physical Therapy writes, “Research even shows that people who vigorously exercise either before or after excessive sitting cannot undo many of the negative health factors. So where does that leave us? Some experts say you should start standing up at work for at least two hours a day and work your way toward four.”

Naturally to attain this goal, you’ll need a well-designed sit stand desk that can quickly transition from sitting to standing.

Standing Desks: Part of Your Plan for Men’s Fitness
A standing desk can help improve cardiovascular health, boost calorie burn, plus increase productivity and alertness. For these and other reasons, a standing desk converter or an adjustable height desk should be seriously considered as an effective and important part of your personal health and wellness program. You can also add ergonomic desk accessories such as a floor mat and active sitting chair, to increase healthy movement, maximize comfort, and reduce fatigue throughout your workday.

We hope you found these health tips for men helpful!