Something that you probably know is that exercise is vital for the human body. It’s great for increasing your muscle strength, bone mass, and flexibility.
However, exercise has many different mental health benefits. Sure, here we are talking about stress and anxiety relief, but there are also other benefits to talk about, ones that affect your cognitive abilities. In other words, exercise can make you a smarter, faster, and better person in terms of your mental power.
There’s no arguing that working from home is very difficult, mainly if you worked in an office before. Moreover, if you are working from home, chances are that you are running your own online business, and yes, running your own business brings even more stress and anxiety to the table.
The bottom line is that being an online business owner is exceedingly difficult, and there are so many challenges you face daily.
If you plan to overcome these obstacles and achieve success, you need to find ways to be a good online business owner. Exercise can directly affect your performance as an online business owner. Let's look at various ways in which exercising can make you a better online business owner.
1. Exercise Helps You Sleep
One of the most important things that you need is good sleep. What's ironic is that online business owners are people who sleep the least. It can be tough to get to sleep when all you can think about are all of the obstacles you need to overcome to keep afloat.
Sleep is vital for everybody, not just for online business owners. If you don't sleep enough, you will not have enough energy to be motivated for a full day of work.
Moreover, sleep is vital for many body functions, both for organ function and mental capabilities. For instance, sleep significantly affects impulse control and rational decision-making. It also affects mood. So, if you don't get enough sleep, you're going to be a moody person with poor impulse control and impaired decision-making.
Working out will leave you tired by the end of the day, and if you're tired, you're more likely to sleep. There’s also the fact that exercise releases serotonin and dopamine in your brain, chemicals that make you feel good and less stressed. When you're less stressed and anxious, you're more likely to get a good night's sleep. Sleep regulates your circadian rhythm – it helps your body maintain its natural day and night sleep cycle. One of the best ways to get a good night’s sleep is by exercising.
2. Cardio Can Help You Learn Faster and Remember Longer
The hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Studies show that a steady state of aerobic exercise helps fuel the growth of new neurons in the brain, and it can also help protect existing neurons.
The more neurons you have, the healthier they are. The faster they fire, the better your abilities to learn and retain that info; simple exercises like swimming, walking, cycling, and running all qualify. For the best results, aim for an hour of cardio per day. On that same note, doing this can also help prevent mental decline in old age.
As an online business owner, you need to overcome new challenges daily. This means learning what these new problems are, coming up with solutions, and how to execute those solutions. As an online business owner, you need to think on your feet and deal with problems as they arise.
3. Exercise Gives You Energy
Your body needs energy and calories to exercise, but it is also true that exercise itself will provide you with more energy. Of course, having a lot of energy is very important as an online business owner who may work 8 to 14 hours every day. You need that energy to remain motivated, think rationally, and make decisions that will benefit your company. Being tired all the time is just not an option.
Exercise helps increase your energy levels because it allows you to get better sleep. There is also the fact that that serotonin and dopamine also play a role in energy production. So when you feel happy and not stressed, you're going to have more energy.
Finally, exercise increases your metabolic rate. When your metabolism is fast, your body is burning calories; when you burn many calories in a short amount of time, that is all fuel for your body. This is why it can be very beneficial to exercise first thing in the morning; it can provide you with all the energy you need to deal with a long day of problems and people.
4. Exercise Develops Brain Flexibility – Thinking on Your Feet
As an online business owner, you need mental agility and flexibility – your brain's ability to deal with unforeseen problems and circumstances. This is about thinking on your feet and having the cognitive flexibility to deal with issues.
High-intensity interval training significantly increases levels of BDNF in the brain. BDNF is a specific neurotrophic, a so-called brain chemical that plays a role in what is known as neuroplasticity, the ability to think on our feet.
BDNF is also related to executive functions – self-control and making the right decisions at the right time. Thinking on your feet, fast problem solving, self-control, and decision-making are essential aspects of being an online business owner. If you want to reap as many benefits of exercise as possible, try doing a one-hour steady-state cardio routine with a few two-minute high-intensity sessions.
5. Developing Confidence and an Assertive Presence
Another benefit of regular exercise is that it can help you develop confidence. If nothing else, working out will leave you with less body fat and more muscle. As a result, you're going to be much more confident when you look in the mirror and see a fit and healthy person.
Looking good makes us feel confident, which is vital for an online business owner because you need to be confident that your decisions are benefiting your business.
At the same time, this confidence provides you with a much more assertive presence. When it comes to being an online business owner, being confident and assertive is crucial because you need to get your way. Business is very competitive, and if you want to wind up on top, you need to be assertive.
6. Making New Connections – Networking
Another way regular exercise can benefit you as an online business owner is by making new connections through networking. The people you work out with may be able to provide materials or services for your online business. Making new connections is impossible if you are working out by yourself from home.
With that being said, networking is one of the most important things that you will need to master as a new business owner. A lot of business gets done through connections. The merit system is great, and being chosen based on your qualifications is fantastic, but unfortunately, this is just not how the world works. It's the well-connected who are often most successful.
7. Reducing Stress, Anxiety, and Anger
Being an online business owner is very stressful. When you are stressed, anxious, or angry, making rational decisions will not come easily. Exercise through the release of various brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin can reduce anger levels, anxiety, depression, and stress. Simply put, regular exercise leads to you being a more level-headed person able to make rational decisions that will benefit your business.
FAQ
What are the Health Benefits of Regular Exercise?
Regular exercise benefits you by helping control your weight, reducing the risk of heart disease, and managing blood sugar levels. In addition, it can help you quit smoking, improve your mental health, and much more.
Is it Bad to Work Out on an Empty Stomach?
If you are planning to lose weight, working out on an empty stomach is the way to do it. With that being said, if you work out on an empty stomach, you might burn too much energy and be left without enough energy for the rest of the day. Working out on an empty stomach may also lead to low blood sugar levels that can leave you feeling lightheaded and shaky.
What Happens if You Work Out Too Much?
You may develop chronic muscle fatigue and damage, mainly if you don't get enough rest in between. Your body consistently pulls from its energy stores to keep you going. Without enough fuel or recovery time, there’s no way for your muscles to strengthen. Your body will not be able to recover and adapt to the stress of working out.
Conclusion
As an online business owner, there are many benefits to getting regular exercise daily. For an adult, the recommendation is 30 minutes of high-intensity or 90 minutes of low-intensity exercise daily. Keep this in mind, and you should have no problem tackling all the challenges that daily face an online business owner.
