So, we all know that running is good for our physical shape and health, as well as an excellent solution for dealing with stress, anxiety and depression and self-esteem issues, but can running be good for your career too?
- The answer is “yes”!
Running is more than just a good cardio workout; it will teach you valuable life lessons and will make you a better and smarter worker as well!
Here are the benefits from running which can affect your work performance and your career as well:
1. Running will teach you self-discipline
If you are a regular runner who sticks to their weekly, monthly and annual running schedule, then you definitely have the self-discipline needed for a person to be good at their work.
If you get out of bed and go out running in the morning despite the fact that you have stayed up late entertaining guests last night, or are not scared of going out for your daily run despite the fact that it is raining outside, then you surely can handle the number of responsibilities you have at work too, even though you may not enjoy each and every one of them too much.
Also, if you are part of a running group, you probably feel even more motivated to go out for your run because of the fact that other people are waiting for you and possibly relying on you – this too teaches you to be a better team player and to work in accordance to the needs and expectations of your team and your colleagues.
2. Being a runner teaches you to set and stick to a schedule
Regular and serous runners set themselves annual running and racing goals, as well as monthly and weekly running goals as well, and then they make sure that they stick to them. This goes especially for runners who have planned a race and are getting ready for it.
This requires meticulous planning of the training, the smaller pre-peak races and participation in the race itself. The schedule also includes the required resting time as well. By learning how to set a strict schedule and adhere to it, one definitely becomes a much more efficient employee as well.
Learning to plan and follow your plan is especially important for people whose work involves working on big projects which require proper timing and planning.
Well, runners are more likely to be able to develop such a schedule and work in accordance with it, in order to achieve the goal and complete the project in a timely manner and at the level of quality expected.
3. Runners have excellent time management skills
Runners often need to find ways to juggle in between chores and work in order to fit in their planned daily runs or workouts in their daily schedule.
This requires well-developed time management skills, which is a trait which most employers are looking for when hiring the best employee for a job.
Being able to properly handle their responsibilities in a timely manner is essential for the performance of any worker.
Did you know that promoting exercise in the office drastically boosts the productivity of the workers?
4. Running is usually goal oriented
Runners normally set goals for themselves for the year, month or week of running. Many runners plan their annual races early on, and create their training, racing and resting cycles in accordance to the goal races.
Other runners set time and mileage goals for the month or week too. Usually, there are a number of smaller goals which runners set for themselves before they can reach to the bigger ones.
This kind of goal oriented mindset is what employers expect from their employees, and what every business owner needs to have. This is why runners can become excellent managers as well.
5. Analysis and flexibility
Yes, runners usually train and race in accordance to their training and race schedule and goals, but along the way they know how to analyze their performance and physical condition, and how to reset the goals, timelines or other parts of the schedule in case of injury or other unexpected obstacles which get in the way.
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