Too Busy to Work Out? Or...To Busy NOT to Work Out?

Life is hectic.  If you have kids or have a job that is at all related to a school you know exactly how busy it can get this time of year.  How do you handle it?

Recently I discovered a book called The Hour A Day Entrepreneur: Escape the Rat Race and Achieve Entrepreneurial Freedom With Only One Focused Hour A Day by Henry Evans.  By ordering his book I got some free videos and discounts on other products.  In one of those videos he talked about Sir Richard Branson and his productivity level.

Henry Evans referred to an interview where Sir Richard Branson was asked the question, "Richard, how can I be more productive?"

The answer he gave was brief, "Work out."

What?  The founder of the Virgin Group a multi-billion dollar business conglomerate says that working out is the secret to being more productive?

How can this be?  There are many possible reasons for this, but I will list three that come to mind immediately.  (By the way, I don't claim that any of these are my original ideas.)

1.  Working out improves your fitness level.

It stands to reason that the more fit you are the better your energy level will be throughout the day.  This increased energy level alone will make you more productive.

2.  Exercise releases endorphins.

Endorphins are the "feel good chemicals" of your body to put it simply.  Have you ever heard of a runner's high?  That is the result of the release of these endorphins.

3.  Working out leads to a sense of accomplishment.

How many of you are list makers?  Those of us who are list makers know the power of crossing off activities on that list as we finish.  (Has anyone else ever done a task and then wrote it down just so you can cross it off?)  I think the power of crossing off activities on your list is in the momentum that it creates.  For me, the sense of accomplishment that I get from completing a workout also gets that momentum in my life going.

4.  The lessons learned from working out carry over into the rest of your life.

Lessons???? What kind of Lessons can be learned from working out?  Here are a few that come to mind.

• Hard work leads to success.
• Setting and reaching goals are powerful motivators.
• Focusing on self improvement allows for more energy to serve others.
• If you work out with a partner or a group, you learn the power of accountability. 

So, the choice is yours.  The next time you feel like you don't have enough time to fit in exercise, ask yourself, "Do I have the time to Not exercise?"

Please take a minute to answer the following question in the comments section below.  How has working out helped you be more productive?