3 Ways Exercise Can Make You a Better Business Owner

As a business owner, you are in charge of everything from ordering custom business cards for your employees to marketing to new customers. All of those responsibilities will definitely keep you busy and may leave little time for anything else, including exercise. However, it's still important to make time for working out. Physical activity will not just keep you in good health – it is also beneficial for your business. Here are three ways exercise can make you a better business owner:

1. It Reduces Stress
There's no denying that running a business can get stressful at times. If you experience too much anxiety, however, it can have a negative effect on your company. If you squeeze in a workout in the morning, you will have a calmer mindset at work. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity decreases stress by increasing the endorphins in your brain and helping you forget about your worries. 

2. It Increases Energy Levels
Instead of relying on that morning cup of coffee to give you an energy boost for the work day, try exercising. A 2008 study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics found that inactive people who complained about being tired all the time increased their energy levels by 20 percent and decreased their fatigue by 65 percent by regularly engaging in low-impact workouts. If you go for a 20-minute jog or practice yoga before you head to the office, you should have more energy to complete your tasks.

3. It Can Boost Creativity
In order to put yourself ahead of the competition, it's important to come up with new ideas often. However, sometimes your creativity levels can take a hit and you can't think of anything original. That's when you should turn to exercise. A 2014 Stanford University study concluded walking increased a person's creative output by 60 percent. The actual act of walking, not the environment, was the main element in boosting creativity levels. 

"Many people anecdotally claim they do their best thinking when walking. We finally may be taking a step, or two, toward discovering why," study authors Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz explained. 

Whether you go for a walk before you leave for the office or take aerobic classes at your gym, regular exercise will have a positive effect on your organization.