If you’re looking to fine-tune your leadership effectiveness with proven strategies, remember that ‘fitness is a mindset.’ What does physical fitness have to do with great leadership, you ask? It’s all in the science, with many studies linking physical health to mental acuity and emotional well-being.
Sticking to an exercise routine is all about mindset. It requires balance and discipline. These are the same qualities necessary to manage teams successfully.
Let’s look a little deeper into how physical energy can affect mental fortitude and your ability to manage stress effectively. In this article, we discuss the science behind physical and emotional energy and its impact on leaders and workplaces and look at simple ways of integrating exercise for sustained energy levels. Remember, leadership excellence is all about mindset.
Understanding Physical Energy in a Leadership Context
Effective energy management drives better performance. It has been proven time and again. Take the 2007 research by Schwartz & McCarthy published in the Harvard Business Review. This research found that when people effectively managed their energy levels across four areas (body, emotions, mind, and spirit) 71% reported increased productivity. By focusing on these areas, they were better able to ‘fuel their capacity to work’. Similarly, a University of Bristol study found that on days they exercised, 74% of people reported greater job performance and output.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything there is to get done in a day, those who make time to maintain physical fitness, and therefore improve their mental health, can boost their leadership abilities. Leaders who prioritise their physical well-being and mental health are more productive, have better workplace relationships, and are happier at work. Those who fail to take care of their physical and mental health struggle with decision-making, are more likely to display negative interpersonal behaviours and experience higher rates of burnout and fatigue.
Why Physical Energy Fuels Leadership Performance
You only have to glance around an inner-city office to see that the focus of modern workplaces has substantially shifted toward physical vitality and emotional well-being. Standing desks that reduce the impacts of hours of sitting, in-house gyms to get the blood flowing during lunch hours, and wellness and leadership programs that promote emotional resilience and good mental health. This is because we now understand that physical fitness boosts mental energy.
The physical and psychological benefits of regular exercise for leaders include:
- Enhanced ability to maintain energy and regulate mood, and better stress management
- Greater mental sharpness and brain function, including improved strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- A lower risk of sickness and disease
- More positive relationships with employees that motivate them for peak performance
The Science Behind Energy and Cognitive Function
Moderate exercise can certainly improve brain function. According to a 2023 article by Harvard Business Review titled ‘To Improve Your Work Performance, Get Some Exercise’, a 10‑day study found that participants who exercised daily experienced better-quality sleep, higher vigour, and improved task focus on the following day.
Increasing energy with movement allows leaders to better balance their emotions, and high emotional intelligence has been found to significantly impact team performance and workplace culture. Exercise improves emotional stability and has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression. We also know that exercise releases endorphins that enhance mood and benefit stress management, which is a critical attribute of leaders facing high-pressure situations. Increased blood flow from exercise is associated with slower cognitive decline and may lower the risk of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
As well as being physically active, it’s essential to receive an adequate amount of sleep and remain hydrated because this helps regulate cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Too much or too little of this hormone can lead to fatigue.
Our brains use a significant amount of energy, even at rest. Therefore, it’s essential to ‘refuel’ our brains to improve energy levels for optimal cognitive function, which we will look at more below.
Habits and Strategies to Boost Physical Energy for Leaders
When people are stressed and have little time, they are more likely to forgo physical activity. However, this is exactly when they should dedicate time to looking after their physical health to help maintain energy levels.
- Rest is crucial for leadership efficacy, so ensure you are getting enough sleep each night.
- A healthy body is a hydrated one. Because water directly supports bodily functions that maintain energy, ensure you are getting enough (especially during exercise).
- Short, multiple bursts of exercise are just as effective as longer sessions.
- Instead of trying to find half an hour in your day, fit in 3 10-minute exercise sessions where you can.
- Fuel your mind and body with a balanced diet that supports brain function.
- Increase incidental physical activity by walking on the treadmill during phone calls or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
- Time management techniques like time-blocking can help plan tasks according to energy levels, allowing you to get the most out of your day.
The Impact of Fitness On Leadership
As well as improving mental clarity and performance for themselves, leaders with high energy levels are far more likely to engage and motivate employees.
Being physically fit leads to more effective leadership because leaders who prioritise personal health overcome challenges of the role more effectively and can impact workplace culture by setting a positive example for their teams. Employees who see that regular exercise supports their work outcomes are more likely to adopt a healthy lifestyle themselves, and their leaders will see the benefits of this in the workplace.
Leadership Coaching and Energy Awareness Training
Leadership coaching combined with energy awareness training equips leaders with practical tools to manage their energy more effectively. These programs often focus on building sustainable habits around exercise, rest, nutrition, and time management to help leaders perform at their peak without burning out.
By tracking and understanding energy levels, leaders can better align their daily routines with their natural productivity cycles. This doesn’t just improve personal performance but also enhances the way they interact with and inspire their teams.
Priority Management’s leadership courses provide managers access to our one-on-one executive coaching staff and communication skills training courses. By investing in coaching and energy management, we help leaders harness their full potential, creating workplaces where both they and their teams thrive.
Energised Leaders Inspire, Sustain and Perform
Energised leaders are more likely to see sustained success. By prioritising your physical health as a leader, you’ll be happier and more effective in your role, and you’ll inspire others to be their best.
Up the energy in your workplace with a lunch-hour walking club, start a healthy eating challenge or simply encourage employees to use their annual leave as it’s due to rest and recover. If you want to learn more about how to become a better, more productive leader, visit the Priority Management website to learn about how leadership coaching or energy awareness training courses can help you reach your leadership goals.
FAQs
Why is energy important in leadership?
Enhancing energy through adequate rest, exercise, and other energy management techniques supports the physical and mental well-being of leaders and their teams and improves outcomes and performance.
How does physical activity help with leadership skills?
Physical exercise has a wide range of benefits, including being better equipped to deal with work-related stress and improving focus. The dedication required to stick to a fitness routine reflects the same qualities that great leaders need to display in the workplace.
What is the role of physical fitness in mental performance?
Physical fitness can greatly influence mental energy as it directly impacts cognitive function and overall mental well-being.
How does physical activity improve work performance?
People who are physically active think clearly, have more stable moods, can deal with stress more effectively and are less likely to have time off work due to sickness.