Work makes up a large part of our waking hours and for the most part, can be incredibly stressful. Such kinds of stress can negatively impact your health and if not balanced correctly lead to bad habits and poor lifestyle choices. 

So what do you do?

We’ve already shared some helpful insights on how you can improve your productivity while at work. Here, we outline 3 activities you can try  after a regular work day that may help you regain a sense of purpose and wellbeing.

Exercise           

Most people exercise for its physical benefits: a stronger body, and a healthier heart. But the benefits of regular exercise go beyond just the physical. Studies show that our mental agility is directly related to the amount of exercise we receive on a daily basis. By exercising regularly, you can improve your mental performance in concentration, memory, learning, creativity and prolonged mental stamina, all of which will certainly  boost your productivity at work, and out of it.⁽¹⁾

Do not limit your exercise to a gym. Swimming, forms of self defense, calisthenics, dance and other alternative movement based activities can be incorporated into your daily regimen to ensure your exercise requirements are met. Choosing an activity you like, instead of forcing yourself to do 2 dimensional repetitive movements, will also ensure you stick to it instead of quitting  half-way.

Massages are a great way to ease the stress that tends to build up throughout your work day. The idea of promoting massages as an after work activity to your colleagues may  be uncomfortable  due to the subtle sexual undertones massages carry , lent to it by social and cultural stereotypes. However, research proves that massages are an effective way to manage stress and reduce physical tension. Studies incorporating it into the workplace, showed an increase in employee morale, reduced absenteeism, and improved productivity.⁽²⁾

The best way to find a massage therapist is by asking for recommendations from people or by visiting a licensed, certified or registered masseuse that  has a relative amount of experience under their belt. This is because although a massage can be therapeutic, it can create further problems in your muscles, if done incorrectly.

Yoga

Yoga is another activity, you can try out, that has considerable physical and mental benefits. It’s an ancient form of movement that incorporates physical exercise, breathing techniques, and meditation to enhance mind-body awareness.

The full benefits of Yoga are numerous and varied. Research shows that regular yoga practice helps protect your brain against age related decline, and positively affects areas of the brain that involve attention, visualization, posture, and stress regulation. A study conducted on 37 participants who were asked to practice Dru Yoga (which incorporates exercises similar to Pilates and Tai-Chi)  for eight weeks, showed that these activities reduced stress and increased psychological well-being⁽³⁾

It did this by not only teaching qualities like patience and perseverance but also by relaxing muscles, which in-turn has a healing effect on the mind, as it tends to associate physical discomfort with mental barriers. Which is why it is recommended by numerous practitioners, and incorporated into more mainstream methods of healing to combat; work related stress, anxiety and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Incorporating such practices on a regular basis will help you be more present, resulting in a calmer and more focused you.