Maintain Your Physical and Financial Fitness

Four of the top 2016 New Year’s resolutions, according to a GoBankingRates survey, were to lose weight, live a healthier lifestyle, save more while spending less, and pay down debt. While it may seem like each of these is its own individual goal tied to either physical fitness or financial fitness, the reality is that they’re all connected.

This means that working on your body can sometimes provide benefits to your bank account. How can that be?

The Body/Bank Account Connection

Studies have proven time and time again that physical fitness is directly correlated with making more money. One of these studies was published by the Social Science Research Network and it found that frequent exercisers earn 5-10 percent more than those who exercise less often. If you look at some of today’s wealthiest and most influential people, it’s proof of this concept as a large majority of them work out regularly.

For example, Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Records with a net worth of $5.1 billion, shares in his blog how he wakes up every day around 5 a.m. so that he is “able to do some exercise…which puts me in a great mind frame before getting down to business.” Bill Gates, Microsoft’s co-founder who is worth an estimated $79.2 billion, also exercises regularly, spending 60 minutes every morning on the treadmill while watching instructional-based videos.

But what makes exercise so critical to success?

Exercise Boosts Brain Function

When you exercise, not only are you building muscles and losing fat, but research has found that you’re also boosting brain function. Specifically, you’re improving your learning and mental performance, increasing your reaction time and memory retention, and you’re also making yourself more resistance to negative emotions such as depression, anxiety, and stress—all important factors to doing good professionally.

Your productivity also boosts, thanks largely to your exercise-enhanced ability to concentrate and focus. You have fewer issues with disease and illness, which means less time off work and more time making money.

All in all, this essentially means that you’re more effective and efficient in your work life, thereby increasing your earning ability because you feel great inside and out.

 

Increasing Your Fitness Level

If you’re ready to increase your fitness level with your income potential, here are some pointers to consider:

• Start slowly. Even though you may want to build your bank accounts immediately, going from no exercise at all to hours in the gym at a time leaves you open to injuries, thus costing you money in medical bills instead of being able to save it. Work your way into an exercise routine slowly so you don’t risk doing too much too fast.
• Allocate time in your schedule for fitness. Just as you need to pencil in all of your other daily obligations and duties, you want to calendar your fitness routine as well. That way you won’t “forget” to do it.
• Create an exercise program that fits your lifestyle. To make exercise routine, it has to fit into your life’s routine as well. For instance, if you’re in college, College News recommends that you work out before your classes even start or immediately after they’re finished. Basically, you want to pick a time that works for you and stick to it.
• Pick activities you enjoy. If the idea of working up a sweat doesn’t make you smile, then you’re not doing the right exercises for you. Getting fit shouldn’t make you wince every time you think about it, and you won’t if you choose physical activities you enjoy.

Think of how easy it will be to exercise, knowing you’ll likely raise your income when you do. That ought to get you to the gym!

About the Author

Shelly Stinson is freelance writer based out of Denver, CO. Her interests include healthy living, being active outdoors and trying new restaurants. Find her on twitter: https://twitter.com/shellystins