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Working out on your own can be a good thing, especially if you’re keen on focusing on your own goals and skills. Some days though, sweating it out by yourself can be lonely and you might lose motivation in the long run without anyone to back you up. You might not have considered it but, according to research, regularly exercising with your colleagues can do wonders.
You’re probably thinking right now, “I already see my office mates multiple times a week, why would I want to spend even more time with them?” And we get that. It might not sound ideal to you, but working out with your co-workers has a ton of benefits than what you’d expect. If you’ve been feeling alone working out by your lonesome self, maybe it’s time to gather up your co-workers and sweat it out together!
Research on Exercising with Others
According to research, couples who exercise together stay together, and the same thing applies to your co-workers. Working out with a group can help boost motivation and performance as we have the tendency to gravitate towards the exercise behaviors of those around us.
A 2016 study has also shown that a person — especially individuals who are overweight — tends to lose more weight if they spend time with their friends who work out. The more time you spend together exercising with a group of people, the more weight you lose.
A 2016 study done by Dr. Pamela Rackow from the Institute of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Aberdeen gathered that individuals who have a gym buddy exercised more than individuals who only followed their regular exercise routine without a partner.
Dr. Rackow said, “The idea of this study was to test in a very natural setting what is happening when two people get together with the aim to exercise more. I had read motivation tips in a leaflet that suggested that having an exercise companion would help me to exercise more but I wanted to know if this was true. This study is unique in that it reflects natural life relatively well because when you decide to exercise with a friend — you ask someone in your normal social network regardless of whether they fit certain criteria or not. “
Dr. Rackow’s research also showed that offering emotional support and encouragement was the most effective when people exercised in groups. It displayed not only an increase in exercise frequency but also an increase in physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Benefits of Working Out with Co-Workers
Regular exercise improves one’s health by maintaining a healthy weight, decreasing stress, encouraging better sleep, and strengthening the body, all of which have proven to increase productivity and workplace satisfaction. These benefits of exercise can be even more maximized when you get your work out on with your co-workers! Here are a couple of reasons why working out with your colleagues is a great idea!
Boosts Morale
Exercising with a team can enhance performance, reduce stress, and most importantly, boost team morale. When you work out with your co-workers, you can improve team chemistry and workplace productivity. Spending extra time with your co-workers can create more cohesion in your company. Moreover, there’s more fun to go around as some people thrive working out in groups rather than doing it alone.
Provides Emotional Support
The level of support provided by a training partner is a factor that can influence your workout results. Throughout your workouts, you and your co-workers will have opportunities to encourage each other as you all work up a sweat. Because you’ve become so used to motivating each other in the fitness sphere, you’ll be more inclined to encourage each other in your office environment. The more you learn about each other through your workouts, you’ll be able to know when your co-workers need some encouragement and vice versa.
Increases Your Commitment to a Fitness Routine
Working out with a crowd can help you stick with an exercise regime. Workout partners don’t let one another make excuses, after all. When you exercise with your colleagues, you’re less likely to blow off a session as you have people who are also counting on you for encouragement. You can avoid making an awkward excuse when you face the same people at the coffee machine in the office the next day.
Reduces Stress
For many people, the pressure that comes with working out alone can be quite daunting. Working out with a squad can help alleviate the stress and pressure and make exercise more fun and entertaining. Additionally, the office environment can get stressful from time to time.
A study made by the American Osteopathic Association showed that “The communal benefits of coming together with friends and colleagues, and doing something difficult while encouraging one another, pays dividends beyond exercising alone.”
Fosters Better Relationships
You may see your co-workers every day. But being in a work environment 99% of the time doesn’t always allow you to get to know your colleagues outside of the workplace. Working out with your colleagues means spending a little more time with them and you’ll get to converse about topics other than work.
You can get to know more about their personal lives, family, background, and the like, allowing you to get along with your co-workers more. The personal relationship you build through fitness can help you work better together in the office. This allows for empathy, which is significant in a work environment. You’ll be able to build a bond that is deeper than something you build at an after-office happy hour.
Final Note
Working together outside the office by exercising can greatly improve working together on-site. Inspiring a commitment to health and fitness can have multiple rewards not only for you and your co-workers but for the company as well. Having healthy colleagues can create a healthy working environment and a healthy business. Try working out with your co-workers today!
