Up Your Productivity: Go For A Run

By Author: Daniel O'Connor
Total Articles: 14
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One of the most important keys to
having a clear mind and operating your business effectively is this: don't neglect your body.

More specifically, this is what you should try to do as
often as possible: go for a run.

I know, I know. You've always hated running. You think back to those cold, miserable p.e. lessons at school when it was always raining and you got a stitch and you just wanted to
go home and everyone was *so* much faster than you. But that was
then, this is now! I hated running when I was younger, too.

I love running now, and that's not just because I'm worried about not training enough and
having a heart attack ten minutes after the start of my next marathon. Apart
from the health benefits, it's the only time during the day when I'm completely free to think about what I want.

During the day, there are too many distractions. Email coming in.
Spam to grumble over and delete. Telephone calls from people
offering advertising. Cups of tea to make. Chocolate to eat.
There's just no chance to step back and look at things objectively.

Running ...
... gives you that. I don't know what the actual physiological
effect on the brain of all that bobbing up and down is, but it's almost as if the stuff you carry around
in your head gets bounced together and solutions come to you as if by magic. I can be a bit dense
sometimes, so it took time for me
to realise this, but when I stopped to think about it recently I had to admit to myself that almost
without exception, the best and most effective ideas I've had for my business
(and not just business; ideas for how to run my life) have come while I've been running. When you're stuck in the office
staring at the mouse cursor blinking accusingly back at you, there's just no way you can come up
with new and creative answers. You need to get some fresh air.

When I did the London Marathon two years ago, although I enjoyed training with running partners in
the months before the race, I always had to run at the same pace as them and
had to, well, talk to them! You're running with friends, so you can't just ignore them
for two hours, right? It didn't give me time to switch off.
I run alone now and it's a lot better, much though I may occasionally miss the company.
I can go at the speed I want, don't have to concentrate too much on what's going on around me other than avoiding being run over, and while the legs are doing their own thing I can drift away and think about things. I find that being able to run at my own pace is
very important.

That's also why I don't listen to music any more when I'm out running. Why? Because when
you run to music you're forced to listen to the songs
and subconsciously trapped into adjusting your pace to the
beat of what you're listening to. I always find myself going slightly mad when I can't
quite run quickly enough for the song I'm listening to. So no more music. Besides, it's
dangerous to not be able to hear what's going on around you.

So what do you think? Will you give it a try? Running's cheap, you know. No
need to pay out for gym classes, personal trainers or exercise equipment. Just get yourself a comfortable pair of
running shoes from a reputable shop and you're set.

You're too old, you say? Too overweight? Not enough time in the day? Believe me, it's
never too late. Slow is absolutely fine, because the only one you're racing
against is yourself. And you'll never find time to do new things; you have to make it.

A tip before and after your run (very important): S-T-R-E-T-C-H your legs. It'll significantly lower the
risk of injury. Try to lean over and touch your toes while keeping your legs straight. It'll be tricky at first, but you'll get there.

Oh, and one final thing. I'm not a qualified health professional -- can't you tell? -- so saying this probably isn't a good thing, but one big and often unstated benefit of running for
sweetaholics like me is this: it burns off the calories like you wouldn't believe. You can then, if you so choose, replace
those missing calories with chocolate... cake... whatever you like!

So what are you waiting for?