A new study shows: our mood at work determines whether we exercise after work. To vent frustration or just to boost our mood? The answer is unexpected.
I have a confession to make: although I plan to go to the gym after work several times a week, it only happens once at most. There are too many valid excuses for not doing it: the sun is shining, I still have shopping and cooking to do, I could visit my parents again..
So far, I have attributed my behavior to very weak willpower. But could there be more to it than that? In a recently published study, scientists explored why we don’t really feel like exercising after work, and how we can change that.
The relief of frustration? Are you kidding me or something? Are you seriously saying that?
In a 14-day diary study involving 208 workers, Dr. Sacha Abdel Hadi of Justus Liebich University in Giessen and his team found that there was a significant link between stress at work and physical activity after work. If you’re stressed out, do you try to relieve your tension and frustration with an after-work workout? Actually no, the reality is just the opposite.
“Our study shows that stress affects leisure-time exercise behavior. People who were stressed at work were subsequently less physically active, “ the researchers conclude.
But doesn’t exercise reduce stress?
It is well known that exercise helps combat stress by stimulating the production of happy hormones and reducing stress hormones. But the problem seems to be the ‘recovery paradox’, as after work we often crave relaxation rather than a strenuous workout, even though that is what would be healthy.
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“Our research shows that it has to do with self-regulation – a limited resource. Work and other commitments already put a heavy strain on this resource, so there is often no energy left for exercise. This is how the body protects itself from overload, even when exercise would actually be beneficial, “ explains Abdel Hadi.
However, researchers currently distinguish between two types of stress: positive and negative. The latter is constant, stressful and annoying, can be caused by, for example, unnecessarily complex work processes or technical problems, and is what so often makes us want to just lie on the sofa after work because we no longer have the energy.
On the other hand, stress can also be useful: for example, if you have a big responsibility or you have to implement a big project within two weeks, your feeling of stress has an energizing and motivating effect. A study has shown that those who organize their daily work in this way are more likely to go to the gym after work.
People who go to the gym after work do things differently
So my job obviously contributes more to my after-work activities than I previously thought. This means that not only do I have to work on my willpower, but I have to think more broadly. I shouldn’t just ask myself in my spare time what I need and set limits when it becomes too much. In my daily work life, it’s also important to think about where optimization is needed so that I experience as little negative stress as possible (perhaps with the exception of minor technical issues that we can never completely prevent).
What else helps? Dr. Sacha Abdel Hadi concludes with three practical tips: pack a gym bag in the morning or evening, go to the gym, swimming or yoga immediately after work, and implement fixed routines that make going to the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday completely natural.
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