Running is touted for it’s health benefits all the time, but what about the mental benefits? I think that the fact I took a run last evening is the main reason that I was able to finish my essay on gun control, which I was really not looking forward to writing after a long day at work.
There was some significant fine-tuning to do to the paper before it would be finished. I really wasn’t looking forward to getting home, because I was feeling sort of tired and definitely uncreative and unmotivated. I worked on school all week and I was ready to be finished. A little time to relax on the weekend is always nice in my book.
Running is addictive. That runners high you get sometimes, makes running worth it. Sometimes the runner’s high doesn’t end when you stop running either, as I experienced Saturday night. It gives you a huge positive attitude change, and frees your brain up for renewed concentration.
So the tip of the day is, try running. If you need a way to relax, counterintuitive as it sounds, running can help you regain your focus in the middle of a long project. Sometimes it can be a life-saver, like it was for me on Saturday.
If you’re not a runner yet, don’t give up if the first couple times feel hard. It gets better, and eventually you feel like your body gets tired long before your mind. You’d like to keep running, but you physically can’t.
Already a runner? Let’s hear what you like about running in the comments.
April 7, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I am a part-time runner and part-time road biker and both help to clear my head AND pump me up for whatever’s up next. I can occasionally get a run in before work, which is great, and wish I could do it more often.
I also suggest the mid-day sweat. I play indoor soccer weekly, and boy does that poop me out, after which I suddenly feel inclined to no longer procrastinate.
April 9, 2008 at 12:40 pm
For anyone starting a fitness program, don’t expect to be running five miles your first tie out. Power walking might be a great start. Then maybe you run alternate blocks at a leisurely clip on your walk route. Progressively make your running parts longer than your walking parts. Also work at a pace that’s comfortable for you; your workout shouldn’t be a 40 minute sprint every day.
April 9, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Running is addictive unless you stop. IT’s so hard for me to start up and get the motivation to start. It’s weird to think that last year this time I was running almost every morning before work. But it’s not just the “high” it’s overall feeling better, sleeping better, eating better (or not feeling as bad about the bad choices)..But you’re right it’s great to clear your head.
April 9, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I struggle with that myself. Living in cold, snowy Wisconsin, I don’t get out running much in the winter. That’s partly because it’s cold and partly because the roads can get pretty snowy and icy. When spring comes I really have to remind myself I’m out of shape so I don’t start out too fast and collapse after a couple miles.
May 12, 2008 at 5:14 pm
[...] you otherwise woulnd’t be able to get it. You don’t have to search far to read about the benefits of exercise to your workday [...]
May 13, 2008 at 6:34 am
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May 30, 2008 at 8:02 pm
My husband is a track/cross-country coach. I think you all are freaks. (Kidding – I’m just jealous because I can’t get my butt off the couch.)
June 23, 2008 at 5:27 pm
[...] sit at home. You work hard and want to relax. Go to a coffee shop and read. Sit in a park, go to the gym, take a walk. Put yourself in a social atmosphere and cancel that date with your TV and Ben & [...]