The business world has always maintained levels of intensity that set itself apart from other human activities. The need for business success, the pressures that accompany traditional definitions of success, and how those goals are met means that sometimes other lifestyle factors need to be forgotten.
While there are plenty of reasons that someone may choose to focus more on their work rather than other aspects of their lives, work culture has come to a point in its history where people are beginning to reconsider and challenge what has been accepted as the standard norms of work-life balance.
Though the concepts of maintaining a healthy life balance are not new concepts, the implementation of those values is one that, in many ways, needs to be set aside in order to conform to today’s fast-paced and demanding work environments. There can be great rewards attached to the sacrifices made in order to operate effectively in business, but sometimes those personal sacrifices have high costs: poor health, troubled relationships, or a lack of overall fulfillment in life are a few of the broader-reaching concepts that can result from leaning too far into the work side of life.
However, with the slowly accumulating data being gathered from multiple research projects over the last few decades, the information has clearly pointed to benefits being derived from abandoning the old models of working oneself into the ground.
The COVID pandemic was a particularly rude awakening to billions of people worldwide— especially nurses and medical professionals regarding mental health— and while many realizations came from that time a summary of one of the collective cultural shifts shows that people are tired of working too hard— especially in careers they don’t enjoy. As a result of these cultural awakenings, professionals in every industry have begun to establish new trends for reinventing the work-life balance.
Of the many alternative approaches that have emerged such as the idea of four-day work weeks, and fully remote or hybridized professional roles, the request for more personal flexibility and freedom with their schedules has become a top request amongst business professionals.
Somewhat ironically, business owners and employees alike are beginning to recognize the great value of professional resilience. The ability to bounce back from setbacks personally or professionally, the ability to adapt to change, and to maintain personal health, all while staying motivated in the face of challenges is crucial for business success.
While popular and common methods like self-care, mindfulness, and professional development have been cited as solid recommendations for building resilience, one often overlooked idea is that of recreational activities.
The following are some examples and reasons as to how recreational activities can enhance professional resilience.
Professional resilience is the capacity to withstand and recover from difficult situations in the workplace. It involves maintaining a positive attitude, staying focused on goals, and effectively managing stress. Resilient individuals can adapt to change, learn from failures, and persevere in the face of adversity.
How Recreational Activities Enhance Resilience
The broad range and many examples that may be categorized as recreational, extracurricular activities. Sports, hobbies, and creative endeavors, are able to significantly enhance professional resilience. While the frequency and type of activity will vary in effectiveness from person to person, the point is that simply participating in recreational activities serve to boost professional resilience.
1. Stress Management
Work can be stressful. The ability and knowledge of when and how to manage stress is key to maintaining physical and emotional health. The engagement in recreational activities has shown itself, time and time again, to be a wonderful way to help ease the body and mind from the effects of too much stress.
There are many numbers of activities to participate in but a few of the more common examples are deep breathing, yoga, walks, taking naps or going on a bike ride can help release tension and improve mood. Creative hobbies such as singing, painting, dancing or cooking can be a great way to express emotional strain while temporarily saving the body and mind from the triggers associated with professional stressors.
2. Mental Well-being
Professional performance will always be intimately tied to the mental and physical health of an individual. If someone is stressed, anxious, depressed or suffering from any number of other emotional strains that can quickly wear on the productivity and efficiency of work. Being that work in any industry is inevitably going to bring strains, understanding how to manage mental health is crucial to being resilient in life and business.
Participation in recreational activities promotes mental well-being by stimulating the brain and body with healthy hormones, greater oxygen and circulation, while boosting creativity, and increasing overall happiness. These positive effects can spill over into the workplace, leading to improved focus, productivity, and problem-solving skills.
3. Social Connections
Human beings are social creatures by nature, and that is not just because of the evolutionary benefits of higher likelihood of survival from group settings. There are hundreds of studies that have been done showing the benefits of social interaction on the human body and psyche.
Of the many types of recreational activities someone can participate in, most will involve some social interaction. Team sports, group classes, or participating in community events like concerts or volunteer work, each carries a collection of physical and emotional benefits that contribute to enhancing professional resiliency.
Creating social connections outside of work can provide a support system that can be tapped into when going through tough times. Being able to share one’s feelings even in little ways helps to foster a sense of belonging and purpose.
4. Work-Life Balance
Life is a constant struggle of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and proper work-life balance is essential for professional resilience. For those people who can do this successfully, the benefits that come to mind and body are numerous. Participating in recreational activities offers plenty of ways to disconnect from the stresses of work and doing so has been proven to be beneficial not only in one’s personal life but in their ability to operate at a high level of efficiency and productivity in the workplace.
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