Yes, You Should Take a Break from Work to Work Out

It’s been decades since most people adhered to a nine-to-five workday. And as the separation between work and, well, pretty much any other aspect of life continues to blur, it gets harder and harder to opt out of nonstop meetings and peel yourself away from your desk chair to exercise. 

But here’s the thing: You don’t need to block off an hour or 45 minutes in order for a workout to “count.” Even workouts of fewer than 10 minutes contribute toward recommended weekly activity goals, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which were updated with this guidance (for the first time!) in 2018.

Small bites of “exercise snacks” — like the 10-minute Basic Core Training or five-minute Strength Endurance Finisher classes on the EQX+ app — can actually make you better at your job. It’s pretty simple: “The human body is not meant to sit all day. We need to move to increase blood flow throughout the body, including the brain,” says Saara Haapanen, Ph.D., creator of the Move At Work Challenge. That increased blood flow causes your brain to be more active and engaged, she adds, which is going to enhance your overall productivity, mental clarity, and creativity.