Want to Boost Your Productivity? Get Up and Dance

Sharper Thinking

If you’ve been experiencing a bit of brain fog at work, shaking your groove thing can help clear that cloud away. Studies have found that dancing can improve cognition as well as fine motor skills. So if you work a job that requires focusing on a task for extended periods, dancing may be just what the doctor ordered. Reading, playing board games, and playing musical instruments were also found to help sharpen the mind.

Increased Energy

Looking for some energy to get through the work day? If you’ve resorted to mixing energy drinks with your coffee, it may be time for a change. Dancing before work can give you a much healthier energy boost. Once you bust a move, you’ll be alert and ready to take on the projects that await you — and it’s a lot easier to type when your hands aren’t shaking from caffeine jitters.

Elevated Mood

Often in a grumpy mood before you even get to work? Dancing may help change that. Before you know it, you’ll be the happiest person in the office. “Dancing has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, and stress and boost self-esteem, body image, coping ability, and overall sense of well-being, with the benefits lasting over time,” said Berkeley Wellness researchers.

Fewer Sick Days

Being out of the office on a sick day puts projects behind schedule, and it’s hard to be productive when you or your teammates are out. Luckily, the exercise you get from dancing is also an immune booster. According to the National Institutes of Health, physical activity can help rid the body of bacteria in the lungs and airways, and the brief rise in body temperature during and after exercise may help the body fight off infection.