The Connection Between Working Out And Making More Money (Fact Or Cap?)

Is there really a connection between exercise and making more money? Well, if whoever had the highest bench PR at the office got a raise, then obviously there would be a connection. But all jokes aside, there actually is a fair bit of scientific, sociological, and statistical findings behind how exercising and being in shape can actually make you more money.

Facts and Statistics About Salary Increase

Those committed to regular exercise can actually experience a wage premium, earning 6 to 10 percent more than their less active counterparts according to Forbes.

Using a fancy statistical method called "propensity score matching," several studies have found that at least 20 minutes of physical activity three to four times a week can actually increase your earning power. (You can do that, right? Of course you can.)

Also, the actual intensity of physical activity also played a pivotal role in determining earning potential, with high-intensity workouts linked to higher incomes. Maybe the gym bros who constantly drop the 85lb dumbbells on the ground are on to something? 

Medical Science Behind Productivity Increase

Obviously no one will reward you financially for having a ripped physique (unless you work at Chippendales, that is) but being in shape does have a positive impact on your productivity, which can lead to making more money. 

Exercise benefits the brain by maintaining high levels of glucose, blood, and oxygen, promoting focus and concentration, and more concentration means less daydreaming about girls and cars and more getting things done.

Working out also stimulates the growth of new connections in brain cells and enhances brain plasticity, according to Neuroscience News. Maybe it can also repair all those fried brain cells from too many games of “Edward 40 hands”? One can hope.

But apart from the science, exercise generally improves your overall time management skills, and individuals who have a strict regime usually also factor their work into a well organized schedule too, leading to deadlines being met more efficiently.

It can even make you more creative, according to a study from Science Direct. Exercise has been shown to stimulate and strengthen parts of the brain related to memory, like the hippocampus. And the more you remember, the more you collect and can draw from for your creative ideation. So maybe doing 50 pushups a day could make you an award winning novelist? Try it and find out.

Here are some of the best exercises for productivity:

1. Walking outdoors provides health benefits and is a common practice among successful individuals.

2. Using an elliptical machine at home or in the gym can burn calories (270–400 in 30 minutes) for a full-body workout.

3. Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise like jogging, rowing, swimming, and step aerobics improve overall fitness, mental acuity, and productivity.

4. Strength Training Exercises like compound movements, lifting weights, climbing stairs, cycling, hill walking, and other strength training activities increase alertness and energy.

5. Strength training also offers numerous physical and mental health benefits, including improved mental health and overall vitality.

Sociological Findings of Being Fit and Attractive and Getting More Money In Life

It’s true. The pretty people have it better in life. But why? Are we really all just a bunch of simps? 

Well, yeah apparently. Just look at the science. 

A study conducted by Hamermesh and Biddle found that attractive individuals tend to earn higher salaries, with an estimated 5% increase in wages for those perceived as more attractive. This is called the “beauty premium”.

Also, research by Mobius and Rosenblat discovered that attractive individuals are up to 36% more likely to receive callbacks for job interviews, creating a distinct advantage in the competitive job market. 

So, it does look like being in really good shape may actually encourage the world to simply drop money at your feet. As long as your face isn’t butt ugly, that is. 

The Positive Effect On Healthcare Costs

Besides all of the lesser known effects of exercise on money, we're left with the common sense topic of healthcare costs. Insurance companies want to evaluate how risky your coverage will be based on how healthy you are. But how do they do it?

Most insurers issue health questionnaires asking what your exercise and diet habits are, whether or not you smoke, and other questions related to your overall wellness. Health screening, gym memberships, and fitness trackers can also send positive signals to the insurance company, resulting in potentially lower costs.  

The BMM Takeaway

Let’s not forget something pretty important when it comes to statistics: Correlation and causation are two totally different things. 

In my opinion, sure, exercising more can lead to a higher salary, but think about who can actually afford to exercise the most. In most cases, it's wealthy people. People in CEO positions. Basically just people who actually have enough time and energy to consistently work out every day.

Don’t get me wrong, if you have the eye of the tiger you’ll FIND a way to work out even if it’s after 10 hours at a job. But that’s not most people. And in a lot of cases, the most hardworking people usually have the least amount of time on their hands, and therefore can’t exercise as much. 

As for the lower healthcare costs, I don’t think it really matters how many miles you can run or pullups you can do in a row, healthcare costs are still way too damn high. I think we can all agree on that. But at the same time, being healthy and in shape will also reduce health complications in the future, leading to less money out of pocket. 

All in all, just get healthy to get healthy, and hopefully it has some positive effects on your money too. There’s only one way to find out.