Skip to Main Content

Article

Get Moving: The First Option to Treat Depression & Anxiety

May 1, 2023

While it’s com­mon knowl­edge that exer­cise is good for us, the results of a recent study* in the British Jour­nal of Sports Med­i­cine shows what a pow­er­ful impact it has on our men­tal health. In fact, the study con­cludes, exer­cise should seri­ous­ly be con­sid­ered as the first treat­ment option for depres­sion, anx­i­ety and psy­cho­log­i­cal dis­tress in adults.

It’s a great reminder of the impor­tance of main­tain­ing your Resilience Rit­u­als (Chap­ter 3, Your Oxy­gen Mask First, Dou­ble Your Resilience). This is about tak­ing time to do things that build and main­tain your resilience – body, mind and spirit.

That includes reg­u­lar exer­cise that you enjoy and do con­sis­tent­ly. Walk your dog, shoot hoops with your kids, play a pick-up game of bas­ket­ball or golf with friends.

This umbrel­la sci­en­tif­ic review found, in some cas­es, that phys­i­cal activ­i­ty was 1.5 times more effec­tive than coun­selling or med­ica­tion in tack­ling depres­sion. And it doesn’t take long to make a mea­sur­able, pos­i­tive change to men­tal health: only 12 weeks or less had the most sig­nif­i­cant impact.

Of course, one size doesn’t fit all, and men­tal health issues can be com­plex so it’s always wise to talk to your doc­tor or a ther­a­pist if you are struggling.

And don’t wait to start until you are strug­gling, when it’s hard­er to start some­thing new. If you con­tin­ue to make exer­cise and resilience rit­u­als a part of your life, you’ll be stronger and more able to take on what­ev­er life throws at you.

The Chal­lenge

  • Are you doing your resilience rit­u­als and get­ting enough activity?
  • If so, what can you do to take it up a notch?

Addi­tion­al Blogs

* Effec­tive­ness of Phys­i­cal Activ­i­ty Inter­ven­tions for Improv­ing Depres­sion, Anx­i­ety and Dis­tress: an Overview of Sys­tem­at­ic Reviews. (Dr. Ben Singh, Olds, Cur­tis, Dumuid, Vir­gara, Wat­son, Sze­to, O’Connor, Fer­gu­son, Egli­tis, Miatke, Simp­son, Maher) Uni­ver­si­ty of South Aus­tralia, Ade­laide, South Aus­tralia, Australia.


Lawrence & Co’s work focus­es on sus­tain­able and enhanced growth for you and your busi­ness. Our diverse and expe­ri­enced group of advi­sors can help your lead­ers and exec­u­tive teams stay com­pet­i­tive through the use of var­i­ous learn­ing tools includ­ing work­shops, webi­na­rs, exec­u­tive retreats, or one-to-one coaching.

We help high-achiev­ing lead­ers to have it all – a great busi­ness and a reward­ing life. Con­tact us for sim­ple and impact­ful advice. No BS. No fluff.


About Lawrence & Co.
Lawrence & Co. is a growth strategy and leadership advisory firm that helps mid-market companies achieve lasting, reliable growth. Our Growth Management System turns 30 years of experience into practical steps that drive clarity, alignment, and performance—so leaders can grow faster, with less friction, and greater confidence.

About Kevin Lawrence
Kevin Lawrence has spent three decades helping companies scale from tens of millions to hundreds of millions in revenue. He works side-by-side with CEOs and leadership teams across North America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, and Europe, bringing real-world insights from hands-on experience. Kevin is the author of Your Oxygen Mask First, a book of 17 habits to help high-performing leaders grow sustainably while protecting their mental health and resilience. He also contributed to Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0). Based in Vancouver, he leads Lawrence & Co, a boutique firm of growth advisors.