CEOs know stress and pressure quite like no one else. Between managing their workloads, navigating through constant change, and supporting their leaders and organizations, it is easy to feel out of control more often than not. This lack of control can leave them unable to cope and chronically stressed-out. To top things off, CEOs are expected to perform tremendously well, and it is crucial for them to feel confident in their right minds.

Fortunately, a great way to relieve stress and build confidence (while simultaneously improving physical health), is taking the country by storm—bicycle commuting! And, the benefits of biking to work go far beyond stress relief.

–   Have time to think. Obviously it is often faster to get to and from work in a motorized vehicle than by bicycle.  But, a nice, long bike ride can provide the perfect time to decompress and prepare you for what’s in-store at your next destination. Whether it is working through any residual “work stuff” before you get to your family or thinking through the talking points for your first Monday meeting, commuting can provide you with the space to get your head in the game. Plus, to quote Steven Johnson, “chance favors the connected mind.”

–   Increase your energy. Engaging in cardio simply gives you more energy. When you ride your bike to work, you are able to hit the ground running upon arrival.  More cardio! (I kid.) This is obviously important for a busy CEO who does not have time to drag his or her feet during working hours. To have the energy to power through constant meetings and work those long hours, go ahead and hit the pavement via bicycle on your way to the office.

 – Heighten your confidence. There is just something about the autonomy of biking to work that gives you a sense of pride and confidence. These emotions can easily be reflected into your work. It’s the perfect mindset to start the workday and can give you that extra boost towards facing the challenges throughout the day.

– Increase your Accessibility. Even if you’re rocking a several thousand-dollar carbon fiber road bike, there is quite a difference in riding up to the building on it versus pulling into your designated parking space in your Maserati. Promoting a more laidback (while still professional) image of yourself can make you seem significantly more accessible to members of your organization. This accessibility can increase the trust others have in you and make them more likely to share opinions and concerns with you, which is something of enormous value.

– Impress your Millennials. While it’s an exaggeration to say that Millennials don’t drive cars, this generation does care a lot about sustainability and the environment. Recent statistics show that roughly 80 percent of Millennials want to work for organizations that “care about their impact”. They may not be a huge percentage of your workforce today, but they will be soon. Attracting and retaining high potential Millennial talent now is of great importance to your organization’s future, and having a CEO who commutes to work in an eco-friendly way, makes a very good impression.

– Reduce healthcare expenses. Once you start commuting to work, others in your organization will inevitably follow. And simply put, a workforce that bikes more will decrease your healthcare costs. Studies in Denmark and Portland, Oregon  have proven this case, and here in the Twin Cities, Quality Bicycle Products (QBP) has put an incentive program in place that ultimately saves their health insurance provider about $200,000 in reduced health care claims annually. Creating this kind of culture can be beneficial across the board.

I could probably go on all day, but I will stop my list here. As you can probably tell, I am a big proponent of biking to work. Some of the benefits I feel from it, I don’t even have words to describe. That said, I can admit, bike commuting clearly won’t solve all your struggles and uncertainties as a CEO. 

For the rest, The Bailey Group can help. We partner with leaders who are challenged by uncertainty to create Leverage™ to help you move further, faster with clarity and confidence. 

(And, while you’re here I can also talk to you about bike routes to get you from your house to the office faster with clarity and confidence.)