Drivers of productivity: Being physically active increases yet sedentary bouts and lack of sleep decrease work ability

Physical behavior (ie, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep) is a crucial lifestyle factor for preventing and managing diseases across the lifespan. However, less is known about potential work‐related psychological and cognitive outcomes such as productivity. The present study examined within‐person associations between physical behavior and self‐perceived work ability. To investigate the degree to which physical behavior parameters influence self‐perceived work ability in everyday life, we conducted an Ambulatory Assessment study in 103 university students over 5 days. Physical behavior was assessed continuously via a multi‐sensor system. Self‐perceived work ability was assessed repeatedly up to six times per day on smartphones. We employed multilevel modeling to analyze the within‐person effects of physical behavior on self‐perceived work ability. Physical activity intensity (MET) (β = 0.15 ± 0.06, t = 2.59, p = 0.012) and sit‐to‐stand transitions (β = 0.07 ± 0.03, t = 2.44, p = 0.015) were positively associated with self‐perceived work ability. Sedentary bouts (≥20 min) (β = −0.21 ± 0.08, t = −2.74, p = 0.006) and deviation from a recommended sleep duration (ie, 8 h) (β = −0.1 ± 0.04, t = −2.38, p = 0.018) were negatively associated with self‐perceived work ability. Exploratory analyses supported the robustness of our findings by comparing various time frames. Total sedentary time and sleep quality were not associated with self‐perceived work ability. Regular sleep durations, breaking up sedentary time through sit‐to‐stand transitions, and higher intensities of physical activity may be important for the regulation of self‐perceived work ability in university students’ daily lives.