If you’re a business owner I probably don’t have to tell you that running a business is a marathon. When you first start out you may be working at your current day job and running your business on the side, or you may dive in head first to your entrepreneurial endeavor. Either way, chances are you’re logging a lot of hours in the first years of your business. Those hours could be spent helping build your dream office space, stocking items in the warehouse or learning new skills, like accounting or basic web design, that you need as you launch and grow your business. Whether your tasks are physically or mentally demanding, you’re likely expending as much energy as anyone training for a marathon. And while you might not feel like you have time to train for an actual marathon, devoting time several days a week to your physical fitness is vital to winning the business marathon.

Here are five reasons why exercise brings you a strong ROI:

• You’ll sleep better – Running a business can leave the door open to the “monkey mind” making it difficult to turn off the to-do lists and worries that come with the territory. Fortunately, a regular exercise regimen improves sleep quality and lessens sleepiness during the day.

• You’ll have better problem-solving abilities – Working out gives you a chance to clear your head and approach problems from a fresh viewpoint. Scientific studies back up this exercise-cognition link.

• You can go the distance – It’s called running a business for a reason, and it takes stamina to meet the demands that come your way day after day. Regular exercise builds stamina and gives you more energy to tackle your workday.

• You’re less stressed – Exercise can be “me” time, which in and of itself is a super stress reliever. Exercise also releases endorphins that quell our stress response, making a tough day at work seem less daunting.

• You’re warding off dementia – Owning a business is a marathon you may choose to “run” your entire life, so it pays to stay sharp. A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggests regular exercise can cut the risk of dementia in half!

As for me personally, I love trail running, hiking, pilates, surf training, band workouts, and TRX. If I can’t make it to the gym during my work day, I’ll pull up YouTube and do yoga or pilates at home in my spare office, which is now my little at-home “gym.” I know that it’s easy to avoid the hard things in life, like juggling the work/life/health balance so let’s change that mindset right now. Doing hard tasks gives you the best rewards and with practice and discipline, those hard tasks will become easier and easier. You owe it to yourself and your business.