This is how sex could help your career - but not in the way you might think

No, we don't mean sleeping your way to the top

If you're not satisfied with your job, sex could be the answer to your problems. And no, we don't mean "sleeping your way to the top." According to a new study, there could actually be scientific merit to the idea that sex breaks make us more productive, happy workers.

The study, published in the Journal of Management last week, surveyed 159 married employees for two weeks, monitoring their sexual activity as well as their job satisfaction. Researchers gave them three online surveys throughout the day, during the morning, afternoon, and evening. The questions asked participants how often they had sex between work shifts, as well as evaluating their moods and how immersed they were in their work that day.

The results? Those who had sex were in a better mood at work the next day, leading to higher levels of job engagement and job satisfaction. Those who prioritised their sex lives at home had an advantage in their careers, because they were more likely to immerse themselves in their work and enjoy their jobs.

"We make jokes about people having a 'spring in their step,' but it turns out this is actually a real thing and we should pay attention to it," study author Keith Leavitt, an associate professor at Oregon State University’s College of Business, said in a press release. "Maintaining a healthy relationship that includes a healthy sex life will help employees stay happy and engaged in their work, which benefits the employees and the organisations they work for."

The study also found that work-related stress negatively impacted participants' sex lives, highlighting the importance of leaving your work at the office. In other words, a healthy work-life balance — that includes sexual activity — is linked to better career performance.

You probably already knew about the numerous health benefits of sex, so it's not too surprising that its mood-boosting effects would carry into your job satisfaction, as well.

"This is a reminder that sex has social, emotional and physiological benefits, and it's important to make it a priority," Leavitt said. "Just make time for it."

While that might be easier said than done, it's good to remember that the old "work hard, play hard" saying still applies.

Read more from Refinery29:

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT