Between work, meetings, kids, soccer drop-offs and errands, it can be hard to set aside an hour every week (or better yet, a few times a week), to get to a yoga class. But the good thing is that setting aside that hour will actually help you gain it back – and more – in productivity.

Productivity is the number one thing on people’s minds these days – checking off a to-do list, getting projects in on time – or even early – trying to tackle a never-ending list of chores, errands and tasks while unexpected things come up almost every day just in time to throw your whole day out of whack.

Yoga helps increase focus and boost productivity, which means you’ll get even more done after your morning sun salutations. We’ve got the science to back it up.  (So if you’re reading this when you’re supposed to be working, don’t worry, we’ve got just the thing to put you back on track.)

Yoga decreases anxiety levels by an average of 40%

More than 4 million people in the United States battle anxiety, and that often brings procrastination that can range from being just a bit inconvenient to near debilitating. Because anxiety can prompt people to think that they aren’t able to finish a task or they’re so scared to do a project wrong that they can’t bring themselves to start, it can become a major stop block in getting things done. Yoga can help ease those feelings by up to 40%.

Mindfulness can increase productivity by an average of 69 minutes per week

Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D, designed a program called “Mindfulness at Work,” which trained employees to feel more aware and in-tune with themselves on the job. She found that mindfulness practices like yoga made employees feel less stressed throughout the day. In turn, they gained more than an hour of extra productivity throughout the day.

Yoga makes you happier

Scientists found that just an hour of yoga can spike chemical levels in the brain that make you happier and lower levels of depression and anxiety. The physical and spiritual practice of yoga rewrites your brain to be more positive in every situation, and when you do yoga as a part of your work, it’ll change the connections in your brain that make you feel better at your job. When you feel more fulfilled in the work that you do, you’ll find yourself working harder – and being happier while you do it.