Every January, the entire nation sees a boom in gym memberships, with people working out with all of their might, only to return to their sedentary lifestyle by March. Meanwhile, there is a much smaller spike in fitness-related activity each fall that is overlooked by many. According to industry statistics, the number of trips to the gym rises by approximately 10–15% in September and October as the chaos of the summer break winds down and people begin returning to their established patterns.
People think of starting their fitness journey and immediately associate it with January, but they are only seeing one side of the story. Those who begin their fitness journey between September and December are likely to sustain their workout routines for the following months, while those who resolved to work out in January are much less consistent. For instance, people who resolved to hit the gym in the first quarter of the year average only 2.9 visits per month, compared to 4.5 visits a month for fitness enthusiasts who started their journey in the second or third quarter of the year.
With this in mind, there is a clear opportunity in front of you if you are a local business owner working out of O’Hare Offices. You do not need to spend exorbitant amounts of money trying to improve your productivity in a new quarter — you can use the on-site office fitness center in Des Plaines, conveniently located a few elevator rides away from your office. The following tips will help you take advantage of the opportunity.
Why September Feels Like a Second New Year
There’s a reason this seasonal reset feels so universal, even for people who haven’t sat in a classroom in decades.
The Post-Summer Slump Is Real
Summer disrupts routine by design — vacations, long weekends, kids out of school, looser schedules. That’s great for rest, but it quietly erodes the habits that keep teams sharp: regular sleep, consistent exercise, and predictable work rhythms. By late August, plenty of employees are running on fumes and know it.
What the Research Backs Up
The data reflects what many managers intuitively understand — that people tend to come back to the gym after summer with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and determination to achieve their health and fitness goals, which is why fall ranks as the second highest time of year for new memberships, right behind January, as people reset their routines. You can tap into this enthusiasm inside your office.
The Productivity Link: How Movement Fuels Focus
This isn’t just a wellness talking point — it’s a business one. Physical activity during the workday has a measurable effect on cognitive performance, mood regulation, and stress management. Employees who move regularly report sharper focus, faster decision-making, and fewer energy crashes during long afternoons.
Beating the 3 P.M. Slump Without Another Coffee
Most office workers hit a wall mid-afternoon and reach for caffeine or sugar to push through. A 20-minute walk on a treadmill or a quick strength session does more for sustained focus than a fourth cup of coffee, and it doesn’t come with the crash an hour later.
Exercise as a Meeting Reset
Back-to-back video calls and long planning sessions can drain mental bandwidth fast. Teams that build in short movement breaks between high-stakes meetings tend to show up sharper and more present for the next one, instead of running on autopilot.
Making the Most of Your On-Site Office Fitness Center in Des Plaines
Access is only half the equation — the other half is building it into your actual workday instead of treating it as an afterthought.
Quick Wins: Workouts That Fit Between Meetings
You don’t need an hour to make it count. A focused 20- to 30-minute session before your first call, over lunch, or right before you head home does the job. The advantage of an on-site fitness center is that there’s no commute to the gym eating into your day — you’re back at your desk minutes later. On-site showers and locker rooms mean you can squeeze in an early-morning run or a midday lift and walk into your next meeting looking as sharp as you feel, no gym bag detour required.
Building a Team Culture Around Wellness
Individual habits are good. Team habits stick better. Consider organizing a lunchtime walking group, a monthly step challenge, or simply normalizing “I’ll be back in 20, hitting the fitness center” as a completely acceptable thing to say mid-afternoon. When leadership visibly makes time for movement, teams follow.
Pairing Fitness With Networking
O’Hare Offices also hosts regular Networking Events for tenants — pairing a morning workout with an afternoon networking session is an easy way to build both physical and professional momentum into the same week.
Why On-Site Fitness Center Access Beats the Commute to a Gym
The biggest obstacle to overcoming one’s reluctance to exercise is the hassle involved. It takes fifteen minutes to drive to a fitness center; add the time required to find a parking place, then a place to shower and change, both at the fitness center and at home. An on-site office fitness center dramatically reduces this obstacle by eliminating the parking and showering challenges — it provides locker rooms and shower facilities right in the building. The result is the ability to exercise and shower without having to leave the building, a significant impediment to regular exercise. Taking the treadmill (and subsequent shower) one floor away dramatically reduces a person’s ability to claim “I simply don’t have the time” as an excuse.
We are pleased to announce that our new O’Hare Offices is situated on a 28-acre campus bordering Lake Opeka. The three five-story buildings were constructed with the tenant’s welfare in mind, not just the requirement for square feet.
A fitness center is a critical component of an environment that fosters focus and balance. At O’Hare Offices, this includes access to walking trails at the adjacent Lake Opeka for a change of pace between meetings, on-site dining so that lunch is not a 40-minute drive away, and a location 18 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, with easy access to O’Hare International Airport and the CTA, minimizing stress before the workday even begins.
September is an ideal time to take advantage of all of these offerings. The motivation is in place, the infrastructure is there — the only thing that remains is to incorporate the opportunity into a daily routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does September feel like a “second New Year” for fitness and productivity?
Summer breaks routines. Vacations, school schedules, and less time at work all interfere with daily habits. When summer turns to fall and people get back to their everyday schedule, they are more inclined to begin good habits like working out or a focused routine. It is one of the most opportune times of the year to get serious about breaking bad habits and building new ones.
How much time should employees spend in the office fitness center to see a productivity benefit?
Even short, focused sessions of 20 to 30 minutes can help. Consistency matters more than duration. A quick daily or every-other-day habit beats an occasional long workout.
Does the O’Hare Offices fitness center have showers and lockers?
Yes. The on-site Fitness Center has shower facilities and lockers, so tenants can fit in a workout before, during, or after work and head straight back to their desk or a meeting without a detour home.
What other amenities at O’Hare Offices support employee wellness beyond the fitness center?
Tenants also have access to Onsite Dining, walking areas around Lake Opeka, Conference and Meeting Rooms for focused work, Vehicle Charging Stations, and regular Networking Events — all designed to reduce daily friction and support a healthier workday.
Ready to give your team a workspace built for focus, energy, and growth? Explore available office spaces at O’Hare Offices and see how our on-site amenities can support your team this fall.