Top 10 Healthy Habits to Make You Stay Productive at Work
We all know the problem: staying energetic at work the entire tim can be very exhausting. Starting early in the morning from Monday till Friday and going late home with a sore back is really tiring. The only thing you can think about is that you are longing for the weekend. While getting a good night’s sleep and keeping a healthy exercise routine both play important parts in daytime productivity, eating habits are also very important. By simply avoiding foods that will slow you down, and building eating habits that move you forward, everyone can stay more productive at work. While this may seem like a scary task, some of the most useful ways to boost your productivity at work are actually really simple changes to make.
It’s not a secret anymore that healthy workers are among the happiest and most productive at their jobs. A lot of studies have shown that employees in better overall health exhibit high performance and efficiency levels, which leads to a greater focus from companies on corporate wellness programs. We have made a top 10 of eating habits that make you stay productive at work!
1. Get the right amount of sleep
How many ours do you sleep each day? If you’re one of the 40 percent of Americans who sleep less than the suggested 7 to 9 hours per night, you probably have mild sleep deprivation. Even if you’re clocking close to 7 hours, getting just 20 to 30 minutes less sleep than you need each night can impair cognition and performance. Getting the right amount of sleep each day is very important so you can stay focussed the entire working day without getting tired after a couple of hours.
2. Eat breakfast every morning
Another easy way to stay energetic at work to make sure you eat breakfast. Even though you are nog really hungry in the morning just do it. Eating breakfast makes sure your body moves out of its sleep-friendly energy-conserving state and into its wakeful daytime state. Even a glass of juice, protein shake, or piece of fruit in the morning is better for your productivity than nothing.
3. Hydrate
Drinking enough water is not the only way to keep your body healthy, keeping hydrated aids the transport of energy-providing nutrients throughout the body. That’s not the only thing, as you grow dehydrated your blood thickens, which forces your heart to pump with difficulty, which makes you feel drained more quickly.
4. Take exercise breaks
Being constantly connected via smartphones and tablets means that employees are working more hours than ever. And also the growing of desk office work, means that it is hard for people plan physical activity into their daily routines.
Going to the gym before or after work is a popular choice for many employees committed to fitness, but midday exercise breaks can benefit more than just your health, said Guy Yehiav, CEO of predictive analytics software company Profitect.
5. Bring your own meals and snacks
Vending machines, birthday celebrations, happy hours and nearby fast food joints all present temptations to make less-than-ideal food choices throughout the workday. It is not a big problem if you treat yourselve sometimes, but if you do this all the time this could make you less productive. On the other side, eating nutrient-rich foods can improve your focus and fuel you throughout the day. That’s why you should keep a “healthy snack” stash in your desk (fruits, nuts, etc.) and making an effort to pack your own, nutritious lunches.
6. Eat enough fiber
Much like complex carbohydrates, eating enough fiber helps your body to digest food slowly and steadily. This means your energy levels stay uniform, letting you be more productive, more alert, and better prepared for your day.
7. Use a better office chair
When you spend most of your day seated, the chair you’re using can greatly affect how you feel during your working hours. You might not have any control over the furniture your company purchases, but if you work from home or even just use a desk at home regularly, it might be worth it to invest in a chair that’s ergonomically designed for maximum support and comfort.
8. Eat extra omega 3s
Omega 3s are an important fatty acid found in many nuts, oils, and fatty fishes. These crucial ingredients help keep your brain cells thriving, as well as help your body store carbohydrates as energy, rather than fat. Making a special effort to ensure you have enough omega 3s in your diet can help you stay alert at work.
9. Don’t eat junk food
It doesn’t matter if you like sweets a lot or just have a lot of free snacks around the office, eating junk food is a quick way to lose your alertness at work. Foods that are high in trans and saturated fats will make you feel sluggish, while foods high in sugar will give you a quick energy high, followed by a crash. Despite the fact that sugary and fatty snacks tend to be easy to transport and consume on the go, you are better off eating nutritious foods if you want to stay sharp at work.
10. Be careful with caffeine
When you start to feel your productivity at work slide, you probably think caffeine will fix the problem, or a handful of chocolate covered coffee beans. Even though it seems illogical, consuming a big amount of caffeine can actually make your productivity at work decrease. Just like unhealthy snacks, consuming too much caffeine at once will give you a quick spike in energy, but guarantees a productivity-harming crash. To stay productive all day, it’s better to consume small amounts of caffeine, like the amount in a cup of green tea.
