Need Energy Boost? 5 Ways to Impact Work Performance

Nourishing cuisine creation setting, red fish, mixed berries, species, avocados, broccoli, lime arranged Latin Biz Today

Nutrition and best practice healthful habits to avoid the mid-day slump

 

You know the feeling all too well: the clock reads 3pm on a Tuesday, you still have hours of work ahead of you, and yet your eyes begin to feel heavy and you start to lose focus. Maybe you skipped breakfast, or even lunch as well, but with your busy work schedule, sometimes these things fall through the cracks.

What do you do?

Perhaps you reach for another cup of coffee or a soda. Maybe you run to the vending machine and grab a bag of chips. These may seem like small things, but they can have quite an impact on your health and performance at work.

While it is not something we often think about, making poor nutritional choices can have an impact on more than just our waistlines.

When we eat too much or not enough, it can directly impact our work. While most people tend to prioritize getting their work done, what gets lost is the importance of health and wellbeing. Besides being important for your overall health, taking steps to build healthy habits at work can also improve your productivity.

For example, if you skip breakfast, you could end up slowing down and limiting the amount of work you are able to get done that day.

You may also end up overeating at lunch, which could make you even more tired in the afternoon. If you take the time to plan for meals and snacks, the amount of time will be trivial compared with the positive impact on your health. It may even save you time by allowing you to focus on your work instead of feeling tired or even “crashing” in the afternoon.

Making time for meals can also affect our mood. When we skip meals, although we may not notice, we tend to become more irritable, which has the potential to impact our professional relationships.

There are many reasons to practice healthful habits and it does not have to be a burden.

There are small, simple you can make to your daily routine that can have an impact on how you feel throughout the day at work.

When my clients are struggling with workplace fatigue and burnout, I always recommend these tips to help them improve their energy and mood throughout the day. Taking time for yourself and remembering that your health is a priority can be beneficial, especially when you are running your own business.

If you take the time to take care of yourself, you will only improve how you care for others. Try working these small changes into your routine to avoid that 3pm burnout.

Here are the 5 tips to boost your energy and work performance:

1.   Choose balanced meals and snacks

What you choose to eat throughout the day can have a large impact on your energy and mood. Eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day can help curb hunger and prevent peaks a valleys in your energy levels, preventing the dreaded afternoon crash. I always recommend making sure you meals and snacks have three things: fiber, protein, and healthy fat. This winning combination is not only important for overall health, it will keep you feeling fuller longer. These foods, especially when combined, take a longer time to digest, which prevents hunger and blood sugar highs and lows, which can affect mood.

Some examples of healthy snacks with these three key players are a handful of nuts, such as almonds, Lowfat Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit, and Hummus with celery and carrots. All of these snacks are very easy to prepare and are very portable for when you are on the go, an added bonus.

2.   Avoid skipping meals

While skipping a meal save you a few minutes in the short term, it can have a detrimental effect on the rest of your day. Many people skip meals, particularly breakfast, in an effort to save time. However, this can often lead to a reduced ability to focus and can ultimately result in time being lost instead. Taking a few moments to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning can start your day off on the right foot. Make sure to include foods with fiber and protein to keep you feeling full through the morning.

3.   Reach for water, not caffiene

When we start to feel tired in the afternoon, the natural impulse is to grab coffee, soda, or even an energy drink. However, caffeine and stimulation is often not what our body’s need. Often, when we feel tired in the middle of the day it is because we are dehydrated. Next time you are feeling sleepy in the afternoon, first reach for water instead of that caffeinated beverage you normally go for. If plain water is not flavorful enough for you, try adding a few pieces of sliced fruit, such as lemon, lime or orange for flavor without added sugar.

4.   Make time for meals

Whenever possible, try to schedule time to eat meals and snacks. This can be difficult when managing a busy schedule at work, but trust me, it is worth it. When you plan your meal times, you are less likely to skip a meal or go too long without eating. This can help prevent overeating later in the day and also allow you to be more mindful of what food choices you make.

5.   Practice mindful eating

Keeping in theme with my previous tip, practicing mindful eat is also important for health. What do I mean by “mindful eating”? I mean setting aside some time to eat without distraction. No television, no cell phone screen, not answering emails or talking on the phone. Just you taking a few moments to eat your meal and only that. This allows you to truly appreciate your food and better understand your hunger and fullness cues, which as easy to overlook when we are distracted. If possible, try eating outside of your work space.

Taking a few moments for yourself to enjoy and appreciate your food can be very beneficial for wellness and developing healthy eating behaviors.

Related articles:

Small Business Owner Nutrition- Meal Preparation Keys to Success

Small Business Owner Productivity is an Ounce of Prevention

Meal Preparation: The Secret to a Successful Work Week

Business Leader, Heal Thyself

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