When was the last time you were sleeping at work? Do you crash at 5 o’clock? Well the final question is what did you eat that day? The food you eat affects your body drastically, providing either good energy or fatigue. Fueling your body with a balanced and nutritional meal can make a positive impact by increasing productivity and improving the quality of work. Here are 3 pointers on what to look at when planning a meal.
Food = Cognitive Performance
According to the article written by Ron Friedman for the Harvard Business Review, the food you consume directly impacts your cognitive performance which can lead to good or bad decisions. Friedman explains, “Just about everything we eat is converted by our body into glucose, which provides the energy our brains need to stay alert. When we’re running low on glucose, we have a tough time staying focused and our attention drifts”. ( Ron Friedman, 2014) Basically, you should eat foods that help the body maintain the energy providing a more alert mental state.
Good Food v Junk Food
After discussing how food affects the productivity of the brain, the next step is to learn about the foods that help your body! In the magazine The Reader Digest , Alyssa Jung highlights the top high energy foods that should be consumed. According to Jung, fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains should be consumed for better energy. In a recent assessment in our office, we found that 80% of those who have healthier food habits, tend to perform 3x better than those who do not.
Plan your Meals
Eating healthy can be overwhelming and stressful! However, planning your meals will help motivate you and help you stick to your decision! Hali Bey Ramdene, on the website, thekitchn, tells her audience on how to successfully meal plan with a beginners guide! Meal prepping begins with Selecting your dinners and recipes, purchasing the ingredients that are needed, and learning how to prepare those ingredients. When meal prepping you should vary the recipes weekley to keep the mind excited! Maintaining discipline when meal prepping is very important because if you learn to be consistent with what you eat you will automatically feel comfortable with the change in your diet!
Eating healthier meals should not be thought of as a difficult task, Instead of making it tough think of it as living a healthier lifestyle! If you can learn to eat healthy consistently your body will make that a habit leading to a healthier lifestyle! Eating proper meals can dramatically change your performance of work and together we can succeed!
Reference:
- Friedman, Ron. “What You Eat Affects Your Productivity.” Harvard Business Review, Hbr, 27 Mar. 2019, hbr.org/2014/10/what-you-eat-affects-your-productivity.
- Jung, Alyssa. “10 High-Energy Foods You’ll Want to Add to Your Diet for a Quick Pick-Me-Up.” Reader’s Digest, www.rd.com/health/wellness/8-energy-boosting-foods/.
