Eating Tips To Increase Your Productivity

Submitted by Alicia Sanders
Posted on 19 Sep, 2020

Keeping yourself at peak productivity all day long can be a real challenge. You may find that you are able to get a lot done at certain times of the day, but for long stretches of time in between then you can’t seem to accomplish anything. If this is what happens to you, there is a good chance it is because you are eating in a way that makes you ineffective at work. Here are some tips on how to eat so that you can stay productive throughout your day:

Brain Power
Glucose is the simple sugar that our food is broken down into. It is absorbed directly into the blood stream through digestion, and from the blood stream it goes straight to your brain. It is basically the brain’s energy source, the rocket fuel that keeps you in orbit. When your glucose levels drop, you come crashing down. Low glucose levels are how you end up being unproductive for huge chunks of the day.

The great thing about fixing a low glucose level is that it doesn’t matter what foods you eat to get your glucose levels up the 25 grams you need in your blood to stay at peak performance. The bad news is that not all foods are going to maintain that glucose level for the same amount of time. A piece of cake will get your glucose up to productive levels but only for about half an hour. Healthier foods like nuts and oatmeal will release glucose into your bloodstream on a constant basis for a longer period of time, meaning you can be at your best for more of the day.

The Right Foods
Since the foods you eat are going to determine how well you function throughout the day, it’s important to make the right food choices. You don’t want the foods you need to eat for energy to cause weight gain or otherwise damage your health. Nuts, seeds, whole grains, dark chocolate, fish, avocados, and blueberries are some of the foods that you should be snacking on to increase your productivity while still keeping healthy. Don’t let the chocolate fool you—it’s a great way to keep your mind sharp because of it is full of antioxidants and some caffeine to keep you alert.

Time to Eat
The time that you eat plays a big part in how well you are going to function throughout the day. You are at your best after you feed yourself. Your productivity can really start to drag if your body needs to eat and you still have an hour to go before lunch. A way to avoid a midday lull is to snack more. It sounds crazy, but as long as what you stay away from junk food it won’t cause you any harm. Keep in mind that if you decide to add more freeform snacking to your diet, that you cut back on the portions of your main meals.