Being productive is about far more than working all the hours on the clock and grinding your way through a mountain of work. When you look up what it really means to be productive it’s about getting more done in less time, the only problem is figuring out how to do just that…
The Role of Food
You may not think that food will make all that much difference to your productivity but let’s explode that myth. Food is your body’s fuel source so clearly what you put into your body will affect how it performs. Just like fuel in a race car, if it is tailored to the task at hand it will have far more benefits than the standard stuff.
We’re not saying that you have to stick to the rigid diet of an olympian here, but watching what and when you eat will have an impact on your peak performance.
What Do We Mean By ‘Focus’?
Focus is your ability to concentrate on the task at hand and block out external distractions. It’s an important skill because it’s what allows you to give your work your all so that you get it completely quickly and efficiently. Without focus you can still get stuff done, but the working day will be punctuated by stops and starts which just drag out everything you’re working on.
By ‘focus’ we mean your mind’s ability to give one task your all before turning to something completely different.
Knowing Your Body
It’s tricky to give a prescriptive list of what you can and can’t eat down to the nearest calorie because everyone’s physiology is different. What works for one person may throw someone else out of kilter and vice versa. There are however a few key rules that can certainly help point you in the right direction.
Eating a light breakfast with plenty of slow release carbs will give you a good kickstart in the mornings. Next you’ll want a few healthy snacks like nuts or fruit at your desk to take the place of the energy drinks and chocolate bars. The sugar hit from those things will send your energy levels rushing up and down and leave you feeling foggy and unable to concentrate so they’re best avoided! A spot of lean protein and some salad will work wonders at lunch and will ensure you’re ready for a hearty meal when you go home for dinner.
Essentially what you want to avoid are heavy meals stuffed with sugar or carbs during the working day as they will play havoc with your energy levels and leave you feeling sluggish.
Forming a Habit
The tricky thing about using food to focus your mind is that it is fun to eat chocolate bars and drink cans of coke. The only advice for you here is to give it a try this coming week and see how you get on.
Once you see the results for yourself you’ll have the motivation you need to stick to it and use the power of healthy foods to take your productivity to new heights.