Get Focused! Three Diet Tips to Increase Productivity at Work

Raise your hands if skipping breakfast and going straight for the coffee is your morning ritual! As a business owner, I'm all too familiar with what it's like to be stressed out, sleepless, and making poor diet decisions. But working in an environment that sells and promotes products related to wellness and holistic health, I also know that what you eat can have an impact on your waistline and your health and your food choices can also have an impact on your energy and concentration at work. So, it's time to start practicing what I preach!;)

Weather you're a business owner or hard working employee, here's a few key nutritional habits that can boost your energy levels, keep your appetite and cravings under control, and help you feel more focused daily:

1.)  Eat breakfast.  (Gulp!)  Studies show that productivity drops a whopping 50 percent to 75 percent when you skip breakfast. But what you eat is also important. Starting your day with a balanced breakfast that includes protein will help keep you energized for about five to six hours as opposed to that donut that will only give you 1 to 2 hours of fuel.

2.)  Step away from the sugar. (Double Gulp!)  Sugar is cheap, tasty, and absolutely addicting drug for stress managment. When you experience stress, a dynamic is created in your brain in which dopamine is high and serotonin levels are low, creating an imbalance. To compensate, your brain makes you crave sugary foods for a quick burst of serotonin. Although that may sound like "zen"...it's not because the serotonin levels quickly come crashing down. Eventually, your stress levels and mood can become erratic, making it difficult to focus.  Try fruits, nuts, and veggies instead.

3.)  Don't drink coffee on an empty stomach. (Triple Gulp!)  A lot of us  use caffeine as our main fuel source.   The caffeine in coffee can deplete serotonin levels for up to eight hours!   As a result, this will increase your stress as well as increase your sugar cravings, which, will lead to more brain fog (vicious cycle).  If you gotta have your cup of Joe...make sure to eat something first to slow down the absorption of caffeine.

Just these little tweaks to your diet alone will increase your energy throughout the day, help you manage your stress better, and work more efficiently. What tips do you have for increasing productivity during your busy day?  Share them here.

Source:  "Can't Focus at Work?  Your Diet May be to Blame."  by Barbara Mendez, INC.com