We rarely associate our meals with workplace performance, but science is now telling us that what we eat has a significant impact. What you have for lunch can make a meaningful difference in your cognitive performance, energy levels and critical decision-making ability. Your food choices ultimately influence your workplace success.
Being properly fueled allows you to get the most out of your day and stay present through long meetings and stressful situations. Presentations in the boardroom, high-stress negotiations and client interactions require fierce concentration and brain power. Food helps fuel electrical impulses for learning, memory and other cognitive tasks.
Diets filled with energy drinks, fast food and sugar negatively affects your mood, learning and memory, whereas diets filled with fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds can enhance your concentration and outlook.
Plan your nutrition.
Staying alert on an empty stomach is difficult. It is imperative to plan your fuel intake throughout the day. Planning your meals and snacks in advance can take your work performance to the next level — especially if your life is filled with meetings and deadlines.
Decide what you are going to eat before lunchtime arrives. This leads to balanced, smart nutritional choices, rather than a trip to the vending machine or candy bowl.
Keep your snacks or “fuel supply” readily available throughout the day so you have options that are nutritious and provide consistent energy boosts every few hours rather than eating one big meal at lunch time. Healthy snacking is the key to maintaining peak energy levels and boosting brain power.
Your health should be a top priority. By taking care of yourself, you are better equipped to do your job. You should take a break to replenish your body when needed, which is why having your fuel supply nearby, readily available and freshly supplied every day of the week is so important.
Food affects your brain.
If you’re seeking an edge to achieve maximum performance, intelligent food choices are key. To function at your highest performance, your mind needs nutrient-rich and low glycemic foods. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and foods with B vitamins, antioxidants and essential fats.
The brain relies on glucose as its primary fuel, according to numerous studies on glucose enhancement of human memory. Increases in circulating blood glucose can actually facilitate cognitive functioning. This phenomenon has been dubbed the “glucose memory facilitation effect,”according to a 2011 study in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.
Spikes in blood sugar affect your brain and productivity. When food breaks down in our systems it converts to glucose. Having a steady glucose level in your body equates to better focus. You should avoid processed carbohydrates and refined sugars that will cause your blood glucose and concentration levels to spike.
Healthy snacks including fruit, nuts, seeds, vegetables and protein bars will maintain your glucose at an optimum level. Eating quality protein and fats within each meal also help stabilize your blood glucose levels.
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