Did you know that your dietary choices can have a huge impact on your productivity?

Well, I used to think that being lively at the work place only needed self-motivation and the right attitude. But, how come there are days when you enjoy working and can just keep going, while others you feel morale is below zero? Could it be that a shift in mentality or fatigue kick in?

While these might be factors affecting individuals’ productivity curves, your diet does have a significant influence on your modus operandi.

You’ve probably heard the cliché “you are what you eat”. Think about the last time you ate junk food. How did you feel? The truth is, junk food makes you tired, slows you down, and makes your brain foggy. Call me a glutton but a bag of French fries makes me feel hungrier! It’s just something I can’t eat for lunch and continue working through the afternoon.

Surprisingly, I’ve seen many people grab a quick one for lunch not giving it much thought. People end up eating what’s closest and most convenient around rather than what’s good for their well-being. But, eating right needs planning. That’s what meal prep is all about and it can increase your productivity at work in ways you could not imagine.

Let’s explore how:

Have you heard a colleague ask this question mid-morning: “Hey, what are we going to have for lunch?” That’s because they have no idea. And they are going to spend a considerable amount of time thinking about it.

This is time you could use to complete a task or even work to get closer to your goals.

When you plan your meals, however, you can always rest easy knowing there’s food waiting for you each day. You get to totally focus on more important tasks without worrying about food. In any case, if you feel hungry, you can always pop into the break room and grab your prepped snack and get back to work ASAP.

Your brain needs the right fuel to stay fit and think clearly. This is only possible with proper nutrition. Meal prep certainly enables you to have the right amount of carbs, proteins, fats, and veggies and fruits. Understanding how to pick the right ingredients for a balanced meal is essential for your body and mind.

You know that the food you eat affects directly the way your body functions and how you feel. Now, we are not suggesting you never eat a piece of cake again in your life.

But instead, that you eat more of food you prepare instead of getting fast food or fetching from the vending machine. Making healthy future decisions beforehand is more likely to make you lively, refreshed and self-motivated to achieve your goals.

The thing with restaurant food is that it can taste great, but the truth is that you don´t know what ingredients they are using or how its cooked. They could be using a lot of MSG, sugar or butter to make it taste better, but that can be quite unhealthy.

There’s just a satisfaction that comes with your own prepared foods. You make it the way you like it or your personal chef custom prepares the food for you. The result is a that it brings a healthier and more positive you.

Meal prepping can end up saving you hours every week. You can do your whole week´s meal in three hours instead of spending 1-2 hours per nigh. This can be a great move for productivity in itself. You have career goals to achieve, don’t waste time thinking about food or eating unhealthy foods that don’t lead towards achieving your life goals.

You may also be interested in; 10 foods to help you power through your day. Plan your meals to stay focused and motivated at work.

Area of reference: https://news.byu.edu/news/poor-employee-health-means-slacking-job-business-losses