Food is fuel; that much is obvious. In order to be productive at work, you need the right kind of fuel. Some foods will spike your blood glucose levels to great heights, but only for a limited time, while other foods will provide lower levels of energy, but for a longer period of time. Some foods, like high-fat foods, will make you feel satiated for longer, but will require your digestive system to work harder, which reduces the oxygen levels in the brain, causing you to feel tired, while foods high in carbohydrates, like bread and pasta, will give you a quick boost of energy, but will end in a slump. So is eating at work a Catch 22? Fortunately not. It only requires some smart decisions regarding your breakfast, snacks, and lunch in order for you to have sufficient energy for the whole day.
Breakfast
Most people know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but many skip breakfast before work due to time constraints. For breakfast, it is important to avoid a high load of sugar because it will send your blood glucose levels on a rollercoaster ride. Sure, it will provide a short burst of energy, but it will cause you to feel sluggish after a few hours. Low-sugar, high-fibre cereals are more ideal. Nhlayisa Power Supply’s Fortified Instant Porridge is a great choice because it is enriched with vitamins and minerals that are essential for sustained energy. If an employee doesn’t eat right in the morning, he/she will spend the greater part of the morning watching the clock for lunchtime. This will obviously decrease productivity. It is important for employees to have sustained energy until lunchtime, which is why small snacks during the morning are also important. Bring some nuts or fruit with you to work on which you can snack when you start to feel hungry.
Lunch
Lunchtime is important for the productivity of workers, not only because it provides a well-deserved break, but also because it gives them the opportunity to soak up some sun, which will stimulate the production of Vitamin D and also produce serotonin, which is a hormone that regulates mood. And of course, lunchtime is when you can restore your energy levels with a healthy meal. Once again, the key is to avoid sugars and fat and rather opt for a low-GI, low-fat lunch that will sustain your energy levels for the rest of the day.
Snacks
Most nutritionists agree that instead of two large meals (breakfast and lunch), it is better to eat smaller, more regular meals. Research shows that fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are not only good for the body but also for the mind. It has also shown that the more of these one consumes, the happier, more creative, and more engaged one is, which are essential traits of a productive worker. Fruits and vegetables contain vital nutrients that stimulate the body to produce dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that stimulates motivation. They also contain antioxidants that enhance one’s mood and improve memory. If you don’t like eating at your workstation, Nhlayisa Power Supply has recently released a new product called Yabhusta Instant Mageu, which you can sip on while working. The Instant Mageu is also enriched with extra vitamins and minerals for an energy boost that will last you until the close of the day.
General health
Energy levels play a huge role in productivity at work, but a balanced, healthy diet also results in a healthy employee who can solve problems, can concentrate for longer, and who is motivated, loyal, happy, and, of course, takes less sick days. An unbalanced diet with empty calories also leads to obesity, which can cause insomnia and sleep apnoea, which will lead to daytime fatigue and low motivation. A study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital showed that people who had a high intake of saturated fats performed worse in thinking and memory tests than those who had a low intake. Malnutrition also affects employee productivity. According to a study by the International Labour Organisation, companies around the world lose up to 20% in productivity, either due to malnutrition or obesity. The same study showed that a simple 1% increase in kilocalorie intake can increase labour productivity by 2.27%.
While it is not expected of employers to provide their employees with a balanced diet, it will certainly benefit them in the long run. They could, for example, provide one free nutritious lunch a week, or stock up on fruit and vegetables to which employees can help themselves. Employers can of course go one step further and provide their employees with the best nutrition available in the form of Nhlayisa Power Supply’s very affordable products. It’s simply the cheapest, easiest, fastest, and tastiest way to have productive workers.
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