Having previously touched on how diet can affect productivity, we’re going to jump straight into the meal that is directly responsible for that dreaded afternoon slump, lunch!
Lunch
How you play it during your 30/60 minute break in the day has a massive influence on how productive you’ll be for the rest of the afternoon.
Lunch is a difficult one as you have two options. Do you buy and prepare it the night before or do you buy your lunch on the day from somewhere local?
Even though both have their pros and cons, mainly based around price, convenience and time. I would urge you to go down the preparation route, as this way you know exactly what is in your lunch.
It’s difficult to tell and trust what’s in prepared foods these days, whether you’re buying from a supermarket or a chain that markets itself as a healthy option. If you investigate their offerings, the chances are you will find it’s packed full of added salt and sugar, which is not really healthy even though the packaging and advertising is doing everything to convince you otherwise.
If you do go down the preparation route it’s important to get the right balance.
Every man and his dog know that carbohydrates are a good source of energy, but not everyone knows that different carbohydrates break down at different speeds to release energy. White pasta/rice, white bread and bagels feature heavily in a British workers lunch and unfortunately they are some of the worst carbohydrates for sustained energy. This is due to the carbohydrate molecules breaking down into sugar at a rapid rate, and with too much sugar in your blood stream an insulin spike and an afternoon slump is not too far away.
The key when preparing lunch is to incorporate complex carbohydrates that take a lot longer to break down. Wholegrain foods like brown pasta/rice, wholemeal bread and quinoa are great replacements that will see you powering through the afternoon.
A balanced lunch should also include all the food groups, so make sure to get a good amount of protein such as chicken or fish, and healthy fats such as avocados and nuts in your lunch.
If you’re used to having a sugary drink with your lunch, like you find in many supermarket meal deals, then please knock this on the head and replace it with a healthy option such as water. There is no point in eating the right way to give yourself constant energy and then ruining it with a drink crammed with sugar.
The next feed
Around 2 1/2 hours after lunch you should be feeling full of energy, whilst all of your uneducated colleagues are in a heap over their desks. A healthy snack around this time is great to see you through to the end of the working day.
If you’re just planning to go home and have a night on the sofa after work then go easy on the carbs, as you won’t require that much energy. On the other hand, if you plan on exercising after work then it’s probably best to load up on carbs to give you enough energy to complete your workout. The rule being, tweak your food intake depending on what you plan on doing in the next few hours.
Whatever snack you decide on it’s important to remember to chew your food thoroughly. I know this sounds like a no brainer but it’s shocking how many people I see who don’t chew their food properly and just shovel food in. To get the most nutrients out of the foods we consume we must digest them correctly, and the first stage of digestion starts in the mouth. Another added bonus of chewing your food properly is that you feel fuller quicker, so if you’re a classic over-eater then this will stop you in your tracks.
Check back soon for part 3, where I will provide a list of foods that you should be eating at each stage of the day to improve your productivity.