Improve Your Diet, Improve Your Productivity
Eating well, not only at work, but at home as well, can really help to keep your energy levels stable across the day. This plays a massive role in productivity and concentration. Office work is often sedentary and working from home comes with its own host of complications (like having your kitchen right there). Whatever you working situation right now, you can use your food to have a more productive and energetic work day. We have put together an ideal example of a work day on a plate to help you manage portion sizes and feel inspired to make healthier meals and snacks. Eating for productivity will be easy with our guide!
Breakfast
Eating for productivity starts off with a good breakfast. This really helps with keeping blood sugar levels stable from the get-go, and energy levels steady across the morning. Try a protein-rich breakfast with fruit or vegetables to boost your fibre intake and keep your feeling fuller for longer. Wake up early to prepare something delicious. It will be so worth it!
TRY THIS:
- Smashed avocado on a slice of sourdough with a boiled egg and dukkah
- Warm bowl of porridge topped with nuts, the milk of your choice and a berry compote (simply warm up fresh or frozen berries in the microwave)
- One of these cafe breakfasts you can easily make yourself
Morning snack
Even if you’ve had a filling breakfast, it’s normal to feel a little peckish mid-morning. Rather than trying to hold out until lunch time, satisfy your hunger now to prevent feeling over-hungry and over-eating later. A snack rich in protein and healthy fat will help keep the hunger at bay.
TRY THIS:
- A small handful of mixed unsalted nuts
- An apple cut into slices and dipped into 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter
Lunch
Prepping a few ingredients at the beginning of the week can really be helpful for putting together a delicious lunch for eating for productivity every day. Whether you’re making it fresh at home, or assembling and warming it up at the office, good planning is key. Components you can prepare in advance include roasted vegetables, cooked chicken, boiled eggs and cooked rice or quinoa. From there, you can use the portion plate to bring the rest of the meal together each day. Half of your plate should be filled with vegetables or salad, a quarter with carbohydrates and the other quarter with protein.
TRY THIS:
- Rainbow bowl made with brown rice, diced tofu, purple cabbage, roasted carrots and capsicum and a zingy dressing
- Mediterranean tuna salad with a cup of brown rice, a tin of tuna, halved cherry tomatoes, olives, baby cucumbers and drizzling of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Afternoon snack
3 PM-itis, it’s no joke! Even when you’re working from home, it’s completely normal to keep a dip in energy levels as the afternoon progresses. Eating at this time is a good idea as it will help tide you over until dinner time, preventing that pre-dinner pantry raid. Make sure your afternoon snack is protein-based to help stabilise blood sugar levels.
TRY THIS:
- Greek yoghurt topped with fresh berries and a small handful of nuts
- Rice cakes topped with tinned tuna and avocado
Dinner
Your filling and satiating afternoon snack should have helped to keep extra hunger away until now. Focus on preparing a nourishing dinner that help you recover from the day. Picture that portion plate again.
TRY THIS:
- Grilled salmon with broccolini and mashed potatoes
- Homemade minestrone soup topped with fresh herbs
For everything from even more work-day meal ideas to eating for mental health and work stress, make sure you’re following us on LinkedIn!
