We all know that staying energetic at work can be a drag. Its Monday morning…your eyes are blurry, your back is sore, you have 35 emails to action in your inbox, and your stomach is growling. You look next to you and Sue is eating a giant chocolate muffin from Fournos. It looks so good… you start wondering if you should order one too.Whilst a muffin might be a quick fix to stop your cravings, you need to think about how the muffin may influence your daytime productivity levels. By avoiding foods that slow you down, and building healthy eating habits, you can be more productive at work.While this may seem like a daunting task, there are some simple and effective ways to boost your productivity, simply by choosing the right foods. According to the Mental Health Foundation good nutrition is essential for our mental well-being and cognitive functioning. Below are some tips to get you started:

Step I: Start the day right – Eat breakfast
Eat the right foods for breakfast- eating breakfast fuels your body so that you can concentrate throughout the day. Low glycaemic foods are digested slowly by your body, to fuel your body for the rest of the day.
Paragon tip: Plan your day so that you have enough time to eat your breakfast. Schedule it in your diary if breakfast is not a priority for you.

Step 2: Pack healthy snacks
Fruit is known to give you long-lasting productivity during your day. Fruit is easily digested by the body, which alleviates the fatigue associated with hard to digest snacks or large portion sizes.
Paragon tip: Pack your fruit in the morning or find a ‘fruit buddy’ in the office, where each of you can bring a different fruit on alternative days. You know what they say ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away!’.

Step 3: Stay hydrated throughout the day
Not only does drinking water help your body stay healthy, it aids the transport of energy-providing nutrients to your brain throughout the day.
Paragon tip: Bring a reusable water bottle to refill throughout the day.

Step 4: Pack your lunch more often
Bring your lunch from home as often as possible to help make healthier choices and avoid relying on convenience store foods.
Paragon tip: When hosting client meetings rather order healthier food options- low GI wraps, fruit skewers and salads as opposed to pizza and other junk food.

Step 5: Fight The afternoon ‘slump’
Fight the afternoon slump without caffeine. Too much caffeine will cause your energy levels to crash, affecting your productivity. Caffeine also disturbs your sleep patterns.
Paragon tip: After lunch start drinking water and rooibos tea as an alternative to coffee or tea.

Paragon Interiors prides itself in providing workplace solutions that enhance employee health and increase productivity. Contact us to today to find out what we can do for you!

Written by: Lauren Paul, Marketing Manager