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When you are sick it’s a struggle to get through every moment of the day. It’s difficult to concentrate, you feel lethargic, and you are easily distracted. It’s the same way we feel when we aren’t taking care of ourselves and living a healthy lifestyle. It is difficult to understand if you haven’t tried eating healthy and exercising regularly. There is a certain burst of energy you get and a certain amount of discomfort you are relieved of, sometimes discomfort you weren’t aware you were in.
Our bodies adapt to what they are feeling so when we become unhealthy that becomes the new norm. The longer it goes on the more you get used to feeling that way and don’t notice the discomfort. My brother would call me a new age hippie if he read this but I have to say even he has seen the benefits of living a more healthy lifestyle, although he’d never admit it publicly.
The positive effects of a healthy lifestyle can bleed into your work life as well as your home life. There are a few tips and tricks you can use to increase your productivity throughout the day. These tips will help keep you more focused and you’ll find it easier and less time consuming to complete tasks and your increased productivity will directly impact your time management.
1. Eat healthy snacks throughout your day. When our bodies are running low on glucose it is hard for the mind to focus. You should always keep an assortment of healthy snacks on hand to help boost your energy throughout the day. Foods that are high in antioxidants, rich in essential fatty acids (which your body cannot produce on its own), and packed with vitamins and minerals are ideal for increasing brain function. Blueberries, nuts, celery, or even dark chocolate are some healthy snack suggestions or brain fuel.
2. Take short activity breaks. This is easier for those of us working from home but it’s just as essential for those who find themselves working in an office. Your brain can only focus for about 90-120 minutes at a time before it starts showing signs of fatigue. It is important that we re-fuel our brains with a fresh supply of oxygen once we hit that breaking point. When you start feeling your mind wandering step away for a minute and take a short walk, do some jumping jacks, or even take a few moments to meditate and concentrate on your breathing. The fresh supply of oxygen will help invigorate you and hit the refresh button on your brain.
3. Get a full eight hours of sleep each night. Ok, I have to admit I am severely deficient when it comes to this one. This is one of those “Those who can’t do, teach” moments. I do know however from experience that a full eight hours of sleep will help start your day off right. Although I myself cannot stick to this habit please try to implement it for yourselves. You’ll be more alert and find it easier to concentrate on being productive.
There are plenty more habits you can adopt to create a healthy lifestyle and increase your productivity. But, alas, I only have a short time to get into it. More to come at a different date and time with a slightly different topic.