With never-ending to-do lists and busy schedules, feeling energised from the early hours can be the key to enjoying a productive day. The good news is that coffee can give you the boost you need to tackle your day. Dr Owen Bain is a nutrition and performance consultant at CaféPod and has helped develop their ‘Productivity Hack’, an equation to help people power up, get into the flow, and get as much done as possible. Here’s how you can increase your productivity from the early hours.
Put simply, the formula is
Coffee + Music + Food = Productivity
Coffee
Caffeine stimulates the parts of the brain involved in motor processes, giving you that great energy boost. You might be surprised, but the best time to get the first hit of the day is not straight out of bed, but rather an hour later. In that first hour, your body releases cortisol, the stress hormone, so you won’t get the most out of your coffee. You will really be needing the boost an hour after waking up. In only 20 minutes you will start noticing the benefits of increased alertness and concentration.
Music
Studies show that music engages the area of the brain involved in paying attention and making predictions, and that the mood-boosting effect of your favourite music increases creativity and helps you work faster. It really depends on your music taste, but give music without lyrics a go as it tends to be less distracting. Put those headphones on and enjoy your day!
Food
Photo credit: @brandonduvall
Your brain is powered by what you eat and glucose is its main source of fuel. Having too much or too little of the simple sugar can have negative effects, so it’s all about finding a balance. Feeding your brain cells the right amount can be as easy as sticking to a healthy diet and not over-indulging in sweets. You should be aiming for around 30g spread across the day for peak performance – that’s about what you can find in your average can of fizzy drink. Dr Bain’s research shows that by following these tips and being a bit tactical with your day’s coffee, food and music you will sharpen up, stay focused and make great things happen.
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