Snacks to the rescue!

 

The best way to keep your energy up all day at work is simply not to allow it to go down. Your workload, concentration, environment and fatigue all chip away at your energy level all day long. Could your midday snack actually be making you more fatigued?

You can literally feed your mental clarity and productivity by adding the right snacks between meals. Junk food like candy bars or greasy potato chips will only serve to sabotage you by flooding your body with insulin, causing a brief boost of energy, immediately followed by feelings of drowsiness and hunger. Proteins, fats, and fiber rich foods often have a low glycemic index. The slower release of sugar into the bloodstream will help satisfy your appetite longer and provide longer periods of sustained energy.

When it’s time for an energy-boosting snack, choose one of these:

·         A piece of fruit like an apple or banana

·         An ounce of almonds or walnuts

·         Kale chips

·         Hummus and veggies

·         A hardboiled egg

·         Unsweetened yogurt

·         Baked, whole wheat crackers

 What’s your favorite midday snack?

 

How to keep your energy up all day.

 

As much as the actuaries we know love their jobs we know firsthand that there are those days, or times of day, when energy wains and it’s a struggle to focus and be productive. Unless you work for the most liberal of organizations, napping isn’t an option. You could opt for a lunchtime snooze, if you don’t totally skip a meal, as that will only leave you more depleted.

What else can you do? It goes without saying that the best hedge against fatigue is a good night’s sleep. When you are feeling tired, it’s a good time to promise yourself an early bedtime for the coming night, and even make a plan around it: perhaps a few full body stretches before dinner, no TV or at least nix the drama shows, get in bed early with some soft music or headphones and a guided meditation to lull you into a relaxed state.

That might help for the next day, but here are some recommended strategies to get through the current workday. Number one is getting and keeping hydrated. Health practitioners recommend one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should be drinking 75 ounces of water per day. It takes commitment, but you can start immediately and quickly feel results. Drinking more water will have you getting up more often to use the rest room. That’s great because it gets you up and away from your desk. Taking a quick walk is another energy boosting strategy. While you are up, try running up and down a flight of stairs. Doing so will increase your heartrate and get you breathing more deeply- which is another strategy you can repeat sitting at your desk.

Many people turn to caffeinated drinks for a boost, but remember caffeine is also a diuretic so it will undo some of the hydration you are working to gain.    

Finally, when you do sit back down in your chair, make sure you adjust the height so you’re in a 90-90-90 position; feet flat on the floor or on a foot rest and your knees and hips bent at 90-degree angles. Keep your lower spine flat against the back of the chair to maintain proper curvature. This helps to keep your newly amped energy flowing through your body.

In our next post, we’ll share what we learned about energy-boosting snacks that will help too.

How do you pump up your energy at work?