Tips on how to Boost your Performance at Work

Does this sound anything like you?

Your day starts early with a 6AM alarm, a quick breakfast of cereal and a pastry + coffee w/cream,  and then a long commute to the office. Stress levels are high as your monthly business review takes place that morning, and the numbers aren’t to your liking. Between meetings, you work long hours behind the desk, slouched over your computer, staring and squinting intently at your glowing computer screen and Excel spreadsheets and other documents (6pt to 10pt font size, ugh).   Work needs to get done, therefore meals need to be fast, so you ‘grab and go’ from the vending machine, or get a mid-day pick me up with a Mt. Dew or Coke.  Someone bought donuts for the breakroom, and you grab one, or two (no-one saw you) for your desk as a ‘snack’. After your long day, you’re exhausted and mentally drained, so it’s time for happy hour with some colleagues to decompress, which includes a couple drinks and some apps, usually fried comfort foods. You finally get home, watch some TV (with a bowl of buttery popcorn) and then retire to bed… checking your email on your mobile device before turning in for the night. The cycle repeats itself over and over again, and one month later you notice you feel more and more sluggish each day, your productivity is waning, you find it hard to stay alert and focused around 2 pm… and your clothes are fitting tighter. What’s happening, you wonder to yourself?

There’s a fundamental truth when it comes to our performance and productivity... the mind and the body are interconnected. Research has shown for years that exercise increases brain cell activity and stability as we age, as noted in this article published in Oct. 2012 by the Brookings Institute, https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/exercise-increases-productivity/.  If we take care of ourselves by eating nutritious foods and controlling calories, focusing on getting quality sleep, and exercising regularly (especially with resistance training), it’s likely we’ll perform at a higher level, be more productive at work, and feel better about ourselves overall.

As a former fitness professional for over 25 years, I wanted to share a few high-level concepts that you should consider in order to improve the synergy between your mind and body, and ultimately your overall work performance. A regimen of exercise + quality sleep + balanced nutrition = Rockstar!

Nutrition: Foods are chemicals that impact your brain chemistry.

1.    Balance and moderation are the key. Lots of veges, moderate fruit intake, and high-quality proteins.

2.    Stay away from the junk as much as possible. Sugars are the enemy. But again… moderation in all things. Have a cookie, not the box of cookies.

3.    Restrict caloric intake according to your energy needs.

4.    Consider ‘intermittent fasting’, where you have certain windows of time in which you eat. It’s a personal decision. I like it and practice it, but you should do your research first before you try it.

5.    Coffee = moderation.

6.    Alcohol = limit its use to an absolute minimum.

Sleep: Recharge and recover.

1.    Get 6-8 hours each night of quality sleep.

2.    Cooler, dark rooms are best for quality sleep.

3.    No late day caffeine.

4.    Avoid alcohol, especially before bed.

5.    Stay away from your devices immediately before bed.

Exercise: Build the machine and rev the engine daily.

1.    Exercise a little bit almost every day but consider one day ‘off’ each week to recover and relax.

2.    Focus on resistance / strength training, using machines, free weights or bodyweight. The more muscle you develop, the better.

3.    Incorporate moderate levels of cardio into your routine.

4.    Carve out just 45-60 min. / day to exercise.  Sweat. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth!

Making your health and physical fitness a priority will do wonders in terms of boosting your overall performance at work and increasing your chances for success. Consider working with a local certified fitness professional to maximize your potential.  Get on it today!

Coach Troy Jacobson offers coaching to busy executives interested in boosting their personal performance for long term success. For more information and to schedule a private one on one to discuss your goals and how to reach them, visit www.troyjacobson.com