As I reflect on the last year, one thing remains constant — change.
With the constant shift of the COVID-19 pandemic, many eating habits became altered due to situational distress.
Have you wondered how food impacted productivity?
As many gradually transition back to working in person or hybrid, eating habits will change yet again.
Did you know that the most prominent depressive symptom that increased during the pandemic was overeating the wrong kinds of food?
According to research, unhealthy eating habits can negatively impact digestion, leading to increased stress (Cho & Kim, 2021).
If employees can be mindful of their intake, these simple steps can boost resilience, productivity and longevity.
1. Saying no to the late-night snack
Many clients say that it’s so much easier to reach for that chocolate cake or a bottle of wine than having to deal with anything after work.
They might have felt stressed, bored or even lonely during their workday, but somehow eating something pleasurable adds excitement to their day. Eating at night can be a great distraction.
When we eat late at night, especially those guilty pleasures, our brain releases dopamine, and the pleasure center of our brain is activated. It’s a natural reward system. After a while, our brains adopt a pattern demanding pleasure.
But, this demand, can also impact us the next day.
According to Cho & Kim (2021), these impacts can include emotional guilt, social withdrawal and decreased levels of pro-social behaviours.
Two things I often tell clients are:
- Mix it up, and
- Preparation
For example, don’t wait for the cravings to hit; be prepared with having dark chocolate or a mint. Or, rather, pair a book with tea rather than chocolate chip cookies.
Choosing to implement these two strategies can reduce digestion discomfort during the night and the next day. This increases the chance of a better night’s sleep.
When sleep is improved, this can increase motivation, attention and increase productivity the next day.
2. What is your food narrative?
What we say to about our food matters.
What is the custom narrative you say to yourself to encourage or discourage cravings?
At times, I have heard clients’ fantasies around food.
The details, the imagery and the romanticized stories can make unhealthy habits hard to break.
One of the ways to break that automatic connection is choosing to reframe with a mini mantra.
After a hard day, many joke about having a glass of wine or chocolate.
Many start drinking or eating to relieve stress, but, later, this turns into a habit that is hard to manage.
Our food narrative is often linked so closely with our emotions.
When we normalize our feelings with mini mantras, such as “I have self-control,” or ”dinner and done” can help us shift our focus especially at the end of our workday.
Self-regulating emotions with mantras can help clients to make healthier choices.
3. Education matters
Imagine this: You packed a great lunch, and then, at work, you get an email about a pizza lunch today. What do you do?
Most clients often say, “Well, how can I say no to that? It’s free, and my own lunch looks so boring.”
But, how do you feel after you eat pizza, burgers, cookies and chips. Initially, it feels so good. But, unfortunately, it is followed by a crash in energy.
Did you know that individuals struggling with anxiety are encouraged to avoid processed foods or sugary items? That spike in glucose can affect self-regulation due to a physiological response.
According to Cho & Kim (2021), when organizations take the time to get educated on diet and nutrition, while offering healthier alternatives, this reduced emotional and psychical strain resulting from negative performance.
How can STRiVE Mental Health, Wellness & Empowerment help?
The well-being of your employees is paramount to us.
STRiVE equips organizations with strategies by providing tools to help employees recover from burnout and boost productivity. The goal is to provide top-quality
evidence-based program development and workshops, both in person and virtually, while building long-term resilient employees.
We want to help your organization – make a referral here or contact us at info@strivementalhealth.ca learn more.
Works Cited
Cho, S. & Kim, S., 2021. Does a healthy lifestyle matter? A daily diary study of unhealthy eating at home and behavioral outcomes at work. Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume Advance online publication.
Hu, J., He, W. & Zhou, K., 2020. The Mind, the Heart, and the Leader in Times of Crisis: How and When COVID-19-Triggered Mortality Salience Relates to State Anxiety, Job Engagement, and Prosocial Behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 11(105), pp. 1218-1233.
